Choosing Floor Insulation

[Jay Aimes]

I found that 4" blue SM, cut to fit between the floor joists and up tight against the plywood floor, made a huge difference in how warm my floor stays. My first winter in the yurt was a challenge to say the least. First snow fall was late October and stayed until April.No insulation in floor and no skirt to close in the bottom. After the first storm under the platform completely drifted in with snow, which in turn put a real good frost on the floor inside. No fun. Second winter I piled hay bales around the perimeter to keep the snow out from underneath but the mice seemed to think I built them an apartment complex. After a mouse genocide, I got rid of the hay and scored some left over 4" blue SM from a job-site. Once the floor was completely insulated I sealed the critters out with old barn master roof metal screwed to the bottom of the joists. Then closed in the skirt with T&G 2x6 and used glass block on the south side to allow some sunshine to do its magic. Now with -28 C sustained for 3 weeks, I can still go barefoot. Floor is toasty warm. Plus the added bonus of the skirt keeping the snow drifts at bay. I found yurt living requires a severe learning curve. When I inquired about how much insulation I would need the answer was always the same. MORE.. Now I just need to figure out my water freezing issue and hopefully next winter I'll be living in the lap of luxury. Good Luck and remember to have fun. life's to short to sweat the small stuff.