Grasshopper looking for guidance

[SimianCainus8]

Hello everyone,
I am quite new to forums and even newer to Yurts. This past year I began working at an Organic Vegetable Farm in Western New York. Its been a wonderful year aside from the fact that I must commute ~40 minutes each day to and from the farm. I am planning on moving in with my grandmother who lives half the distance so that should solve the dilemma for this season. However, come December 31 we are required to have the farm moved off the land we are currently leasing. So a land search for next year is underway.

One benefit to this new land is that I will be able to live on it so I've decided to build a Yurt. Before making the career change to farming I had nearly a decade in Carpentry/Construction experience and figure that the most difficult part to building this abode will be finding materials that will stand the test of our inclement weather conditions. One moment it can be nice and sunny and the next pouring buckets so humidity is a factor. I'm thinking of a nice

moisture

resistant wood for the frame perhaps cedar.

It will just be my dog and I living in it but I'd like to allow some space for guests as well. I am open to all forms of advice and resources you experts have come to cherish. Once I get some designs drawn I will post pictures but until then I'm trying to get as much material research complete so the build goes smoothly. I'd like to build is a cheaply and quality as possible without going broke. It will be more of an investment for the next few years than some cheap 'clubhouse' or permanent structure. Sorry for the long drawn out post.

[Jafo]

If you peruse the forum, you will find a lot of advice. One cover I like that some people have been using is old billboard signs. You will see a few of them around here. That saves you a LOT of money.

Welcome to the site!

[Surely Yurts - Steve]

Willing to share my experience of building yurts in New York, specific questions welcome One of our customers has one in Western New York you could visit too.

[Ronjf1]

Have you made progress with the new land and your yurt project? I am in Rochester. Where are you located.

[Robo]

Grasshopper, google-

building a mongolian yurt-clan lama kaminari

for a very detailed affordable plan, fast and easty to build.

I built the 16' yurt for well under a grand. However, it is sitting on the ground. I did all the work and being a carpenter had all the necessary tools. The work will be easy enough for anyone that has a decade of carpentry experience.

I covered with HD canvas. However, in your damp environment, canvas won't last. If I were you I'd splurge and buy a pro made 15 year cover.

Construction tips. Prime, and paint all woodwork with a good coat of paint. I used Rustoleum enamel. Paint everything before wall assembly. Leave no wood uncoated, especially the ends of the khana wall strips and rafter ends.

For a more permanent dwelling consider erecting the yurt atop a simple floor system. Build that with pressure treated lumber, or redwood. Make sure no wood is in contact with the earth. As for size, 16' is very doable for a lone dude and his dog.

Scale up the rafter size to 1x4, and the space between the plywood rings to 3.5". If you live in a heavy snow environment, scale up the wall strips to 1/2", The roof plywood ring to 6" width, with 5" blocking in between. Compression cable to 1/4" wouldn't hurt either.

Good luck. Find a way, and do it. You wan't regret it.