Homemade yurt

[Bob Rowlands]

Thanks again.

[Bob Rowlands]

Sorry for the double post. I didn't click on page two when I checked to see my first post. I'm definitely computer challenged. :/

Nice yurt Marshall. The yurt looks identical. Kids or grandkids? My grandsons are 5 and 7, and like 'papas yurt'. heh heh. Granddaughter too she's 11.

Had a nice warm fire in there yesterday as a cold front moved through. Yurt kinda drafty through gaps in the 2x6 deck boards now that the wood is drying out. 'Kiln dried' doesn't mean 'done dried out' now, does it? lol Gonna have to caulk them at some point since I don't have a dozen deer hide laying around.

Off to work have a good day all.

[Bob Rowlands]

Couple more details for those interested in the construction.

I stitched 14 loops into the hemmed edge of the roof canvas smokehole, and roped them to screw eyes installed in the bottom of the tonoo. That solidly anchors the cover to the frame, with zero flapping or shifting in the 60 mph wind we get here.

I centered the stovepipe in the smokehole with tie wire anchored to the screw eyes. One doubled up wire loops atround the pipe, and seperates legs attach that loop to the screw eyes. It can be blowing a gale and that stovepipe stays put.

I used a 3/16ths vinyl coated cable to tension the walls. I got my

tension cable

wrapping entirely around the yurt, including over the door frame. The first time I erected the yurt, a really had to jack around getting the cable length just right to get a perfect tight fit of rafters to roof ring. Once done, don't undo it. Clip the loops in either end into a carabiner. Wallah-perfect.

For a camping yurt that gets taken apart, leaving the cable at the correct length makes reerecting the yurt a snap. Simply install the cable into the lattice crosses right after you got your walls attached to door frame. The cable 'forces' the wall lattice into the exact circumference for easy rafter and tonoo install. No rafters gonna bop you on de head.

[ljamies1]

bob; did you make your own crown? looks like lawyers of plywood glued together?

[Bob Rowlands]

Yes I did. And yes it is two plywood rings with spacers. You have a good eye for detail. If you have an interest, the construction details of the yurt ring, and in fact my entire yurt, is online. Google:

Clan Yama Kaminari/ how to build a Mongolian yurt.

Scroll down the main page a short way and click on 'yurt construction' on the left center of the page. Then, scroll well down into the construction procedure and you'll see that ring in detail. Good solid yurt. BTW be sure you anchor your yurt to the platform, or the ground. Or both.


I did modify the spacer block detail. I didn't use the 3/4 board spacers. I made all the spacer blocks on mine from a 4x4x8', ripped to height and thickness, and cut to angle with a chop saw. I have a 35 rafter ring. For angles, I layed out the rafter spacing right on one of the plywood rings, and pulled the cut angles off that. Also, instead of 2.5" spacer depth, I went with 3.5" for extra gluing surface and wider screw spacing.

During assembly, I glued the blocks with construction adhesive, layed to penciled lines, and pin nailed in place. Drilled 1/8th" pilot holes through the plywood and into the spacer, and fastened with three, plated 3" drywall screws. That mother is solid lemme tell ya. . That ring should stand up to any snow load we get here.