Wrapping fabric yurt with wood?

[dirtypeacocks]

High everyone. My family has been living in our 30' yurt for almost 3 years now. We have the typical lattice wall framing with a wind/snow load kit (2x4 studs). We enjoy our living space and it is to be our permanent residence for a long time. As such, we are playing around with the idea of removing the fabric and replacing with wood, be it thin plywood, cedar boards, etc wrapped around and connected to the snow load studs (might have to add more for convenience of install). We're thinking of doing the same with the roof. I know, I know, before you say it... why didn't we just buy a hardened yurt from one of the manufacturers out west? Well, we live and we learn. We like the idea of "hardening" the outside structure and doing spray foam

insulation

inside. Right now we have denim

insulation

on the walls, covered by paneling, and the floor is insulated too. We could totally do the "hardening" in terms of skill set and easability, but our primary concern is if we would be doing more harm than good to the structure. I've noticed that the hard walled yurts are a bunch of prebuilt panels put together on a circle, where our yurt is pretty perfectly round with the lattice walls, snow load studs, and fabric exterior.

Anyone ever done any sort of "hardening" on a lattice style yurt?

Any info would be awesome!!!

As is, we live in Indiana and heat with an outdoor wood stove and cool with a window ac unit. We only get cold inside when it's single digits outside. But we do go through 8-10 chords of a wood a year.

[Jafo]

I would be mostly concerned with the weight on the roof. The walls could be done easily enough I would think. Let us know how this turns out if you do it though.

[Bob Rowlands]

Vertically oriented 3/4 boards on the outside would be easy enough, once you figured out a procedure. They could be butted, shiplapped, t&g. You could build a panelized 2x2 wall on 16" or 2' centers on the inside of the wall, cover with ply, and screw the exterior boards to that. Fill the panel with fiberglass insulation, then attach the decorative panel that faces into the yurt? It'll probably take some experimentation to figure an installation system, but it certainly is doable, and reasonable in cost, if you do the work yourself. The yurt would remain round. if the panels are 16" wide.

As for the roof, that's a whole 'nuther thing entirely. I'm a carpenter and I haven't a clue as to what to do there. Conic roofs can be hard covered for sure. Some Victorian homes dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s have turrets with a conic roof, and on a tight radius, way tighter than your yurt, so it can be done. All I know is I don't know how to cover that turret. Look it up online? Wish I had some practical advice.

As for sprayed foam, I wouldn't do that for fire reasons. If that foam somehow catches fire, the yurt will be fully engulfed in about a minute or two from ignition. I have watched sprayed foam burn in youtube vid. Not pretty, barely time for occupants to get out, if fire starts while they are asleep. 'Absolutely' no go, imo. Fiberglass batts covered inside is the way I'd approach insulation.

Good luck.

[Bob Rowlands]

Brainstorming here. Another possibility, build 2x4 panelized walls using the existing snow load studs. Add a top and bottom plate. Apply 1/2" OSB or ply to the face of the new panel. Face the sheathed panel to the outside of the yurt seat, and secure with screws. I suggest screws for everything becausey can be pulled later, and also because screws draw materials tight to eachother. Screw the boards on the outside into the sheathing. Fill the 2x4 panel with standard R11 fiberglass batts. Cover the interior walls with whatever you want. Now you have a solid wall that you can attach items to. You can also retrofit standard residential electric boxes in that wall as well. Just something else to kick around. Good luck.

[dirtypeacocks]

We've kind of got a set up on the inside like suggested already. We have denim insulation batts in between all our snow load studs and the whole interior of the yurt is wrapped in white paneling. So inside we have "solid" walls so to speak. None on the roof though.

Interesting about the spray foam. I didn't know it was so flammable. That's a total bummer. I've heard such good things from buddies about its insulative factor. Being super flammable is a no go though for sure in our yurt.

Bob, do you think the lattice/cable wall covered in wood would support a hardened roof? Would the yurt maintain its strength?

[Bob Rowlands]

I'm not a structural engineer, so keep that in mind when you read my opinion. I think you should consult an engineer on this before you proceed. In fact I should have prefaced that in my first post above. At minimum discuss it with your yurt maker, if possible.

IMO I think your yurt will support a hard covered roof. I would increase the cable one size unless it is overkill as is. There are reference tables online that show cable load in poundage, based on grade of cable. There is a decided difference between aircraft grade and 'Depot' grade wire cable. I'd measure the existing cable and assume it is the lower grade, and reference that size in the chart. If it looks too light, or borderline, it just might be. Go up in size to make sure. Again the yurt maker could tell you what grade your cable is.


Additional roof loading. If you roof is about 800 sq ft., and you covered the existing framing with 3/4 boards, or sheathing, the additional wall load would be no more than perhaps two pounds per sq. foot of roof area, or ~1600 pounds. With approximately 95 feet of wall in the yurt, that's an additional load of 14 pounds per foot of run, less whatever the ring supports bear. But, again, I am not a structural engineer. Plus, I am totally guessing what your yurt looks like from a structural pov. That's all I got on this. Good luck.

[dirtypeacocks]

Great insight bob! Much appreciated!!!

[Corinarose]

I met with a woman who changed the fabric to a wooden exterior.
It was inspirational and I intend to do the same in part for better air quality.
The yurt size is 30'.
I will see if I can contact her to see if I can pass on her info.
Her platform was done well, not the standard yurt design so it accommodated the added weight.
I will have to add structural support under the yurt for mine.
Feel free to contact me for additional information info at [email protected].

Corina

[dirtypeacocks]

Originally Posted by Corinarose

I met with a woman who changed the fabric to a wooden exterior.

It was inspirational and I intend to do the same in part for better air quality.

The yurt size is 30'.

I will see if I can contact her to see if I can pass on her info.

Her platform was done well, not the standard yurt design so it accommodated the added weight.

I will have to add structural support under the yurt for mine.

Feel free to contact me for additional information info at [email protected].



Corina

That would be AWESOME!!! can't wait the talk to her. You ROCK!

[Pixiemoss72]

Any updates on this project ? Anyone have any additional thoughts or pictures ? We are wanting to do the same and looking for info . Thanks !