The nomadic tribes of Central Asia, as far away as Siberia, use the yurt as their mobile home
while following their herds across the plains. The yurts are easy to dismantle and ready to erect at the next stopping place.
They can withstand extreme high and low temperatures.
Our Mongolian-inspired yurts are hand-made, using the finest materials and traditional skills, in a workshop high in the
Sierra Nevada. The chestnut frames are covered with canvas, felt and an inner cotton lining, making them insulated and
weather proof; cool in high temperatures, cosy and warm in the winter. The wooden doors have windows to allow light and air and the central
crown can also be left open.
PREPARATION
Prepare a flat, round surface to the
diameter of each yurt.
Gather a couple of friends and family.
1) YURT WALLS AND DOOR FRAME
Position the door frame on the outside of the prepared circle.
Expand and assemble the lattice walls in a circle. The sections with string
attached are to tie the wall to the door frame or window frame. Lattice ends without string are joined together with webbing straps.
Tie the trellis to the door frame by passing the trellis strings through the adjacent holes in the door
frame. The wall should sit in the recessed channel of the door frame.
Fit the tension rope around the outside of the walls, tying to the door frame.
At any joins in the trellis, feed the rope inside the frame and then outside again. The rope redirects the weight of the root towards the
floor and should tie between the top two knots of the walls. The rope should be taught but not too tight. Check it again after the covers
are in place and once a week thereafter.
2) YURT ROOF AND CROWN
Take a step ladder and a volunteer wearing a builderīs hat to stand on it in the
centre of the yurt, holding up the crown ready for the roof poles.
Place four roof poles, at 90š, into the crown and loop the string at the bottom of
each pole around the inside wall pole of each top cross section.
Afterwards place the remaining roof poles between the first four. The shorter poles
with no string are for above the door and are placed last.
Twist each roof pole to tighten the string.
Take the long, thin canvas cumberband and unroll it along the ends of the roof poles,
tying to the metal rings of the door frame at either end. This prevents the roof poles coming loose in bad weather.
3) YURT INNER LINING
Roll the yurtīs inner liner onto the roof directly above the door with the neat side
of the seams on the inside. The smaller top end lies next to the crown. The middle of three strings and two loops, ties to the top of the roof pole
directly above the door to hold the cover in place while it is unfolded.
Unfold the inner liner from the left (clockwise) towards the back as far as it will go.
Ensure the door frame is in line with the recess in the liner.
Repeat the above from the right and overlap at the back.
At the crown, at overlap position, secure the yurtīs inner cover with the string
and loop.
At the door frame, fit the loops around the metal dowels.
4) YURT MIDDLE LINING - Walls
Lay the inner felt lining walls first, then roof.
Take a piece of felt lining and lay it against one side of the door frame.
Secure the string by tying to the top of the wall poles with a slip knot.
Unfold the felt lining along the wall and at its end tie to the wall poles.
Hang the remaining felt pieces, attaching the last one to the other side of the door frame.
Adjust the height of the felt as it should not touch the ground (and soak up rain) in
winter.
5) YURT MIDDLE LINING - Roof
There are two pieces, front and back, that form the yurt felt roof. The front piece has a
cut-out to fit the top of the door.
Take the front felt piece and lay it on the ground. Fold into the middle from either
side and then fold again. Roll the top down to the bottom.
A minimum of two people are required. One needs to be inside the yurt on a step
ladder to hold and tie the felt by the webbing as its unfolded. The soft side of the felt should be on the inside.
Lift the front felt onto the roof above the door and unfurl it with the help of
a spare roof pole.
The person inside should grasp the webbing strap and secure it to the crown directly above
the door.
Next unfold the felt around the yurt.
Take the webbing at the top of the two top edges and wrap around the nearest roof pole.
Weave both webs to the rear of the yurt and tied together using a slip knot that can be easily undone.
Repeat the process with the back roof felt.
6) YURT OUTER CANVAS LINING - Walls
This cover hangs from the wall frame using the string loops on the inside top of the wall
canvas. When fitting this cover, reach under the canvas tension to loop the cord over the tops of the wall poles. It isnīt necessary to hang the canvas
from every pole top.
For yurts with a multi-part canvas lining, they should be joined using the string and
eyelets starting from the top and working downwards.
The bottom skirting may be tucked inder the frame to keep out rain and insects or can
still create an effective seal if left untucked. In central Asia and Mongolia, mud and stones are piled on the edge to seal it.
At each door frame end, fold the canvas fourfold and run up to the steel rings. With canvas only yurts,
fold six times for a better seal at the door frame.
7) YURT OUTER CANVAS LINING - Roof
Lift the roof canvas onto the roof above the door frame and use a spare roof pole to unfurl.
From the inside, tie the string directly above the door to the crown and centralise the door cut-out.
From the outside, start from the left to unfold the canvas roof cover clockwise. It will reach
further than half way.
Bring the right side of the cover around the back and overlap.
Note the top canvas has a webbing strap running up the radial hem. Do not remove.
From inside, at the overlap the top edges of the canvas can be secured together by passing the
strings through the loops and tying a slip knot.
The overlapped roof canvas has a vertical hem with a webbing strap from top to bottom. Tie the
top of the strap to the crown.
8) SECURING FINAL TIES
Take one of the long webbing straps and tie securely to the top left ring on the outside door frame.
Feed it around the yurt through the belt hooks in the canvas roof cover, tying off at the opposing ring on the door frame. Tie the roof straps to this first belt.
There are two lower straps to be tied around the yurt and secured neatly.
