Anyone live in a yurt?

[BlueTaelon]

I'm thinking about it for our next home and would like some feedback from those who have done it or if you know of blogs from those who have done it I'd love a link:)

[TCB]

:bigear: I don't but I want to. Hope you get some replies.

[Dory]

I've seen a granary that was converted into a house (a yurt is basically a round house right?) and I've seen a cord wood house done that way as well. I don't know all the details, wish I could give you more information. I do know that the ladies of both house complained about the expense of trying to get cupboards and such that would work with the round walls. My cousins conversion of a barn was a little more efficient for time and money.

[Cinder]

That reminds me of an episode of Extreme Homes where they lived in a converted water tower. I remember they talked about the challenge of putting up drywall against a round surface.

[mytwomonkeys]

i love yurts. i don't live in one, but i've read about several families that do it successfully on tinyhouseblog.com (LOVE this blog!)

 

here's one story with pictures. you can also google yurt blogs. i'm sure lots would come up!

 

ETA - you don't need round cabinets in a yurt

[Mommyfaithe]

Dh had quite a challenge plumbing a silo converted into living space. It came out beautiful.....but it had to be done somewhat different from a regular bathroom install.

[Karen in CO]

We stayed in a yurt at a state park. This is the company that made the yurt in the state part that we stayed in. They have a link that shows lots of parks that have their yurts so you can visit one and envision yourself living in one.

[dollhouse]

I babysat for a family that lived in a yurt (temporarily, while their home was being remodeled) in college....they seemed happy with it! I'd love to see a blog about this as well!

[GailV]

One of my high school classmates lives in one in California. I love the pictures she posts of it on her FB page, but she doesn't blog.

[Tammi K]

Try this one:

 

http://movingtoak.blogspot.com/

 

They live somewhat close to me. There is a lot about there life but also info about yurts in general.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Tammi K
'cause I hit post too soon.

[Melissa in Australia]

I know someone who lives part of the year in a yurt. She has a regular house as well. She is about 70 years old. she also spends several months of the year in Mongolia teaching local women small business skills.

[Bensmom]

I've always been under the impression that to live permanately in a yurt, you would need to live in a region with mild weather. I wouldn't mind living in one seasonally, but have never heard of anyone in this part of the country making their home in one.

Sorry no real help here, but an interesting idea :bigear:

[Melissa in Australia]

I've always been under the impression that to live permanately in a yurt, you would need to live in a region with mild weather. I wouldn't mind living in one seasonally, but have never heard of anyone in this part of the country making their home in one.

Sorry no real help here, but an interesting idea :bigear:

Why?

They are traditionally from Mongolia. I believe the weather is pretty rugged there in winter.

[Momof3littles]

I've always been under the impression that to live permanately in a yurt, you would need to live in a region with mild weather. I wouldn't mind living in one seasonally, but have never heard of anyone in this part of the country making their home in one.

Sorry no real help here, but an interesting idea :bigear:

They have ones that can take a snow load (reinforced for this) and there are skiers that use them as ski lodging. You can have a wood burning stove in the middle and vent it out the top, IIRC. I don't know how pleasant it would be to stay in during the winter, but people do use them in cooler climates. I don't know how much cross breeze you can get in hotter climates. It probably isn't the most pleasant, but I've never tried it.

 

I think you'd need a plan in place if there was a severe storm or tornado threat, obviously. One of the yurt manufacturer blogs had a pic up of a yurt hit by a fallen tree following a big storm. It sustained very little damage. I don't think I'd want to bank on that though!

[Melissa in Australia]

Winter conditions in Mongolia

http://www.koreanhistoryproject.org/Jta/Mo/MoWX3.htm

[Bensmom]

Winter conditions in Mongolia

http://www.koreanhistoryproject.org/Jta/Mo/MoWX3.htm

 

 

-58 degrees ???!!!! YIKES! That is some serious cold. I'm off to look for Mongolian yurt pictures. Do these things come with some serious insulation? The only Mongolian yurt pic I've ever seen was on that baby documentary (the film that tracked the birth and first year of 4 infants) and I don't remember it having any insulation. :confused:

[Bensmom]

Okay. Checked out some pictures. Seeing the inner latice work made me think of them as thin and tent-like. It seems the white outer cover must be the insulation. Anyone know what is made of?

[Melissa in Australia]

Okay. Checked out some pictures. Seeing the inner latice work made me think of them as thin and tent-like. It seems the white outer cover must be the insulation. Anyone know what is made of?

 

thick felt

[Catwoman]

The only things I know about yurts are as follows:

 

1. I first heard on them when I saw Sarah Richardson decorate one on her TV show, Design, Inc. That was also approximately the time when I realized that it would probably be a lot more fun to have her cute contractor, Vito, working on my house than the guy we always use. (Translation: One of them looks a lot better in his jeans and t-shirts. Hint: It's not our guy.)

 

2. They had to decorate yurts on one episode of Design Star this season.

 

 

And that's about it.

 

Thank heavens for HGTV or I would know absolutely nothing about anything. :tongue_smilie:

 

Personally, I would not want to live in a yurt unless it was located inside a luxury hotel, but I am always incredibly impressed with anyone who can think outside the box to that degree. I'm just not creative or adventurous enough to come up with ideas like that.

[Saille]

I've always been under the impression that to live permanately in a yurt, you would need to live in a region with mild weather. I wouldn't mind living in one seasonally, but have never heard of anyone in this part of the country making their home in one.

Sorry no real help here, but an interesting idea :bigear:

 

I knew of someone who lived in one in upstate NY. She was a fellow homeschooler, with one son.

[Susan in TN]

No real help, but my brother spent a couple years designing a yurt. Then he decided to go to seminary and bought a 100 year old house instead. :)

[Tess in the Burbs]

We hope to get one in the future. Dh has the catalog from Colorado yurt co. Very informative. Our state parks have some yurts to rent. You use them in all kinds of weather.

[Catwoman]

I love threads like this. :001_wub:

 

I can't tell you how much I have learned, just from lurking on threads like this.

 

Seriously.

 

I have learned so much stuff on this forum, that I never would have known anything about otherwise.

 

I had no idea that there was any such thing as a yurt catalog. Or catalogs dedicated to grain mills. Or that there were catalogs for Christian "marital aids." (Still not so sure about where "Christian" figures into that, but I guess that's another thread.:D) I had no clue about catalogs directed toward Pioneer Women or Farm Wives.

 

It's not that I don't get a lot of catalogs in the mail. And heaven knows, the catalogs I get are filled with all sorts of things that no human being should ever be without, so it's not like my catalogs aren't every bit as useful as the ones for yurts and grain mills.

 

As a pertinent example, the catalogs I get contain such necessary items as a tiny little $155 tote bag made from Mercedes-Benz seatbelts, with a little Mercedes logo glued on to it so people will know that your tote bag isn't just any old run-of-the-mill tote bag made from lesser quality seat belts. :rolleyes:

 

I know about these glorious-yet-highly durable totes because my husband was looking through the catalog and asked me if I needed one.

 

Ummm.... no. I know my birthday is coming up, honey, but really, I can live without the tiny tote bag made of seat belts. :tongue_smilie: That's why I didn't put it on the list. Stick to the list. Don't get creative and pick stuff out of car accessory catalogs. It can only end badly.

 

I'm pretty sure he was kidding. OTOH, we saw them in the gift shop the last time we were at the dealership, so apparently someone actually buys them from time to time... so maybe dh just didn't want me to feel left out.

[Elinor Everywhere]

I know someone who lives part of the year in a yurt. She has a regular house as well. She is about 70 years old. she also spends several months of the year in Mongolia teaching local women small business skills.

 

Wow, wouldn't I love to spend an afternoon with her, listening to her stories! I have no desire for a yurt myself. It's like camping. Camping? That's a hotel without room service, which just doesn't happen. :tongue_smilie:

 

But a lady of her age, with her experiences...what a great story-teller she must be!

[Catwoman]

Wow, wouldn't I love to spend an afternoon with her, listening to her stories! I have no desire for a yurt myself. It's like camping. Camping? That's a hotel without room service, which just doesn't happen. :tongue_smilie:

 

But a lady of her age, with her experiences...what a great story-teller she must be!

 

:iagree:

 

I'm not a camper, either -- I'm not really into anything that even remotely involves "roughing it" -- but I would love to hear about that woman's life. (I'm sure it has been a lot more interesting than mine has been!)

[Anne in CA]

Dh and I have considered it. If you do go for it, please keep us in the loop about everything.

[Prairie~Phlox]

We helped put one up before, but it was years ago and I really don't remember it well. It was small, the couple used it as their bedroom off their tiny garage apartment at their parents house. They've all moved since then and one of the sisters still has the yurt in pieces.

[dangermom]

I know nothing. Amira probably does though. And my husband says to google Hexayurt.

 

(I love the word yurt. :))

[NicAnn]

Our fellow tiny house dwellers, the Marx, live in a yurt and have for years now. They have a '16 diameter living yurt, and then a much smaller one (12') next to it where her husband has his office. I've been trying to get them to blog forever!

 

Anyway, the yurt is great and it's something that Dh and I are considering after we are doe with fulltime RV living.

[justasque]

And my husband says to google Hexayurt.

 

Tell your hubby thanks for the rabbit trail!

[catz]

Some friends of ours have a yurt is a cabin. When they "live" in it, it's like camping. They use a pit toliet, coleman stove. They do have a well for water (but they still haul it and heat it).

 

This is a fun thread! We're avid campers and hikers, but I do not think I could hack living in a yurt at this point in my life. :D

[angel marie]

yurts are cool as all get out. tons of info for them on blogs about tiny house living.

[Bensmom]

Since I've already shown my ignorance on the subject, I'll feel free to ask more questions. :tongue_smilie:

 

If they are in an area with high winds, do you have to somehow stake them down to secure them? What about foundation? Do they usually just sit on the ground? If so, how do you keep the water from seeping in when it rains? Felt? It is cold enough to freeze your who-ha outside and it is insulated with felt???

 

And yes, this is a exceptionally educational website. :001_smile:

[Catwoman]

Since I've already shown my ignorance on the subject, I'll feel free to ask more questions. :tongue_smilie:

 

If they are in an area with high winds, do you have to somehow stake them down to secure them? What about foundation? Do they usually just sit on the ground? If so, how do you keep the water from seeping in when it rains? Felt? It is cold enough to freeze your who-ha outside and it is insulated with felt???

 

And yes, this is a exceptionally educational website. :001_smile:

 

In my vast personal experience with yurts (aka: the aforementioned single episode of Design, Inc.,) I'm pretty sure there was some kind of foundation under the yurt that I saw. I know it was in Canada, and I think the guy was planning to use it as a year-round second residence, although I could be remembering incorrectly because I probably wasn't paying that much attention when I watched it. :tongue_smilie:

 

So, in other words, "I don't know." :D

[justasque]

Since I've already shown my ignorance on the subject, I'll feel free to ask more questions. :tongue_smilie:

 

If they are in an area with high winds, do you have to somehow stake them down to secure them? What about foundation? Do they usually just sit on the ground? If so, how do you keep the water from seeping in when it rains? Felt? It is cold enough to freeze your who-ha outside and it is insulated with felt???

 

And yes, this is a exceptionally educational website. :001_smile:

Based on the hexayurt rabbit trail:

--yes, you stake them like a tent in high winds,

--the foundation of the hexayurts is generally a tarp, and you can/should tape the tarp to the walls to keep out sand, etc.

--Yep, they sit on the ground

--rain, see taped tarp

 

Most of the hexayurts are portable, temporary structures made from insulation board taped together. They seem to be most often used for Burning Man, as they are cool in the sun and warm in the evening. You could also make them from plywood, but that's a different rabbit trail.

Obviously, these are different from the traditional felt yurts. Felt is a good insulator, though - think of walls made from super-thick wool sweaters.

[lailasmum]

Some people I knew a few years back lived in a yurt. It was pretty nice. They built them for a living. They are normally put up on a platform so proper floor and used normal furniture. If you get a good stove it takes care of heating and cooking. I have also seen multiple yurts linked together like this to make separate sleeping areas & storage rooms. If they are up in wetter & colder months you need to keep the stove on and have the thick wool insulation.

 

There are several yurt building courses here, anywhere that does outdoorsy courses seems to run them.

 

We nearly ran our home ed social group out of a yurt but the person who owned it moved back to China suddenly.

[Mommyfaithe]

:iagree:

 

I'm not a camper, either -- I'm not really into anything that even remotely involves "roughing it" -- but I would love to hear about that woman's life. (I'm sure it has been a lot more interesting than mine has been!)

 

:iagree:

And thanks for the great laugh this morning!!! Seatbelts and totes and dh presents!!! Hahaha!!!!!

[MaryE]

We have had living in a yurt on our brains for a few years now. You can make them as primitive or as luxurious as you'd like. The large ones are tall enough to put a loft in. You can section off parts for bathrooms, etc. Heating, A/C? Yep, all possible. Add extra windows, put in a woodstove, add a ceiling fan, install granite countertops...whatever floats your boat. You can also choose your wall and roof colors, what kind of insulation package you need for your climate, etc. They're very customizable! Also, all the ones I've ever looked at are installed on decking.

 

A few of the things I like most about them are the shape (openness, no sharp corners) and the skylight at the top from which I would love to watch the stars.

 

Here are a few links...

 

http://www.yurts.com/

http://www.blueridgeyurts.com/

http://www.coloradoyurt.com/

[catz]

Wow - I just thought of another yurt story. My kid's go to a circus program and take classes. One of the coaches is from Mongolia. And she was raised in a traditional Mongolian yurt. Her family was nomadic. Anyway - she is chock full of interesting tales. She lives in the US now and is married to an American, but has her own Mongolian yurt she sets up in the summer and they live in it for extended periods when the weather is good. One year she set up her yurt for a local cultural festival and we could go in it and check it out. :001_smile:

 

Here's a website with more traditional Mongolian yurts like she has

http://www.mongolian-yurt.com/index.html

[Shawndrese]

I had never heard of a yurt before....but now I want one! We are trying to sell our house to move, and have been wanting to downsize and live simple. I only ask for plumbing and electricity :D

[celticmom]

I could imagine living in a hexayurt but not a completely round one because I could not imagine living without plenty of full bookshelves.:D

[redsquirrel]

I have had plenty of friends who have lived in yurts. None of their marriages survived the experience.

 

See, the thing is, living in a yurt and washing out the three cloth diapers in the stream while homeschooling and grinding your own flour etc, etc, is really, really hard.

 

I don't care how well they are built, those yurts get cold in the winter. And breaking the ice on the stream to get water to wash those diapers is even less fun that you might imagine.

 

Maybe you have a more modern yurt experience in mind? I hope so, for the sake of your marriage.

[Amira]

I love yurts, but I wouldn't want to live in a traditional one full time. It is incredibly labor-intensive to live in one. And here's a poem about some of the other not-so-pleasant aspects of living in a yurt. But the glorified-tent style yurts they have in the US would be different.

 

Lots of people say a yurt/ger is warmer in the winter than a Soviet-era apartment block, but that's not necessarily saying much. Many people in Mongolia still have a ger, even though they don't use it. In Kyrgyzstan, almost no one still uses a yurt/boz-uy with any regularity, but you can always tell when there's a funeral because a yurt is set up outside the home/flat. There are strong traditions associated with yurts, but very, very few people actually want to live in a real one. Even herding families in Kyrgyzstan now use metal wagons to live in- they'll only set up a yurt if they're hosting tourists on the side.

 

And the felt coverings can be amazing, although generally they're quite simple since there is plenty of other work for a Turkic or Mongolian woman to be doing.

 

Anyway, I couldn't stay out of thread about yurts.

[Amy in NH]

I wanted a geodesic dome house, but DH wouldn't get on board.

[Tarreymere]

I have had plenty of friends who have lived in yurts. None of their marriages survived the experience.

 

See, the thing is, living in a yurt and washing out the three cloth diapers in the stream while homeschooling and grinding your own flour etc, etc, is really, really hard.

 

I don't care how well they are built, those yurts get cold in the winter. And breaking the ice on the stream to get water to wash those diapers is even less fun that you might imagine.

 

Maybe you have a more modern yurt experience in mind? I hope so, for the sake of your marriage.

 

Yurts don't have plumbing? Why not? If you can put a well on a property and pipe water to a cabin why not to a yurt?

 

We have folks around here who have a well that is pumped by a windmill and the water is pumped by the windmill to an above-ground cistern and gravity-fed to the dwelling. Not that I'm worried about washing diapers, but I can't imagine why anyone would need to break ice on a stream. I think I'd like a yurt. We have a woodstove in our mobile home and in the winter it gets so hot in the house we have to open the windows and doors sometimes. And we live in Pennsylvania.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Rainefox

[WIS0320]

I have had plenty of friends who have lived in yurts. None of their marriages survived the experience.

 

See, the thing is, living in a yurt and washing out the three cloth diapers in the stream while homeschooling and grinding your own flour etc, etc, is really, really hard.

 

I don't care how well they are built, those yurts get cold in the winter. And breaking the ice on the stream to get water to wash those diapers is even less fun that you might imagine.

 

Maybe you have a more modern yurt experience in mind? I hope so, for the sake of your marriage.

 

Yurts don't have to be like this. I fell in love with yurts several years ago and read a lot about them. They can be built on a structure and insulated very well. They can be warm and efficient, even have lofts, cabinets, electricity and plumbing!

 

Flickr should have a nice range of interior shots of yurt living for those of you who are curious.

[WIS0320]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/realestate/13away.html?_r=1&ex=1161316800&en=b07ce709426a7729&ei=5070

 

http://dwjdesign.com/yurt/

 

http://www.yurtworks.com

 

http://www.nomadshelter.com

 

http://www.groovyyurts.com/en/

 

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/yurts-not-just-for-hippies-anymore.html

 

I remembered a thread I read at MDC years ago about yurt living and pulled these links from it. I'd link directly to that thread (as it is long and full of good info) but I do not think that kind of linking is allowed. If you google you should easily find it.

[WIS0320]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gypsy-House/224804697090