Lessons Learned

Okay,
I'll try to consolidate my "lessons learned" in one post though I can already confide there was much more knowledge gained than I'll remember to post here today. FYI, I used Paul King's book "The Complete Yurt Handwork" as my major reference when building the yurt.

What to use for materials if you do not have indigenous wood from the "steppe." - I liked the beech and maple woods that Paul recommended in his book for the Khana (side wall latticed sections) but didn't have access to this at a reasonable price. I found second-hand trim boards, mostly maple and oak, at the Habitat for Humanity store which I ripped into 2"x3/8" slats. This provided a VERY sturdy base but in the end proved an over-kill. Looking back, I think using doug fir, which is plentiful here in the inland northwest, would have been less expensive and would have held up fine. Keep in mind, my yurt, an 11' diameter size, would most likely get by with less reinforcement than a larger yurt. That said, I think I'd still cut back the size of the wood slats. An 1 1/2"x1/2" would probably have been fine, maybe even smaller dimensions.

If I want a "traditional" style yurt, what do I use for tying the khana together when the mongols use strips of leather tied on either end of the joint? - I felt the closest I could get to replicating the traditional way, was to use nylon cord instead of leather. The process: I'd tie a knot in one end of the rope and string it through both holes and tie another knot keeping it as tight as possible the whole time, then cut off the excess rope. Since it was nylon cord, I'd burn the knots in order to keep them from unraveling (something I hated doing with the toxins and all but I knew the pressure on the joints once stretched would easily cause the knots to fray and slip apart. Lessons learned besides not burning again? I have mixed feelings about this point. On one hand, this process was incredibly time consuming (there were hundreds of joints), hurt my hands, and don't seem to hold the wall together as tightly as it should. ON THE OTHER hand, the time and effort, yes sometimes including pains, was highly meditative and as close as I got to replicating the hands-on/homemade experience I was hoping to find with this project. There were so many times I felt, "there has to be a better way," but kept on tying. Kept on going... This is my personal approach but sometimes it feels so good to climb that mountain just to feel the pain. Also, staying aware of my senses and self made it easier to guess how that guy tying the leather probably felt. Some empathy requires a more in depth approach. Speaking to the "don't hold the walls as tightly as it should," one could easily also say, "it's very strong and could stand for years without a faulty hinge." I picture the alternative to nylon rope being a bolt/washer/nut combination. Using doug fir, the wood would stretch better and be able to take the stress of the bolt-combo and yes would probably be stronger. So there you have it. If I did this again, I'd probably use the bolts but mainly because I have a family now, less time, and because I've already climbed that mountain. I'm ready to satisfy my curiosity of another way.

Natural wood or painted? - Many yurts being built today in various yurt-nations, paint the wood after milling and shaping it. Enjoying the look of natural wood I decided to leave mine unpainted. I applied two liberal coats of linseed oil but decided to wait to treat the khana until after I assembled the walls. Big mistake! I should have treated the wall slats before I put them together. I know, sounds so simple and obvious now but I made a decision at the time and sometimes you just have to go with it. The crown (tono) started to split apart after months exposed to the elements. I will fill the cracks and paint the crown before I set the yurt up again. If you do go with the natural look, be sure to seal it very well and/or live in a dry climate. The inland northwest is probably not the best for a natural wood yurt. Especially when resting directly on the ground. A deck underneath would also help with mildew and water damage but I will paint next time.

Traditional covering is felt, the "big boys" use Sunbrella©-like vinyl fabric, cotton canvas seems the most economical? - I went with untreated 12# cotton canvas. I should have either sprung for the vinyl or found a pretreated canvas. I thought the 12# would be easier for my sturdy old sewing machine to handle. It did better than I thought but the reality of sewing your own cover is pretty far off. Unless you have a lot of space and know what you are doing AND have an industrial machine, I'd have someone help or just pay them to make it. I like to sew but did end up paying someone to sew up a few big seams. Still the cover is not finished. I have the seams pinned and ready for thread and finally have a lead on a business that could finish it for me.

That's the major things that come to mind when I consider doing this a second time. In all, it has been a great experience and I'm actually ready for another, bigger yurt project. Thanks for your interest and patience with my first shot at technical writing. :) Happy Yurt Building!

-Yurtman