Customise your yurt
Once you have established the size required for your purpose, we can take you through a checklist to make sure you get exactly what you want.
Frame Options: yurt or ger?
Your Yurts fyor Life yurt can be a Kyrgyz yurt or a Mongolian "ger". Most often, we sell true yurts in order to take advantage of the extra height at the edge created by the the curve of yurt ribs fastened to the the top of the yurt walls or" trellis" as it is often called. This raises the height at the edge by around 40 centimeters (16 inches ) and gives the yurt an elegant rounded shape. The left hand photograph illustrates this curve. The photograph below right shows a yurt and ger joined. As you can see from this picture, the ger in front has straight roof ribs although this particular ger has higher than usual walls, an alternative way to create headroom. Standard walls are 1.3 metres (4ft 4inches) high and high walls are 1.5 metres (5 feet) high. With the added curve of ribs the actual height at the edge is 1.7 metres (5 foot 10") and 1/9 metres (6 ft 4") respectively. Obviously the yurt slopes up to the centre wheel which is much higher. In the bigger yurts it is over 4 metres above the floor. Gers are much easier to make as they are made with a minimum of steam bending and can be manufactured from a wider range of woods. Ih the UK yurts are usually made of.ash which can be bent reliably provided the grain is suitable. It is very important to understand the two styles when comparing products. Our true yurts are a top of the range product because they are roomy and elegant. However, we also make gers which can be entitely suitable for many uses and will cost you significantly less. Both are made to our high manufacturing standards, finished with ecological oils or weatherproofing and will last many years. This is why we like to talk to our customers and make sure they get what they prefer. If you are comparing prices you need to be careful that you are comparing like with like. For the UK climate imported Mongolian gers are to be avoided however good value they appear. Once you have made this decision you are ready to think about the cover.
Yurt Covers
Traditionally yurts are made with felt as the main covering. This is a good insulator against cold and wind in the upland steppes of Mongolia. Yurts are also transported on the back of a yak or horses but we find delivery by van much easier! To make yurts durable and weatherproof in damp temperate climates like the UK, the original materials need to be modified whilst keeping the organic natural features as much as possible. This is nowhere more true than in the yurt cover. We use heavy duty 12oz cotton canvas for most of our yurts in a creamy natural white which bleaches a little in use. This has been rotproofed, rainproofed and treated with a fire-retardent compound to give you maximum climate protection and safety. If you look after your yurt and keep it well-ventillated it will look stunning for years with a minimum of maintenance (we supply detailed instructions). For some uses we would advise a polycotton or pvc cover but not for yurt living or even yurt sleeping as the increase in condensation is very marked. Although most of our customers choose white, other colours are available. The yurt cover comes in three components:walls, roof and cap. In the yurts above you can see two different cap colours but there are many to choose from. All our caps have a clear acrylic window in the centre. This highlights our beautiful wheels and allows in light At night, you will find yourself becoming a stargazer because of this panel. We can also supply a winter top-cover for extra protection. These are relatively inexpensive.
Doors and windows
We can create one or more entrances, single or double, solid or barn style doors, with and without windows. The doors can have curved or flat tops and be made of ash, oak or pine. To prevent warping, we use fsc accredited wood which has been kiln dried. Yurts can be made without doors or a simple canvas door for summer use. Light is brought into the yurt through the clear panel above the wheel but you can also add windows. White-coloured yurts tend to be very light inside but darker colours may need some extra light. The cheapest way to do this is via acrylic panels in the canvas walls or roof. For a luxury effect you might prefer glass windows which are usually made opening to aid ventillation. Both doors and windows can have straight or arched tops to create the style you prefer,
Floors and Rugs
Our yurt prices include a custom made groundsheet and this can be made cosier by a circular mat. We like the stylish matting made for our hire yurts out of Dandy Dura and can arrange supply for you. For a real touch of luxury add Afghan or Turkish rugs in rich warm colours. For permanent installations you may want to create a wooden base and this can be built by us or you can make your own arrangements. The basic floor is a frame covered in exterior ply and can extend round the yurt like a deck. Once again you can simply stain and varnish this prior to carpeting or use hardwood floor panels to create a stunning feature. See the main gallery for further examples.
Keeping warm in a yurt
For those who want to use the yurt for sleeping accommodation in the winter months a wood-burner is a great asset. This can be situated almost anywhere inside and be vented through a stainless steel flue. Most of our hire yurts have this option and they were well used in Glastonbury in July this year. Our fires are made by a local blacksmith who creates small, lightweight stoves and we can deliver the whole system with the yurt. The flue can be single or double-skinned and this goes through the canvas via a special silicon moulding which is sewn into the canvas or the roof or cap. We also supply a sheepswool insulation which adds to heat conservation and is popular with those aiming to live in a yurt. This is not really necessary in the smaller yurts or for normal usage.
Checklist
Yurt or ger style
Number of doors
Window type and location
Canvas colours
Woodburner-ready?
Type of floor/colour of groundsheet
Any special features
now call 07967005715 or 01803 760370
our yurt wheel is a thing of beauty -other designs available.
this one's a yurt ready for a party
Taken at Pennards Hill Farm overlooking the festival site. Many of our yurts feature white canvas walls and roof with a blue cap including clear visibility panel. Other customers have chosen sand, olive or white
Double hardwood doors, circular window ...and a little porch
a very special yurt, lovely ash floor, arched period window and double arched doors on a very sunny afternoon
period arched window detail
wood burner as a feature