Yurt Building for Everyone

by Claudia Olmstead

What is a yurt? Home, tent, circular, dome-shaped are descriptive words that fit but don't give the whole picture. The yurt is a moveable, collapsible structure yet in use with some peoples of Central Asia; it's use became widespread when the yurt-dwelling Mongolian conquerors with their horses overtook the plains of the great Central Asian steppes. A yurt was made of collapsible walls of willow poles, with a door and domed roof and covered with felt made from animal wool. Dried grass, animal hair and leather ties were used for lashing parts together. Amazingly sturdy, a good yurt could last from 50 to 60 years. It was often part of a wife's dowry. In the winter, extra felt was added to the outside for warmth. In the summer, felt sides could be rolled up to admit air. They could be taken apart or put back together in under an hour. Yurts are thought by some to be a derivation of the tipi, tipis being more suited to hunting nomads and yurts to pastoral nomads who would need more room for their supplies and for tending baby animals. The word "yurt" has Turkic roots and means 'dwelling'. (note: Click on thumbnail images to enlarge.)

To make one simplified, small version of a yurt, assemble the following supplies (available at most craft supply stores):

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Tools needed to make your yurt are:

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To prepare the roof-making materials, you need to:

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To prepare the wall-making materials, do the following:

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To prepare the door-making materials, you need to:

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You are now ready to assemble the expandable wall.

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You are ready to assemble the door frame:

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Using twine or waxed thread, tie door frame corners together by connecting through small holes with twine or waxed thread. Trim extra thread.

The next step is to assemble the bottom part of the yurt.

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Next, the roof is assembled.

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Here is an alternate version to the yurt roof.

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Dowel pieces are inserted into drilled holes in a small embroidery hoop (holes must be drilled at an angle so that dowel pieces extend downward) and later tied on to the tension ring. Here, holes have been drilled into the dowel ends so that they can tie on easily.

The next step is to attach the roof frame to the yurt body.

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Put the roof frame on top of the yurt, adjusting straws so that they are evenly distributed around the tension ring. Putting a straw end between two dowel junctions works well. Tie string on the end of each straw to the tension ring.

This is an alternate version of the yurt frame, with the roof made of dowels and a smaller embroidery hoop.

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Finally, the yurt frame is ready to be covered.

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The covering for the roof needs to be placed on top.

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Your basic small yurt is completed.

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Endless modifications are possible. Fabric design and wooden doors are among the details that you might see on actual yurts. Yurts can be made much more simply (but without the understanding of the expansion and lashing process).

Here is a variation on a yurt made with things that you would find in any elementary classroom.

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Here is another quickie variation of the yurt, made out of a paper honey-comb expandable pot cover, a brass ring and some wire lengths.

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This mini-yurt is quickly formed from a cupcake paper and a plastic cup-holder.

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Some Resources on Yurt Building