Building Yurts & Gers...

One of the two 9m (30ft) Gers I made last year

Having built over a dozen Ger's (yurts with straight roof poles) I have used various resources in the past, starting in the beginning with my first Ger through simple observation and visualization. Over time I started using other people's templates, and by far the best resource I have come across is the website linked below. Great for low impact living, training spaces, parties, etc, these low cost portable structures are simple to make with basic sewing and carpentry skills, and can even be made snow proof for up to 1m of snow in line with engineering codes.

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Above is a stop motion video of the assembly process, for this 9m Ger it takes about 40 minutes for 2 people

Screenshot of yurt calculator

In the past years I have used Simply Differently, which is a fantastic resource for anyone wishing to build a yurt, ger, tipi or geodesic dome.  Simply type in the variants of the particular design you want to construct and every little detail is calculated and presented in a very easy to follow set of instructions.  It's an absolutely incredible resource I can highly recommend.  Having lived low impact half my life in various forms, yurts & gers are still my preferred choice, something about the sublime design and living in a circle you cannot beat! 
To calculate everything regarding all wood parts and canvas follow the link below- where you can also explore all manner of other structures;

http://simplydifferently.org/Yurt_Notes?page=1#How to Calc

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The canvas is the "disposable" part of a yurt, with wooden frames lasting a lifetime if constructed of the right woods and in a skillful manner.  I have seen people use willow and all sorts, but if you want a frame that lasts hardwoods are the way.  Chestnut, Oak (like we used in the 9m gers in the slide below), etc, are good choices.

We buy canvas from Mitco in Glasgow, UK.  Its fire- proof, rot- proof and waterproofed, and we have had it outside in UK conditions over 10 yrs before it needed replacing, even next to trees which is not ideal.  (I have not found local suppliers here in Sweden)  Some people are now going for up to 30% synthetics in their canvas, as it dries faster, but I'm up for keeping these structures purely plant based when possible!  We go for a 12 oz canvas, much heavier and it's a nightmare to dry.  I used to sew the canvas with a simple hand powered Singer sewing machine, picked up for £5 at a car boot sale, and sewed canvas for up to 6m gers single handedly using a tarp and a slope to be able to pull the material through easily.  Having sewn many km of seams over the years I got adept at sewing a double seam (like on the side of your jeans) folding with 2 fingers and a thumb whilst winding & guiding with the other hand.  For these larger gers we borrowed an industrial electric version of the same; either will do...

I also personally value the silhouetted architecture too much to insulate with felt, etc, which can make the interior so dark.  A good woodstove saw me through 2 UK winters no problem without insulation, though I'm also used to living a little simple. Up here we will use the structures only half the year, taking them down in winter, but if you do insulate it's important to consider breathability.  I've seen people with plastic bubble wrap insulation and plasticized canvas rotting out their structures really fast!

Here's a slideshow of making two 9m gers in less than 2 weeks.  We choose high quality pine for the roof beams simply as they we so long ( 4.5m!)  The walls are oak.  We also use metal fixings either end of the roof poles to ensure rigidity.  Overall these yurts cost around 40,000 SEK each, not a bad investment since buying a ger/ yurt this size can set you back 120,000 - 200,000 SEK.

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