How a yurt works

A yurt does not rely on ropes or stakes to hold itself up; rather the walls, rafters, roof ring and tensioning bands all work against each other in a marvel of physics and engineering, to keep the structure standing.

At the top of the yurt, the hub or compression ring is under pressure from the roof beams, which radiate out in a circle. The roof beams span out and down from the ring at between a twenty to forty-degree angle and link onto the main cable which runs around the top edge of the lattice walls under tension. The main cable is a continuous loop, set to the exact circumference of the yurt. It is supported by the lattice wall and doorjamb, which bolt together to form a continuous circular wall. The roof material, the fabric walls, the dome and the door all enclose the framework.

In Central Asia the yurts are set up on the grassy plains with rugs and felted mats placed on top of the grass to help improve warmth. In the winter, pallets or shallow wooden decking may be used to create a floor with the felted mats or rugs layered on top for insulation and warmth. Central Asia however is very dry, and what little precipitation does occur is usually in the form of snow, so there is little danger of water leaking or flooding into the yurt. In England we have much greater precipitation, it is therefore better for our yurts to have a flooring to raise the furniture off the ground.

Our circular floors are built to the exact size of the yurt as the yurt's outer cover is attached to the platform. Made of wood, they are built in 6 segments so they can be easily moved. The feet of the floor are on spikes, which cause no damage to the ground just like any other tent peg.

01840 230 360 or enquire online

How a yurt works

01840 230 360
or enquire online