Yurts: Evolution from Nomadic Tents to Modern Homes

Yurts are based on the tents of nomadic Mongolians, but they have evolved. Some of the modern Yurts look more like just round houses than tents. You can still build or buy traditional Yurts, too, though.

To use a Yurt as a home (note, I don't say permanent structure. You want to call most alternative structures "temporary structures" when you go for building permits. Just get used to it now.) - anyway, to use a Yurt as a home you often need to build some kind of platform. The walls don't seal to the ground, so you can end up with leaks beneath them in wet areas. Also, I'm planning to live where there will be feet of snow in the winter and some wild wildlife. A little height can do wonders.

If you need a platform in your area, it's pretty simple. It's just like building a deck. You can build it from something other than wood, too, if you like. Whatever sounds good to you. Then, the Yurt goes on top. With traditional tents like Yurts, you just set up your frame, and put the cloth over the top. You can get cloth heavy enough for the coldest winters, or light enough for warm climates. Fire, bug, and moisture treatments are also available just like any other tent.

I mentioned there's a range of Yurts. Some are just as modern, costly, and resource dependent as track housing. Take a look at some popular retailers for an idea of the variety available.

Groovy Yurts
Pacific Yurts
Rainier Yurts

All said, even the cheapest Yurts would have sucked more of my building budget than I'd like. Again, the amount of indoor space available within my price range would have been on the small side, too. What I can afford would work fine for one, or even two people. For three of us, and a small petting zoo of pets that are used to coming in from the cold? I wasn't satisfied with Yurts, so I kept looking.

If you have the money for a larger Yurt, or even one of the pricier more modern ones, Yurts can be simple and cost effective housing. They are beautiful, and really get you thinking outside of the box about use of space.