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Platform Ideas?

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Old 01-09-2013, 02:34 PM   #1
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Default Platform ideas?

I was wondering about platform ideas. I've kinda searched on here and haven't really seen much about what I was thinking specifically.

I'm thinking about a 20' - 24' yurt. It will be in the Rocky's at about 8000'. Windy and cold mainly in the winter, but pretty good snow also. I want a sealed and insulated floor, to cut down on drafts and

heating

cost.

How much of a foundation/footers are required for these sizes?

Does wind go right through these things in the winter?

How much is

moisture

an issue? I've seen a few threads on condensation and

moisture

issues.

I've been thinking of doing concrete footers below frost line, but those will be pretty difficult with the rocky soil. Plus footers would be hard to remove if needed. How effective is just placing the foundation on surface level, or is it possible even??
I was imagining a 4x6 beam support, with 2x6 blocking for added support. I want to insulate the floor, either with tyvek and fiberglass, or preferably closed cell foam sprayed in. I was kinda thinking of putting t/g flooring plywood ontop of the beam and block system, then building a 2x4 truss with the

insulation

and another layer of plywood on top of that.
Is this overkill?
Or I could attach the base layer of plywood under the beam/block system once built, and add the

insulation

, and just use that single layer of plywood as sub-flooring?
I want the

heating

cost to be as low as possible, obviously. Haven't planned much, but thinking about propane, pellet, or wood stove for heating.

The yurt will be used as a bedroom essentially, a hundred/two hundred feet away from the primary residence. Really only planning on electricity being run, due to cost and any legal issues. The county is lax in building code, but not sure about "2nd residence". It would have no sewer, kitchen, or running water. No building permit or inspection is needed.
I don't want the platform too high, and want it kinda basic in shape/size, but well insulated. I'm just trying to price building materials, so I can get a good idea of total cost. Everything I've seen on here is un-insulated.

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Old 01-09-2013, 05:06 PM   #2
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For your use I'd consider SIPs,

Colorado Yurts

has some experience w them.
Colorado Yurt Company: Build a platform for your yurt

Last edited by djspn; 01-09-2013 at 05:17 PM.
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Old 01-09-2013, 07:14 PM   #3
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I used T&G 2X6's:

Yurt Forum - A Yurt Community - Jafo's Album: Yurt Construction

If you don't get down under the frost, you may have heaving issues. The more you can insulate the foundation the better. I have not had any real moisture issues, but there are a lot of variables there.

I had someone build my platform. It came in around $7k to have it done.
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Old 01-09-2013, 08:37 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by djspn View Post
For your use I'd consider SIPs,

Colorado Yurts

has some experience w them.
Colorado Yurt Company: Build a platform for your yurt
Ha. I missed that part on their site. Thanks for pointing it out. I've looked at all their plans, but I somehow missed that SIP part.

I wonder what they run. . . I'm gonna send an email.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jafo View Post
I used T&G 2X6's:

Yurt Forum - A Yurt Community - Jafo's Album: Yurt Construction

If you don't get down under the frost, you may have heaving issues. The more you can insulate the foundation the better. I have not had any real moisture issues, but there are a lot of variables there.

I had someone build my platform. It came in around $7k to have it done.
Nice, I thought I saw all those in the My yurt section, but I missed the aerial shots.
I've seen a few platform pics, but they all were un-insulated.
I'm probably gonna try to build mine mostly by myself, with help from my dad, but he'll be 78 this year, so I may have to hire someone to help or for me to help. I'm planning on hiring an electrician to run a lead, and wire in a few boxes. Maybe also hiring someone with an auger to come dig the footer holes. Hopefully I can get the rest done, which I should be able to.

The more I think about it, the more I want to make this happen.
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Old 01-09-2013, 09:05 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yurting View Post

I wonder what they run. . . I'm gonna send an email.
Please let us know, and also if you do a cost comparison w all the conventional material they would replace.
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Old 01-10-2013, 12:08 AM   #6
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Default I second the SIPs idea

Hi All,

I don't have a cost comparison, but for insulation and ease of construction I think SIPs have some real advantages, particularly if you may want to move your yurt in the future.

If you can get a quote from the SIPs factory, (I have been trying to get a cost estimate since the middle of December from a SIP factory in Kellog, ID), be sure to ask about the distance they can span. I think even the 4" SIPs will span at least 6' (maybe even 8') and stay within the amount of floor deflection allowed by code, but it may depend upon the manufacturer.

This could work out to a lot less digging, setting posts and dealing with the heavy (and expensive) dimensional stock under the yurt, and you should end up with a floor that could be more easily disassembled and moved, and still have the possibility of meeting code and standards for deflection. It also can give you channels to install power (as an example) in the floor.

Theoretically the factory can also shave the foam and the top surface of the SIP to allow a "lip" of 3/8" (most flexible) or 1/2" plywood to be more easily added around the perimeter of the floor to help with the sealing of both the foam insulation inside the SIP, and the yurt fabric overlap.

I think it is a great idea, but I have not been able to find an answer to the question, is it cost effective?

I am anxious to hear what the factory has to tell you about it.

Another answer I see locally is a round floor poured in concrete.

It might not be the best answer everywhere, and it certainly isn't very mobile, but if you intended to have a permanent location, you might consider it.

If you are planning to use wood heat you could install insulation under the concrete and around the edges, and running plastic piping inside the concrete. In this way I think you could easily have a floor that was warm in the winter, using the excess heat from the woodstove, and investing it into your concrete heatsink/floor in a simple non-pressurized system.

A 12 Volt fountain pump would probably be enough to make the water, and thus the heat, more effectively move through the floor.

Be aware it would make it harder to be away from the yurt in the winter without first draining your floor, so think carefully before making this installation, and/or prepare a drain system before you install the concrete. Actually, make the installation, just plan carefully before you fill it with water. The pipes in the concrete would not be a problem as long as they were dry, and they would be really difficult to retrofit.

A couple thoughts for you, and there are a couple more on my website if you dig around, like using a groundcrete floor, depending on if building codes may be in an issue.

Rod
rodyurtlocker.com
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Old 01-10-2013, 02:06 AM   #7
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Here's something to give an idea re price, especially relative pricing of different thicknesses.
In addition to panal thickness, spanning ability also depends on the type of splines.
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Old 01-10-2013, 07:11 AM   #8
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That is great, thanks!


Rod
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Old 01-10-2013, 08:34 AM   #9
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Rod,

Just a suggestion, but you may not want to post your email like you did but rather use the @ symbol in the smilies menu when you make a post: . The reason is, spammers have automated systems that will scan posts and harvest email addresses to send their spam to. I have changed your two entries to show you what I mean.

No need of ruining a perfectly good email address.
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Old 01-10-2013, 08:48 AM   #10
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Noted and appreciated

Rod
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