Hi, we live in a traditional mongolian yurt in Portugal

[calcetines]

Hey guys,


I already had a couple posts but would like to connect to other traditional yurt owners. We bought one from a company in Spain, who imported it from Mongolia. Ours is 24' (7.3 meters), 1.70 meter high walls (5.5 ft) and has two windows next to the door. We love the windows, adds so much more light in the space.
I raised the yurt last june in central Portugal, I have electricity from the neighbours and a water well for water. We are a dutch family consisting of me, my girlfriend and our 3 boys of 5, 3 and 3 months. The latest being born behind the yurt in a tub at 7 in the morning, pretty epic

We live in central Portugal which can get pretty wet in the winter months. As we speak it's pouring. Right from the crazy hot days, when we had to escape the yurt to seek shadow and coolness at the river, we dove into the rainy days. This definitely confronted me right away with some challenges.
The windows and the doors were suffering under the moisture within days so I installed a DIY gutter above the door and windows. On top of that I made a simple porch with a couple of trees and some transparant roof plates (those wavy things). That helped a lot and it is very handy to be able to take of your boots and wet jacket before entering the yurt. It's a mud fest out there.

We left Holland in search of adventure and a more peaceful non-frantic life. We live & build on a budget but are free and in nature. I like building on budget, working with material that you have or find or can get out of the woods.

So Hi!

 

[calcetines]

To start off. Our yurt has a 'sombrero'. Say a hat which covers the dome. the dome consists of 8 windows, pie shaped that form the dome. This summer (no rain) we removed all 8 windows (you can take them out) en stapled musquito gaze against it. Worked like a charm.

Nowadays when it's dry I remove the sombrero, when it rains I pull it back. I attached 4 ropes to each corner, I loosen two and use on of those to fold it open.



How do you guys deal with the hat? The weird thing to me is the chimney. 'Normally' you're suposed to install the stove in the center and have to chimney trough one of the window holes. But I cannot see how this is practical with opening & closing the hat?

 

[calcetines]

With the rain comes the cold. Project of this week is installing the 2nd hand cast iron stove we bought. My plan is to place it close to the wall and have it exit trough the wall. I'll start a different post about that project and add a link later. Let me also see if I can find some photos to post of our little hut


https://www.yurtforum.com/forums/bu...d-installing-a-wood-stove-2801.html#post13207

 

[calcetines]

The platform I build on a sloped hill and the yurt itself. Not the best pictures but you get an idea

 

[TSRalex]

....traditional yurt .....
.....
We live in central Portugal which can get pretty wet in the winter months.
.....
.....some challenges.
The windows and the doors were suffering under the moisture within days
.....

At first: All the best for your fights - I'm crossing my fingers for you.

But I need to say, that that the use of an traditional Yurt all over the year makes only sense in a continental climate region. Some threads are discussing that.

My words are just a warning to other readers.

Although I understand that the price difference between traditional and modern Yurts is enormous - especially if someone is on budget - the modern materials are worth for avoiding troubles like you need to solve....

 

[Bob Rowlands]

That's one handsome trad yurt. VERY nice home. Incredibly beautiful area as well. Thanks for the photos! My wife is full blooded Portuguese btw...

 

[Jafo]

Is a dehumidifier out of the question? Nice yurt btw.

 

[calcetines]

That's one handsome trad yurt. VERY nice home. Incredibly beautiful area as well. Thanks for the photos! My wife is full blooded Portuguese btw...

Ah nice! The best people in Europe if you ask me, so kind and good hearthed.

And thanks! We love it too. The energy a circular gives, the wood & cotton around you, being tucked in by 2 inch of natural felt. I prefer it above rectangular houses, those spaces do not flow for me.

 

[calcetines]

Is a dehumidifier out of the question? Nice yurt btw.

No def. not, especially ones solar is there. But for now inside moisture is no issue, not yet. It's just the rain that tortured the window & door frames, cheap wood, not high quality carpenting and for sure no professional protective coats. The rain sort of surprised us otherwise I would have prepped and treated the wood better. And more so, would have build a varanda roof and a gutter.
But hey, now I dit those two in one day and it worked like a charm.


Also surprised the way the yurt heats up with the of us in it, yesterday we started 15 degrees around 5pm, after cooking it was a cozy 21 around 8 pm. With the windows and doors sort of closed (they won't close completely because of the swollen wood, one for the fix list)

I think the insulation works pretty well

 

[calcetines]

At first: All the best for your fights - I'm crossing my fingers for you.

But I need to say, that that the use of an traditional Yurt all over the year makes only sense in a continental climate region. Some threads are discussing that.
.

Thanks man! We love the this way of living, the challenge, working with the elements. Can you point me to one of those discussion threads?

 

[TSRalex]

Thanks man! We love the this way of living, the challenge, working with the elements. Can you point me to one of those discussion threads?

You're welcome, but you've the same possibilities with the forum search as I have.

E.g. Search-Keyword(s): traditional, yurt, rain, moisture , but that is only an example.....