Hi - I am working on designs for a platform for a 16 foot yurt with 8 foot walls. I would like the walls to be taller so that I can put in a sleeping loft. Do you think that pony wall is necessary given that the walls are already 8 feet? If I do opt for the pony wall, I would love to look at blueprints/plan/sketches to give me a better sense of how to build it. If anyone has any to share or thoughts and tips, I'd be appreciative.
Looking for pony wall plans and examples
- Thread starter mbear
- Start date
Robbiebob24
New member
I am wondering the same thing.. Ive ordered a pacific yurt with 7' walls and would like to bump up the height.. did you build a pony wall? if so how did it go? Pictures?
thanks
thanks
Bob Rowlands
New member
Never heard of a pony wall in a yurt.
IMHO it´s only an (mostly functional) element of room design - why not in an bigger Yurt?
Sometimes it needs a little bit of fantasy to reach fresh solutions.
Bob Rowlands
New member
I still don't know what a pony wall does in a yurt. If anyone has an answer to this, I'm all ears. 
I still don't know what a pony wall does in a yurt. If anyone has an answer to this, I'm all ears.
It could help to divide the big space into some smaller areas with different functions. I can imagine, that people have other access to coziness as I have....
Bob Rowlands
New member
By definition a pony wall is a load bearing wall. Classic example is a wall typically used on top of a stepped concrete foundation, to bring the top plate up to mud plate height. In fact I framed two of them in the lower level of my foundation. 'Pony wall' as the op used it completely evades me. I just don't see how that fits into any yurt structure.
A short wall, knee wall, half wall is non load bearing. Examples are: used up the side of a stairs, or room divider, see through wall from kitchen level to family room in a tri level, backer wall for base cabinets exposed to a living area, that has typically has drywall cover and outlets in it. All that is non structural. Pony wall is structural. See what I'm saying?
So mbear-or anyone else- any additinal comments about pony wall design in yurt plan, fill me in on what you are referring to. Thanks.
A short wall, knee wall, half wall is non load bearing. Examples are: used up the side of a stairs, or room divider, see through wall from kitchen level to family room in a tri level, backer wall for base cabinets exposed to a living area, that has typically has drywall cover and outlets in it. All that is non structural. Pony wall is structural. See what I'm saying?
So mbear-or anyone else- any additinal comments about pony wall design in yurt plan, fill me in on what you are referring to. Thanks.
Robbiebob24
New member
on the pony wall...
I am looking to raise the height of the yurt walls. That is why I want to build a load bearing wall that sits on top of the base platform that would raise it up 18"-24". Doing so would add needed height for a more comfortable loft.
I already purchased the largest Yurt I can 30'.
I am just wondering about stability for the yurt as a whole if it is raised up like that.
From what I understand most yurts are set on the platform base with just an inch of 1/4 in plywood sheet to keep it on the platform before adding any bracketing.
I am looking to raise the height of the yurt walls. That is why I want to build a load bearing wall that sits on top of the base platform that would raise it up 18"-24". Doing so would add needed height for a more comfortable loft.
I already purchased the largest Yurt I can 30'.
I am just wondering about stability for the yurt as a whole if it is raised up like that.
From what I understand most yurts are set on the platform base with just an inch of 1/4 in plywood sheet to keep it on the platform before adding any bracketing.
I´m quoting the definition from Wikipedia below.....
Exactly room dividers was in my imagination.
Yes I see it, but disagree in such narrow thinking.
And with the definition of Wiki, I believe I´m right with an wider approach:
A pony wall is a short wall.
In different circumstances, it may refer to:
- a half wall that only extends partway from floor to ceiling, without supporting anything.
- a stem wall, a concrete wall that extends from the foundation slab to the cripple wall or floor joists.
- a cripple wall, a framed wall that extends from the stem wall or foundation slab to the floor joists.
- a knee wall, which extends from the floor to a countertop, rafter, or handrail.
OK - I think I understand that you want a ring-shaped strip foundation on which you want to put lattice wall and rafter supporter, right?
In my eyes the term "Pony-Wall" for was confusing, as that is defined by Bob AND Wiki as "a short wall"....
I can´t see a problem of stability from the general Yurt-building view, but as higher the side wall, as more instability against stronger winds is given.
Bob Rowlands
New member
Yeah and a truss is a rafter.
As for a framed pony wall under the yurt wall, beats me if it would be OK from a structural standpoint. That building concept is so odd I doubt there is any engineering on the design. Good luck getting $$$ an engineering stamp on that.
If you set a standard Americanized yurt up two feet on top of a pony wall, the windows and entry doors in the yurt will be well above standard height. So, you either order the yurt with the offset factored in, -that's considered a special and will cost you accordingly- or leave the windows and doors out, and have a carpenter frame the openings at standard height. Good luck with that.
In my opinion, if you need extra room for storage, build a platform and use the space under the deck for storage. That will free up space in the yurt. Or get a smaller second yurt.
Better yet in my opinion is to build a conventional shed that can take abuse of use that a yurt can't. I sure wouldn't compromise the traditional design of any yurt, let alone a 30' that cost $$$$.
Good luck.
As for a framed pony wall under the yurt wall, beats me if it would be OK from a structural standpoint. That building concept is so odd I doubt there is any engineering on the design. Good luck getting $$$ an engineering stamp on that.
If you set a standard Americanized yurt up two feet on top of a pony wall, the windows and entry doors in the yurt will be well above standard height. So, you either order the yurt with the offset factored in, -that's considered a special and will cost you accordingly- or leave the windows and doors out, and have a carpenter frame the openings at standard height. Good luck with that.
In my opinion, if you need extra room for storage, build a platform and use the space under the deck for storage. That will free up space in the yurt. Or get a smaller second yurt.
Better yet in my opinion is to build a conventional shed that can take abuse of use that a yurt can't. I sure wouldn't compromise the traditional design of any yurt, let alone a 30' that cost $$$$.
Good luck.
Bob Rowlands
New member
I've built three yurts, one of them a 16'er. The exterior wall was 5'3" high. The bottom of the yurt ring was exactly 8' off the deck. The roof pitch was conventional for a yurt. About 25 degrees.
Here's some numbers for you. If your 16' yurt has a wall 8' high and the pitch about the same, that means the bottom of the ring would be about 10'9". Add a 2' pony wall under the yurt and that gives 12'9" under the ring. Plenty of room up there for storage..
OK, how do I know this? I built a 10x12 barn shed on my yurt platform summer 2020. The side walls are 6'4" tall. I built a 4x10 platform on the end opposite the double barn doors. 6'4" headroom below the platform. The roof ridge is 10'2" to the bottom of the roof framing. There's 3'3" of headroom in the middle. That would have allowed my grandkids to sleep up there when they were younger. In fact there's alot of useable space up there. If you had your yurt up on two foot walls that would be about 5' of clearance in the middle. Plenty of space for a sleeping loft.
So based on what I have built, the heights would work. If I were you I'd erect the yurt, and live in it awhile. Then consider doing the pony walls. I'd just do another yurt, or like I did and build a small shed. Either way good luck.
Here's some numbers for you. If your 16' yurt has a wall 8' high and the pitch about the same, that means the bottom of the ring would be about 10'9". Add a 2' pony wall under the yurt and that gives 12'9" under the ring. Plenty of room up there for storage..
OK, how do I know this? I built a 10x12 barn shed on my yurt platform summer 2020. The side walls are 6'4" tall. I built a 4x10 platform on the end opposite the double barn doors. 6'4" headroom below the platform. The roof ridge is 10'2" to the bottom of the roof framing. There's 3'3" of headroom in the middle. That would have allowed my grandkids to sleep up there when they were younger. In fact there's alot of useable space up there. If you had your yurt up on two foot walls that would be about 5' of clearance in the middle. Plenty of space for a sleeping loft.
So based on what I have built, the heights would work. If I were you I'd erect the yurt, and live in it awhile. Then consider doing the pony walls. I'd just do another yurt, or like I did and build a small shed. Either way good luck.
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I did end up building a pony wall (or whatever you want to call it) for my yurt. Its a 2 foot, load-bearing wall between the platform and the lattice. The yurt manufactures (Nomad) designed the windows and the doors to accommodate the additional wall so that they weren't higher than normal. My walls are 9 feet tall in total, 2 feet of pony wall and 7 feet of lattice wall. I live in my yurt full-time and I like having the extra space that the pony wall provides. The trade off, of course, is that its more space to heat. The yurt is still super stable, even with the additional height, and has made it through gale force winds a number of times.
I put a few pictures in an album here- https://www.yurtforum.com/forums/members/4477-albums176.html
I put a few pictures in an album here- https://www.yurtforum.com/forums/members/4477-albums176.html
Bob Rowlands
New member
Thanks for the follow up!
Robbiebob24
New member
Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.... It Can Be Done!! looks great.