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Almosthomeless

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Is Tyvek an acceptable outer covering? I've read about tarps and billboard covers and I worry about moisture build up. Tyvek sounds like it may be a better option in that respect, but I've never actually used the stuff for anything. I read people make super-light backpacking equipment with it, so it probably has some durability and the rolls seem very affordable so even if it doesn't last forever it still could be viable. I get the impression from reading the forums that permanent yurts typically don't employ canvas skin. If this is so why not? Is it the cost vs the amount of UV deterioration that makes this less than ideal? Sorry if us DIY wannabe newbs drive this topic into the ground.
 
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TYVEK is some pretty tough stuff when i built our cabin i did with out of pocket moneies no bank loans for me. any way i wraped the out side with tyvek and it stayed that way for about 3 years until i could afford sideing and i was impressed with the way it held up. I have used a few different things for yurt covers. cotton canvas duct. poly tarps and last but not least swimming pool covers on the roof and pvc white tarps for the walls. All the yurts i build myself 16fter's
 
I'm just finishing up yurt number 2. I'm using Tyvek for the walls. Aside from it being like trying to sew a potato chip bag, it is durable. It is somewhat permeable though, lots of tiny holes, but you can deal with that by painting it. I used latex paint to make a stripe over the Lowe's Logo....we'll see how it goes...putting it up this weekend.
 
Curious what climate you are building this in Abbie? My concern would be how well Tyvek would hold up in frigid temps. I think it gets brittle as it gets cold.
 
True that. I plan on doing some testing this winter. I live in Montana, so if it can hold up here, it can hold up anywhere. Besides, this was a budget project from the beginning. Ultimately, I'd like a canvas wall.....time and patience.
 
Have you ever made a yurt cover before? Planning, measuring, cutting, prefitting, assembling and stitching a proper fitting yurt cover is a ton of labor. Yurts are all curves. We're not talking simply unrolling tyvek and slap tacking it to a stick frame house here.

I made the roof cover for my 16'er from a 20x20 17oz double fill, sunforger treated canvas tarp I bought online from 'cover me tarps'. ~$275 including shipping. If you are investing all that labor-and there is a TON of it- in making a yurt cover, I'd absolutely use canvas. The financial difference is probably a couple hundred bucks. There's WAY too much labor involved to make a cover out of Tyvek house wrap. My .02 Good luck
 
So far i have covered all of my yurts via cover me tarps except the green house yurt we used a plastic made for green houses. The fit may not look factory but function is on track. Cost is bearable keeping the cost over all down.
 
You know Bob, Tyvek wasn't my first choice. But if I waited until I had the bucks to buy canvas, I'd still be waiting. I wanted to get the walls up and Tyvek was available. The roof is canvas. I'm still working on fitting it, but the Tyvek was pretty simple. I just stitched 2 pieces of 3ft tyvek together lengthwise, made a 1 inch channel along the top for the top rope and that was that. Yeah, it took a while, but this is only my second yurt. I'm still learning. The next step is finishing the roof cover and then enjoying the yurt for the rest of the summer. Which is only about another 6 or 7 weeks. After that, and we're talking winter here in Montana, I'll get back to the wall and have the upgrade ready by next summer... Oh, I would tell you that sewing Tyvek is like sewing potato chip bags....very crinkly....
 
I made the wall cover for my yurt from cheap 12 oz. painters tarps from Homeboy depot. And cheap they are. Good for catching paint drips. NOT good for any shelter making. All you newbs out there reading this, do "NOT" consider covering your yurt, or any shelter for that matter, with any painters tarp. It will tear and leak like a sieve, guaranteed.
 
I bought all my tarps from cover me tarps the side walls i used 7x20 and a 7x30 white pvc tarp for 45 bucks for the roof a 20x20 cotton canvas duct 12 oz.120 bucks sewed the smoke hole by hand with a palm stitcher. I did use a 18 foot pool cover from walmart for a roof i think i paid 44 bucks for that but fit like a glove.
 
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