White yurt cover, why so popular?

[ChrisL]

I been mulling something over for a while now.

I see a lot of Yurts with White covers. i no expert in thermo-dynamics, but i guessing white colour holds heat better?

(i was trying to remember science behind shuttle re-entry heat shields, i forget).


All heat stuff aside, white stands out quite a lot. on a sunny day, a white yurt can be seen from very far in Rural areas.
In UK, i have heard countless stories of people trying to set up self-sustainable-esque projects, only to have difficult neibours complain to the council.

(ever since the post-WW2 welfare state began, British government bodies have been allowed to get right up in people's private business regarding land use. I am not a fan.)

I suspect that for perhaps the Reserved/conservative Rural country dweller, the sight of a bright white yurt appearing in their Arc of view, may be perceived as a 'intrusive-statement' of some kind.

kinda got me thinking a pastel green or brown might blend in nicer and attract less council-based shenanigans.

[hierony]

The classic intuitive test: go outside on a nice sunny summer day wearing a dark green shirt. Then put a lightweight white shirt over it, see how it feels. Now go play hid and seek in the woods--the dark green shirt isn't so hot out of the direct sun & is now great camouflage, like you suggested.

I have a plan canvas yurt in a nice green color (see profile pic). I haven't had it setup for a while due to lack of money for even a cheap platform (have since almost completed my summer platform), but I did have it setup for two or so months last summer on bare ground (no liner or insulation). In full sun it got pretty stuffy in there!

I'm going to put white lumber wrap (mildly holey but free!) on the southern facing portion. Depending on weather this winter, I may take the lumber wrap off or substitute the black side (higher heat gain, more slippery than canvas for snow sloughing).

The thermal emissivity (the reflectivity of a surface) is the word you're probably looking for. White things generally reflect (or don't absorb) as much thermal radiative energy as dark things. There's tables of emissivity easily findable; lots depends on the material but also surface smoothness, btw.

There might be some historical and cultural reasons for the white cover. It's also nice to have a cheap outermost cover that is easily replaceable to protect your more expensive (or time consuming if you sew it) canvas.

The topography where I'm at is nice rolling hills with giant wheat fields (50-2000 acre fields...). Because it's so rural you can easily hide away from the main roads (even most of the paved roads) by just finding a field and walking away from the (gravel) road until the curve of the hills hides you. Problem is finding the farmer/landowner. Think you could hide your yurt that way?

[cmwingfield]

I have the light tan roof, and i did it because it seemed logical. With good

insulation

in the ceiling I don't think it will make much difference. If there are any trees near your location, a light colored roof will take on tree sap/goo/crap and become streaked with stains. It adds character. If you get a darker roof, the stains will still be there but you won't be able to see them. And remember, it is much better to beg someones pardon than to get permission. Good luck!

[Bob Rowlands]

White undyed canvas is IMO the best tent color, but that IS jmo. I have been in dyed canvas tent before, olive drab military surplus, and in really nasty -20F conditions, building a Super8 motel in Jackson Wyoming. I could have cared less what color the canvas was. Or if they had stoked the wood stove with baby pandas. Warmth is good.

[hierony]

Those poor baby pandas...

[MT Rod]

I don't know about baby pandas, but we could go back to our previous discussion of DTU's. I'm not sure it was ever totally evaluated to any exhausted detail....

DTU's are probably easier to find than finding the dinero to pay the import tax on BP's.

On a more serious note, I have spent a good deal of time, (about a month a year for three years), in an olive drab artic tent, courtesy of my uncle (Sam), in Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Oregon and also in white canvas wall tents in hunting camps in Montana.

With both being made of canvas of about the same weight, the white tent is much brighter inside, and doesn't get as hot in the day. Still pretty warm, but not as hot.

The OD canvas also doesn't transmit the light from inside the tent in the evening. A white canvas wall tent can look like a UFO glowing in the distance with a well pumped Coleman lantern inside. I don't know if that makes any difference in your evaluation.

Rod
rodyurtlocker.com
Home Page.

PS: Bob, sent you a PM a bit ago.

[Jafo]

Well, if you ask me, the UFO thing is a selling point.

[Bob Rowlands]

Rod, I don't know how to privately reply on here. I am illiterate at computers.

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by Bob Rowlands

Rod, I don't know how to privately reply on here. I am illiterate at computers.

Right here Bob:

http://www.yurtforum.com/forums/private.php

[Bob Rowlands]

Thanks, but I still can't figure this stuff out. I type in the message and 'submit' and it displays my message as 'user not found'. beats me. I can build an entire house by myself yet not decipher the simplest electronic gizmo. :/