Written by Alan Wenham from Albion Canvas, this is a comprehensive free guide to purchasing yurt, just  email us for your copy.

It takes you step by step through all the details you need to check to ensure you are getting a quality product.

"With the huge increase in interest and production of yurts over the last few years I have been repeatedly asked how you tell the difference between them all. So it was suggested I produced a buyer’s guide to all the things to look for when buying a yurt, it’s not a simple subject but do the checks, talk to the makers, don’t just go by price and get feedback from previous customers wherever possible."

Covering everything from frame detail and timber used, through to canvas covers and groundsheets. This guide should steer you through the myriad of details and styles now available.

With styles varying from 'original' imported yurts through to yurt derivatives, you really need to know what you are looking at and what you will be getting for your money. After all a good quality product may cost more intially, but it will last a lot longer and will have design features to make it easier to use.

This guide is the new updated issue produced as a PDF file with over fourteen packed pages of content (double the original), which will be emailed to you.

Here's a little taster for you....

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TERMINOLOGY

A lot of people use different words for all the elements of the Yurt, Khana for the trellis wall on Mongolian Gers etc, but I prefer to keep to simple English descriptions. I feel it makes for easier conversations and quicker understanding, plus there are several styles of yurt all using different languages. We build Kyrgyz style Yurts and my Kyrgyz pronunciation leaves a lot to be desired!

The only designations I use regularly are Ger for Mongolian style tents and Yurt for bentwood style yurts.

STYLES

There are three main styles available, all structurally the same but with regional and ideological differences. All these are available UK made or imported.

1/ The Mongolian Ger. This is a heavily framed Yurt often requiring internal supports for the roof. The identifying feature is the straight roof rib, giving a very angular profile. Price wise the Ger is slightly easier to produce than the bentwood Yurts so usually fits into the middle price bracket.

2/ Bentwood Yurt. This version covers a large geographical area and is often referred to by region, usually Kyrgyz, Turkmenistan or Uzbek. However they all have the curved roof rib, giving a softer rounded profile. The bentwood Yurts have more headroom than the Mongolian Ger. These Yurts are the most labour intensive so are usually the higher priced of the Yurts.

3/ The American Yurt. This often looks much like the Mongolian Ger but has been modernised. Features like Plexiglas domes, nylon rivets and aircraft steel cable replacing the traditional tied trellis and fabric tension band. Usually framed in Douglas or other similar softwoods. The frames have been simplified a great deal and are quicker to make so these Yurts tend to be the cheapest in the range. The trellis has much more of a diamond shape to it when constructed; this is so the trellis doesn’t have to be steam bent.

Both the Mongolian Ger and bentwood Yurts are available as machined wood or coppice wood framed, usually in British hardwood, usually Ash. Imported frames are usually willow.

The American style Yurts are usually made in production softwood, like Douglas.

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This guide has grown into a large piece of work, over 21 pages with photographs, check lists and now a detail design guide with windows, doors, decks and porches to consider, so please email me and I will send you the full version on a PDF file.

If you have found this guide helpful please write a short review with any comments so I can continue to improve it.