Ulaantaij - Bringing Mongolia to the World
Common Questions & Answers about our Yurts
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Yurts
How many material layers are there that cover your yurts?
There are four layers in all. They are in order:
- Inner liner
Provides a neutral backdrop to the brightly painted roof poles plus adds light to the interior. Made
from mold resistant poly-cotton.
- Felt
We have tried them all, but we use a machine manufactured felt that also combines man made
fibres. This has the advantage of not going mouldy when damp, does not attract mice or moths,
does not react with the canvas in an adverse way and also has greater tensile strength than 100%
wool felts. All felt section s are edged with hard wearing nylon to ensure they do not fray.
- Canvas
Cut to design that is waterproof. The degree to which the canvas wall section sits on the ground is
fully adjustable.
- Sun Covers
Natural cotton, rot resistant nylon or canvas outer covers with hand stitched Mongolian designs.
What is the outer cover made of? Is it fully waterproof?
The outermost layer is designed as a sun cover, it's function is to protect your heavyweight canvas
from the UV radiation, dirt, bird dropping, tree sap etc. It also holds the hand stitched Mongolian
designs. Depending on what you plan to use your yurt for we offer three different materials.
Cotton - Unsuitable for a Western Climate. Will go mouldy in months and fall to pieces in the year.
Nylon - Hard wearing, rot resistant. Light. Comes as standard on all our yurts
Canvas - 12oz rot resistant. Natural looking, long lasting, waterproof. The perfect choice.
Will it stand up to rain – what evidence/testing?
Yes a Western European climate is a much wetter one than you will find in Mongolia. For this
reason we have made major concessions to the way our yurts are constructed and designed. We
have also been working with individuals and yurt companies in the UK in order to better
understand the long term effects of a wetter climate on yurts. To vigorously test our yurts we have
yurts erected year round in both the UK and Mongolia. Our show yurt in Surrey has been
permanently erected since January 2006 and we have had no leaks, drips or wet patches to date.
However please bear in mind that a yurt is a tent. Hence water, wind, mud, dirt, heat, cold, all the
things you usually do not give much consideration to whilst living in a building, have a large affect
on not only those living in tents, but also the tent itself.
Will it’s four layers make it heavier than other yurts and harder/longer to erect?
Weight goes hand-in-hand with comfort. Just as a Rolls Royce takes longer to manufacture and is
more comfortable to drive than a Ford. So our traditional yurts are sturdier and better equipped to
deal with the elements than those manufactured elsewhere. This does make them heavier and
will mean you will need to spend more time erecting them, but once inside you will appreciate that
extra time spent.
How long will it take to erect?
This will depend to a large degree how big your yurt is. The following times are a rough guide
based on the fact that you will have read through our owners manual and have erected your yurt at
least twice.
How much will my yurt weigh?
Below are some approximate weights.
Do I have to use the felt liner if I don't want to?
It's certainly possible, but we do not recommend it. As they say in Mongolia: A yurt is like a human
body. Complete with bones (wooden frame) muscle (canvas) fat (felt) and skin (outer cover) You
wouldn't venture outside with any of these parts missing, so we would recommend that your yurt
doesn't either. Everything is there for a reason -so please, no liposuction on your yurt.
Can I easily get replacement parts – roof poles, new covers?
Yes, we can easily supply replacement parts, additional covers in different designs and colours.
Lattice wall sections, doors, any component that goes to make up your yurt we can supply. We
have special rates for anyone that has purchased a yurt from us and wishes to upgrade or replace
any part of their yurt.
Can you supply a groundsheet?
No, I'm afraid we can't. Although you are free to use one, we prefer wooden floors to groundsheet's.
What maintenance is required?
A yurt is a tent. Furthermore, one made from natural materials, wood, cotton and wool. Hence you
will need to take some precautions, especially if you are planning on living in one year around.
Location: Choose a clear airy space, preferably not under any trees.
Maintenance: You should plan on taking down or moving your yurt at least two or three time a year.
Preferably more if you are able to. A clear sunny day is best for this. This will give you the
opportunity to air things, dry them out, re-oil the lattice walls if you need to, and generally "spring
clean" your yurt.
Storage: Please ensure your yurt is 100% dry before storing it. This is especially true for the various
material covers, which will not appreciate being stored in a dark damp place when wet, and will
soon result in mold.
Can the Yurt be kept up all year round?
Yes, this is how it is intended to be used. However we do not recommend that it is left vacant for
long periods of time. If you plan to leave it vacant for more than two or three weeks, we would
advise that, as with any tent, you to pack it up and put it into storage.
How long is it likely to last?
This is a very open ended questions, as it is totally dependent on how your yurt is used and in
which environment. i.e permanently erected and lived in, in the wilds of Scotland, or just erected
once or twice through the summer in the South of France
However, as a very general guide, we would expect the wooden frame to last you, as they say in
Mongolia - the length of a marriage. That is 20 - 30 years by nomad standards. Although this
depends in many ways on it's use, and how often you re-site your yurt. The material covers will not
last you this long, as many of them are made from natural fibres, which are susceptible to sun,
light and heat. Covers that are permanently wet will also have a shorter lifespan. The canvas and
felt layers will last longest with the outer cover being the first to show signs of ageing. Having a
outer cover made of nylon or canvas will result in a longer lifespan.
Can I live in it – do I need planning permission?
Yes, in Mongolia these are family dwellings, used now just as they were 1000 years ago. As for
planning permission we would recommend that you consult with your local council prior to making
any purchase.
Are the material covers fire retardant?
Not to British Standards. We are working towards this, however in the meantime we believe in the
Mongolian virtue of treating fire with the dignity it deserves and acting responsibly. We have heard
no reports of our yurts "burning down" in Mongolia or elsewhere.
What wood are your yurts made from?
We use a combination of hard and soft woods in the construction of our yurts. We take care to
ensure that the most suitable species of wood is used for each yurt component, based on each
components shape, and the degree of flexibility needed in it. Just as importantly, all our wood is
supplied from government approved agents. This is much more expensive than using the illegally
logged wood that many yurt makers in Mongolia use.
Can I view one – if so, where?
Yes, we have yurts to view by appointment and purchase in the UK, France, Spain & Portugal.
Please see our "Where to Buy " page for contact information.
How are the wooden strips that make up the lattice wall sections connected?
Our yurts are made from 100% natural components, hence we use rawhide to connect the wooden
strips that join our wall sections together.
Is it necessary to use the crown supports all the time, will the yurt support itself without them?
Yes, the crown supports need to be used. Traditional Mongolian yurts are designed to weather a
Mongolian (Siberian) winter, high winds and lots of snow are commonplace, hence crown
supports are an integral part of their strength / construction.
Can the crown wheel be adapted to have a collar suitable to contain a flue pipe from a stove?
Yes, we supply an aluminium plate that fits into the crown wheel to accommodate a chimney flue
with all our yurts. However please note, this method does not provide a watertight seal. You will
need a silicon flue collar and one of our new design crown covers in order to achieve this.
Does the waterproof cover go all the way down to ground level?
Yes it does. It is fully adjustable and cut to a waterproof design.
Why are your yurts so cheap?
As an original manufacturer of yurts, you are buying direct. Hence you can rest assured you are
buying a top quality yurt at an unbeatable price. Buy a Mongolian yurt from anywhere else and you
are paying the importers or agents often hefty fees on top. Buy a made in the West yurt, and you are
subject to made in the West pricing.
What can yurts be used for?
Great as a weekend getaway, children's play house or spare room, permanent home, temporary
housing, artists studio, yoga studio, meditation retreat, restaurant, guest accommodation, office,
migrant housing, retreat housing, campground rentals, unique retail shop, first aid station,
community hall, other commercial uses and much more.
Does a yurt need to be constructed on a wooden base?
Yurts can be set up on the ground, with the aid of a groundsheet or a wooden base. However we
recommend that yurts are sited on a wooden base, which for an authentic feel, can then be painted
with an oil based floor paint in the same colour as your yurt. Our owners manual goes into great
detail on how to build your own wooden base.
Accessories
Do you sell cooking stoves?
Yes, Please see our accessories page for full details.
Is the stove safe to leave burning all night?
Yes, however, please note that these are these are wood burning stoves. Lighting a fire in a tent is
dangerous. You do so at your own risk.
Can I buy the furniture as individual pieces?
Yes, although supply is limited. Please check with us for more details.
How many material layers are there that cover your yurts?
There are four layers in all. They are in order:
- Inner liner
Provides a neutral backdrop to the brightly painted roof poles plus adds light to the interior. Made
from mold resistant poly-cotton.
- Felt
We have tried them all, but we use a machine manufactured felt that also combines man made
fibres. This has the advantage of not going mouldy when damp, does not attract mice or moths,
does not react with the canvas in an adverse way and also has greater tensile strength than 100%
wool felts. All felt section s are edged with hard wearing nylon to ensure they do not fray.
- Canvas
Cut to design that is waterproof. The degree to which the canvas wall section sits on the ground is
fully adjustable.
- Sun Covers
Natural cotton, rot resistant nylon or canvas outer covers with hand stitched Mongolian designs.
What is the outer cover made of? Is it fully waterproof?
The outermost layer is designed as a sun cover, it's function is to protect your heavyweight canvas
from the UV radiation, dirt, bird dropping, tree sap etc. It also holds the hand stitched Mongolian
designs. Depending on what you plan to use your yurt for we offer three different materials.
Cotton - Unsuitable for a Western Climate. Will go mouldy in months and fall to pieces in the year.
Nylon - Hard wearing, rot resistant. Light. Comes as standard on all our yurts
Canvas - 12oz rot resistant. Natural looking, long lasting, waterproof. The perfect choice.
Will it stand up to rain – what evidence/testing?
Yes a Western European climate is a much wetter one than you will find in Mongolia. For this
reason we have made major concessions to the way our yurts are constructed and designed. We
have also been working with individuals and yurt companies in the UK in order to better
understand the long term effects of a wetter climate on yurts. To vigorously test our yurts we have
yurts erected year round in both the UK and Mongolia. Our show yurt in Surrey has been
permanently erected since January 2006 and we have had no leaks, drips or wet patches to date.
However please bear in mind that a yurt is a tent. Hence water, wind, mud, dirt, heat, cold, all the
things you usually do not give much consideration to whilst living in a building, have a large affect
on not only those living in tents, but also the tent itself.
Will it’s four layers make it heavier than other yurts and harder/longer to erect?
Weight goes hand-in-hand with comfort. Just as a Rolls Royce takes longer to manufacture and is
more comfortable to drive than a Ford. So our traditional yurts are sturdier and better equipped to
deal with the elements than those manufactured elsewhere. This does make them heavier and
will mean you will need to spend more time erecting them, but once inside you will appreciate that
extra time spent.
How long will it take to erect?
This will depend to a large degree how big your yurt is. The following times are a rough guide
based on the fact that you will have read through our owners manual and have erected your yurt at
least twice.
How much will my yurt weigh?
Below are some approximate weights.
Do I have to use the felt liner if I don't want to?
It's certainly possible, but we do not recommend it. As they say in Mongolia: A yurt is like a human
body. Complete with bones (wooden frame) muscle (canvas) fat (felt) and skin (outer cover) You
wouldn't venture outside with any of these parts missing, so we would recommend that your yurt
doesn't either. Everything is there for a reason -so please, no liposuction on your yurt.
Can I easily get replacement parts – roof poles, new covers?
Yes, we can easily supply replacement parts, additional covers in different designs and colours.
Lattice wall sections, doors, any component that goes to make up your yurt we can supply. We
have special rates for anyone that has purchased a yurt from us and wishes to upgrade or replace
any part of their yurt.
Can you supply a groundsheet?
No, I'm afraid we can't. Although you are free to use one, we prefer wooden floors to groundsheet's.
What maintenance is required?
A yurt is a tent. Furthermore, one made from natural materials, wood, cotton and wool. Hence you
will need to take some precautions, especially if you are planning on living in one year around.
Location: Choose a clear airy space, preferably not under any trees.
Maintenance: You should plan on taking down or moving your yurt at least two or three time a year.
Preferably more if you are able to. A clear sunny day is best for this. This will give you the
opportunity to air things, dry them out, re-oil the lattice walls if you need to, and generally "spring
clean" your yurt.
Storage: Please ensure your yurt is 100% dry before storing it. This is especially true for the various
material covers, which will not appreciate being stored in a dark damp place when wet, and will
soon result in mold.
Can the Yurt be kept up all year round?
Yes, this is how it is intended to be used. However we do not recommend that it is left vacant for
long periods of time. If you plan to leave it vacant for more than two or three weeks, we would
advise that, as with any tent, you to pack it up and put it into storage.
How long is it likely to last?
This is a very open ended questions, as it is totally dependent on how your yurt is used and in
which environment. i.e permanently erected and lived in, in the wilds of Scotland, or just erected
once or twice through the summer in the South of France
However, as a very general guide, we would expect the wooden frame to last you, as they say in
Mongolia - the length of a marriage. That is 20 - 30 years by nomad standards. Although this
depends in many ways on it's use, and how often you re-site your yurt. The material covers will not
last you this long, as many of them are made from natural fibres, which are susceptible to sun,
light and heat. Covers that are permanently wet will also have a shorter lifespan. The canvas and
felt layers will last longest with the outer cover being the first to show signs of ageing. Having a
outer cover made of nylon or canvas will result in a longer lifespan.
Can I live in it – do I need planning permission?
Yes, in Mongolia these are family dwellings, used now just as they were 1000 years ago. As for
planning permission we would recommend that you consult with your local council prior to making
any purchase.
Are the material covers fire retardant?
Not to British Standards. We are working towards this, however in the meantime we believe in the
Mongolian virtue of treating fire with the dignity it deserves and acting responsibly. We have heard
no reports of our yurts "burning down" in Mongolia or elsewhere.
What wood are your yurts made from?
We use a combination of hard and soft woods in the construction of our yurts. We take care to
ensure that the most suitable species of wood is used for each yurt component, based on each
components shape, and the degree of flexibility needed in it. Just as importantly, all our wood is
supplied from government approved agents. This is much more expensive than using the illegally
logged wood that many yurt makers in Mongolia use.
Can I view one – if so, where?
Yes, we have yurts to view by appointment and purchase in the UK, France, Spain & Portugal.
Please see our "Where to Buy " page for contact information.
How are the wooden strips that make up the lattice wall sections connected?
Our yurts are made from 100% natural components, hence we use rawhide to connect the wooden
strips that join our wall sections together.
Is it necessary to use the crown supports all the time, will the yurt support itself without them?
Yes, the crown supports need to be used. Traditional Mongolian yurts are designed to weather a
Mongolian (Siberian) winter, high winds and lots of snow are commonplace, hence crown
supports are an integral part of their strength / construction.
Can the crown wheel be adapted to have a collar suitable to contain a flue pipe from a stove?
Yes, we supply an aluminium plate that fits into the crown wheel to accommodate a chimney flue
with all our yurts. However please note, this method does not provide a watertight seal. You will
need a silicon flue collar and one of our new design crown covers in order to achieve this.
Does the waterproof cover go all the way down to ground level?
Yes it does. It is fully adjustable and cut to a waterproof design.
Why are your yurts so cheap?
As an original manufacturer of yurts, you are buying direct. Hence you can rest assured you are
buying a top quality yurt at an unbeatable price. Buy a Mongolian yurt from anywhere else and you
are paying the importers or agents often hefty fees on top. Buy a made in the West yurt, and you are
subject to made in the West pricing.
What can yurts be used for?
Great as a weekend getaway, children's play house or spare room, permanent home, temporary
housing, artists studio, yoga studio, meditation retreat, restaurant, guest accommodation, office,
migrant housing, retreat housing, campground rentals, unique retail shop, first aid station,
community hall, other commercial uses and much more.
Does a yurt need to be constructed on a wooden base?
Yurts can be set up on the ground, with the aid of a groundsheet or a wooden base. However we
recommend that yurts are sited on a wooden base, which for an authentic feel, can then be painted
with an oil based floor paint in the same colour as your yurt. Our owners manual goes into great
detail on how to build your own wooden base.
Accessories
Do you sell cooking stoves?
Yes, Please see our accessories page for full details.
Is the stove safe to leave burning all night?
Yes, however, please note that these are these are wood burning stoves. Lighting a fire in a tent is
dangerous. You do so at your own risk.
Can I buy the furniture as individual pieces?
Yes, although supply is limited. Please check with us for more details.
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