Materials & Craft: What Makes Our Yurts Last

Most canvas yurts in Mongolia and the grassland regions are unlikely to be waterproofed. The high-altitude region’s climate is generally dry despite heavy temperature extremes. The wooden parts also tend to be made from lower-grade woods, and there is generally a lack of attention to detail. These yurts are certainly not suited to our much wetter European climate.

We have adapted our yurts to be waterproof and insulated so they can be used in our often cold and damp UK environments. All yurts are available to buy online.

The Roof Crown (Toono)

The roof crown serves as the structural and aesthetic centrepiece of our yurts. Meticulously crafted from premium elm wood, each crown is chosen for its natural strength and resilience. To honour tradition, our artisans hand-paint every piece with authentic Mongolian motifs before applying a high-grade, water-resistant varnish to ensure it withstands the elements for years to come.

Timber: Asian Elm (Ulmus pumila)

Interlocked Grain: Elm’s unique, braided grain structure resists splitting under tension, making it ideal for securing dowels, joints, and heavy structural fittings.

Extreme Thermal Stability: Positioned at the highest point of the yurt, the crown withstands rising stove heat and weather fluctuations without warping or twisting.

High Shock Resistance: Offers exceptional toughness and natural flexibility to handle heavy structural loads without deforming.

Striking Natural Finish: Displays a distinct “feathered” ripple grain that absorbs protective finishes beautifully

The Entrance & Door Frame

Our doors are a statement of quality and heritage. Crafted from solid timber, each door is designed to maximize natural light through an integrated window, ensuring your yurt feels bright and welcoming from the moment you step inside.

Adapted for the British Climate

To ensure your yurt remains a dry sanctuary, we have added specialized rain deflectors to our door frames. This feature is specifically designed to channel rain water away from the entrance, preventing leaks and moisture build-up – an essential adaption for the wet UK weather.

To ensure your yurt matches your vision, we offer three exquisite finishes:

Hand-Painted with green background: Featuring traditional patterns in vibrant colours.
Carved & Natural unpainted: The door arrives with beautiful, traditional carvings but is left unpainted, allowing you to add your own personal touch or enjoy the raw beauty of the timber.
Gold Carving with green background: Deeply carved patterns finished with gold paint for a truly luxurious look.

Every door is treated with a high-durability, waterproof varnish for total peace of mind and comes equipped with a slide bolt and padlock for reliable security.

Frame & Lintel: Asian Elm

Panels & Stiles: Dahurian Larch

Structural Frame: Heavy-duty Asian Elm provides a rigid, warp-resistant foundation for smooth door operation.

Hand-Carved Detailing: Larch panels feature prominent, clear growth rings that hold intricate relief carvings exceptionally well over time.

Cultural Symbolism: Lintel and frame are adorned with the traditional Mongolian Ulzii Khee (Endless Knot), symbolizing infinite prosperity, longevity, and balance.

Weather-Resistant Timber: Finished with a protective seal that highlights its warm, creamy-yellow tones as it naturally ages.

The Lattice Walls (Khana)

More Room to Live: 1.6m Walls for Maximum Space

We believe your yurt should feel expansive, even if your garden space is limited. Our signature 1.6m high wall transform the interior experience. Unlike standard designs where the roof slopes down quickly, our high walls allow you to utilize the entire diameter of the yurt.

No Wasted Space: Place shelving, wardrobes, or desks flush against the walls.
Total Freedom of Movement: Walk right up to the edge without needing to duck.
Perfect for Studios: Ideal for yoga or fitness, providing the head clearance needed for floor-to-edge movement.

Traditional Materials, Superior Stability

By combining ancient techniques with premium natural materials, we’ve created a yurt that offers a completely open-plan interior.

Rawhide Joinery: Unlike modern bolts or screws, traditional rawhide bindings allow the frame to flex under tension while maintaining incredible grip.
Weight Distribution: The willow frame acts as a spine, channelling weight directly to the floor. This eliminates the need for an obstructive central pole.
Steam-Bent Willow: Solid willow provides the perfect balance of strength and lightness.
Eco-Friendly Protection: We use natural linseed oil to nourish and protect the wood, ensuring a chemical-free living environment.

Timber: Steam-Bent Willow

Authentic Steam-Bending: Crafted using traditional steam methods, allowing the wood to curve naturally without compromising structural strength. With this feature, our yurt does not need centre supports. It offers our customer the entire space.

Lightweight & Resilient: Provides a high strength-to-weight ratio, making the wall sections easy to transport yet exceptionally sturdy when expanded.

Traditional Craftsmanship: Features smooth, rounded poles joined with classic rawhide ties at every intersection for authentic flexibility and load distribution.

The Roof Poles (Uni)

Timber: Dahurian Larch (Larix gmelinii)

Superior Tensile Strength: Sourced from hardy northern conifers to deliver the exact balance of rigidity and support needed to carry heavy roof crowns and insulation layers without sagging.

Smooth Hand-Finish: Stripped, smoothed, and treated with boiled linseed oil to seal the timber against moisture while enhancing its natural longevity.

Natural Character: Features subtle grain lines and occasional small, tight knots unique to slow-grown northern timber.

Nature’s Perfect Thermostat: Our Advanced Dense Sheep Wool Insulation

At Yurt Specialist, we believe that a yurt is only as good as the comfort it provides. To ensure your space remains a sanctuary regardless of the season, we use a specialized 8mm thick treated mixed sheep wool insulation.

It’s not just a traditional choice; it’s a high-performance solution engineered for modern living.

Why Our Mixed Sheep Wool Performs Better

While traditional felt has been used for centuries, our modern insulation process addresses the common pain points of yurt ownership:

Year-Round Climate Control: Sheep wool is naturally “breathable.” In the winter, the fibers trap air to keep heat inside. In the summer, it reflects external heat, keeping the interior refreshingly cool.
Rapid Moisture Management: Humidity is the enemy of any yurt. Our mixed wool blend has been tested as the fastest-drying material on the market. It wicks moisture away from the interior, preventing dampness and maintaining a healthy air quality.
Insect-Repellent Treatment: Unlike older, traditional wools that can attract unwanted guests, our wool is specially treated. This ensures that moths and other insects won’t make a home in your walls, giving you peace of mind and protecting your investment for years.

The Ultimate Defense: 3 Layers Sewn Together to Stop Pest Attacks

To ensure your yurt remains a clean, secure sanctuary, our heavy-duty outer poly-canvas, advanced sheep wool insulation, and inner lining are strictly supplied and expertly sewn together as a single, unified wall system. Standard imports feature loose, separated layers that naturally create hollow gaps—making them an absolute magnet for mice and rats looking to burrow and nest. By stitching all three layers securely into a completely enclosed barrier, we eliminate these internal nesting spaces entirely. This intelligent design makes it virtually impossible for rodents to attack or compromise your insulation, providing unparalleled pest protection for rural and woodland environments.

Heavy-Duty 13.75–14 oz Silicone-Impregnated Poly Canvas as Outer layer

When choosing a yurt cover, balancing water resistance with breathabilityis critical. Traditional standard canvas can absorb water or trap indoor humidity, leading to internal condensation and rot. Fully plasticized covers (like PVC) keep rain out but trap moisture inside, turning the yurt into a greenhouse.

Our 13.75–14 oz silicone-impregnated poly canvas offers the perfect middle ground engineered specifically for year-round outdoor durability.

Key Benefits & Technical Advantages

Silicone Impregnation (Deep Protection)

Rather than using a surface coating that can crack, peel, or degrade under UV light over time, silicone is forced deep into the synthetic weave. This creates a high surface tension that forces heavy rainfall and driving water to bead up and roll right off.

Breathable Moisture Barrier (Prevents Mold & Mildew)

Living inside a yurt creates internal moisture from cooking, heating, and breathing. Because our fabric remains naturally breathable, trapped vapor can escape through the canvas. This drastically reduces internal condensation and prevents the damp conditions where mold and mildew thrive.

Heavy-Duty Weight (13.75–14 oz)

At nearly 14 ounces per square yard, this material provides outstanding tensile and tear strength. It stands up to strong wind loads, heavy driving rain, and continuous tension across the yurt wall and roof frame without sagging.

Rot & UV Resistance

Polyester fibers naturally resist rot, shrinking, and stretching compared to 100% cotton canvas. Combined with silicone treatment, it resists UV breakdown and keeps its strength over years of exposure to variable weather.

Panoramic Views with Triple-Layer Protection

Our windows are designed to offer more than just a view; they are engineered for year-round climate control. Positioned at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock to provide an expansive feel, each window features a sophisticated Triple-Layer Insulated System:

Fine Insect Mesh:Enjoy the breeze without the guests. Our durable mesh keeps bugs out while letting fresh air circulate.
Clear PVC Weather Shield:A Velcro-fastened layer that creates a total seal against draughts and moisture. This can be easily removed in the summer to increase airflow.
Outer Roll-up Canvas & Felt:The final defense. This insulated layer provides maximum heat retention on cold nights and total privacy when you need it.

Combined with our windowed door and large central skylight, you get a space that is incredibly bright, yet perfectly shielded from the elements.

Roof Cap

Non-transparent cap: Three layers—outer canvas, wool insulation, inner lining.
Transparent cap: Triple-layer with a clear PVC centre for maximum daylight.

Each cap secures with seven down-straps to stay firm in strong winds.

Straps

Inner structural: Poly-nylon bands lock the walls in place; moisture-resistant and ideal for the UK.

Outer decorative: Woven horsehair—traditional, strong and weather-resistant.

The Foundation of Comfort – Our Dual-Layer Groundsheet System

Think of our groundsheet as the essential “waterproof course” for your yurt. Just like the damp-proof membrane in a permanent building, its primary job is to ensure the interior remains perfectly dry and comfortable, regardless of the conditions outside.

• The “Water-Lock” Edges: The edges are uniquely curved to tack up securely between the inner felt and outer canvas. This creates a seamless seal that keeps driving rain and external water

• The Waterproof Base Layer: A thick, heavy-duty waterproof plastic blocks all rising ground moisture from entering the living space.

• The Aesthetic Top Layer: Finished with a beautiful green canvas, this layer is designed to be both stylish and comfortable underfoot.

Key Meanings & Symbolism

You can often see some traditional Mongolian geometric interlaced pattern known as the eternal or endless knot, which symbolising infinite happiness, longevity and interconnectedness.

Longevity & Happiness: The interconnected, swirling loops represent eternal life, uninterrupted fortune, and continuous prosperity.

Protection & Strength: Often styled after stylized ram or ibex horns (ever), the motif historically symbolizes strength, endurance, protection against evil spirits, and abundance of livestock.

Harmony with Nature: The flowing, curved tendrils echo clouds and landscape forms, reflecting the nomadic balance between humanity, spirits, and the natural world.

Usage on Yurts (Gers)

When stitched as felt or fabric appliqué onto the canvas or outer flap (ureg) of a Mongolian yurt (ger), this ornament serves both decorative and functional cultural roles:

Blessing the Household: It acts as a guardian symbol to bring peace, health, and good fortune to everyone inside the structure.

Welcoming Guests: Positioned prominently on the outer fabric or entrance flaps, it signals hospitality, long friendship, and good energy to travelers and visitors entering the home.