I don't think that pentayurts would be necessary to withstand snow loads and they would not make optimum use of your materials. I built a stretch 6-foot yurt last summer and it is incredibly strong. The key is to bevel the edge cuts (I used the 1-1/2" thickness), which adds to the strength of the design, and anchor the yurt firmly to transfer all snow and wind loads directly to the ground. The foil faced insulation is slippery and would shed any snow accumulation nicely. The leftover pieces from the stretch yurt construction can be taped into a set of two shelves that fit into the gable end of the yurt and are useful for holding lamps and personal items.
If you can't find the proper tape you still need to seal the seams from rain, snow, and wind. I would suggest latex caulking, which is flexible enough to provide some room for expansion and contraction in heat and cold. In a pinch, the seams could be sealed with mud daub, but that would need to be replaced frequently. The best and quickest way to warm the floor is to waterproof it (tarp or plastic sheathing or layered garbage bags) and insulate it with materials at hand (straw, cardboard layers, wood chips, leaves). The yurt will absorb ambient heat naturally, so I don't think painting it black would help much, and it will retain heat through the night. You do need to have a window for daylight, otherwise it will be in perpetual darkness inside and require fuel for candles, lamps, or other lighting. I put a window in one of my end (triangular walls). You can insulate the window from dust or cold by taping bubble-wrap plastic to the outside, which will let in light and still insulate. I also saved the cutout from the window opening and taped a hinge on the inside so I could close it at night to preserve warmth. You will also need some ventilation, preferably in a side or end wall away from the prevailing winds. I taped a furnace filter over mine, but in a pinch a cloth would work. Bill On Oct 25, 12:56 am, dou <[email protected]> wrote: > I could use some help from those of you experienced in disaster relief > situations. A 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Eastern Turkey was devastating to > the area, killing many people and leaving many more out injured and homeless > in the cold. I am not experienced in relief efforts, but I started thinking > about building some yurts and setting them up in the area to help as many > families as I can. Specifically, I was thinking of pentayurts because there > is a high possibility of snow at night. > > Can the people who have used hexayurt in cold disaster areas share some > insights? I imagine the floor will be the main source of loss of heat, and I > don't think that just a tarp + pad + sleeping bag combination will be > enough. What is the best and quickest way to build yurts that keep warm? I > was thinking of painting the outside black in order to keep as much of the > sunlight as I can, and not having any windows. Any other ideas, or pointers > to information out there? > > Also, what is the quickest way of getting some hexayurt tape to Istanbul > (which is where I currently am)? I am hoping to build some yurts during the > week, and travel over on the weekend to put them up on the spot. Please note > that I am currently very much ignorant to how disaster relief efforts work, > and I'm not sure it is as organized in Van as it could be on other parts of > the world. I will contact the relief groups that are currently on the site, > but I first wanted to talk to you guys to see how feasible and sensible this > plan is. > > Thanks much, > -dou -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hexayurt" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hexayurt?hl=en.
