Caring For Your Yurt

 

To protect your canvas and its proofing, avoid using detergents as they can strip away the waterproofing. Never clean with high-pressure water, as this can also damage the proofing. For discoloration or general cleaning, use Nikwax Tech Wash to gently restore your canvas while preserving its protective properties. 

 

Over time, the exterior woodwork may require a new top coat to maintain its finish. Use a high-quality, water-based matte varnish for best results. The chestnut frame, however, is naturally durable and will seldom need additional treatment.

 

Storing Your Yurt

Bad Weather Precautions

• Avoid Opening the Doors or Windows: If the door or window faces the oncoming wind, keep it closed unless absolutely necessary. Opening it in such conditions can cause the yurt roof to act like a parachute, potentially damaging the structure.
• Secure the Yurt: When the covers and straps are fitted tightly, yurts are stable in most storms. However, in extreme weather, prioritize your safety and seek shelter elsewhere.
• Use Storm Ropes: Attach storm ropes over the yurt to hold it down securely. For best results:
  • Pre-prepare or purchase storm ropes designed for this purpose.
  • Tie them at crossover points before positioning them on the yurt.
  • Use durable polyester ropes, which are sun-resistant and can remain in place year-round.
• Anchor the Ropes: Arrange the ropes as shown in the diagram, anchoring them vertically below the yurt walls using large stones or stakes. This setup ensures maximum stability in high winds.
• Stabilize the Crown: Tie ropes to the crown rim and suspend a heavy weight from the crown to help stabilize it during the storm.
• Check Crown Supports: Ensure your crown supports are securely in place to provide additional stability to the structure.
• Take Down the Yurt: In the event of extreme weather, consider dismantling your yurt entirely to prevent damage.

Understanding New Canvas

Brand new yurt covers may leak. This might seem odd as the material is proofed for water at the factory but the material has to go through a  process known as "weathering in".   The leakage is, in general, hardly noticeable. It goes like this when the canvas gets wet the fibres expand and fill the gaps in the fresh dry weave of the fabric. All canvas is like this. As the fibres expand and as the gaps shrink the canvas becomes waterproof. The more expansion the smaller the gaps in between the fibres and the more watertight the canvas becomes.   All this can take some time. The seams which are double stitched also need to weather in. The needle punches small holes in the canvas and these holes also get filled by the double action of the cotton thread expanding and the weave of the canvas expanding. The canvas usually weather's faster than the seams. After a couple of heavy soakings (and dryings) the canvas should be fully watertight.  The seams can take a bit more time as the holes are slightly bigger than the thread so more expansion has to take place.  It is not enough for the canvas just to get a good soaking. It needs to completely dry too.   So one soaking is not usually enough, it needs to be absolutely dry and then another soaking then to dry again. If you new canvas has some small leaks then this is almost certainly why and most of the time this will go unnoticed and after two or three wettings the canvas is completely weathered in and waterproof. In the rare event when too many drops are coming in then spray the canvas with Nikwax Tent and Gear Proof.  Follow the instructions on the bottle and this will immediately slow the leaking to a standstill. This product is best applied on to wet canvas so there is no need to wait for a dry day. Please Note: poly-cotton canvas will shrink slightly after exposure to rain or moisture. This is a natural process, and we account for this in the design by cutting the covers to allow for expected shrinkage.