FAQ about yurts

Yes, our modern yurts and wooden yurts are designed to provide a comfortable environment all year round, including during the winter months. Thanks to their insulating hemp structure and heating system, our yurts can maintain a comfortable temperature even in the coldest weather. However, it's important to note that a yurt has little thermal mass, and therefore little inertia. This means that the temperature tends to fluctuate more than in a traditional building, because there are no bricks or concrete to store heat and stabilise the temperature over time. At the same time, our modern yurts are very easy and quick to heat up, because there is no thermal mass to heat up before you can feel the heat. In concrete terms, if it's 12 degrees Celsius when you arrive in your yurt, you can easily get up to 22 degrees in less than an hour with a wood-burning stove. You can, of course, install a pellet stove, electric heating or other heat sources as you wish.

No, it's not damp in our yurts, even without heating in winter. Our contemporary yurts and wooden yurts are designed to provide natural air circulation to prevent dampness inside. What's more, we combine the installation of a steam barrier with waterproof but breathable acrylic exterior fabrics to allow water vapour to escape from the yurt. Under no circumstances will moisture build up inside the yurt, even during the winter months when the outside temperature is colder. Although heating the yurt can help prevent damp by keeping the air moving, it is not necessary to heat the yurt all winter to prevent damp.

Note that this applies to our own yurts and not to all yurts available on the market. We have already seen several yurts that absolutely must be heated in winter (and even in spring/autumn) to avoid a build-up of humidity. These are yurts with cotton canvas and no vapour barrier. This is very often the case with low-cost yurts imported from Mongolia in particular. These yurts are perfectly suited to the windy climate of the Mongolian steppes, but not to our much wetter climate. That's why we've adapted our yurts to our Swiss climate and our specific needs.

For outdoor fabrics, the range of colours available is very wide, and you can combine several colours (one colour for the walls and another for the roof, for example).

The most commonly used colours include natural shades such as beige, grey, green and brown, to blend in with the landscape. However, you may have brighter, bolder colours in mind to add personality to your yurt? Here's what you need to know about colours:

From the point of view of comfort, light colours offer the advantage of keeping the inside of the yurt cooler in the heat of summer, but they get dirty more quickly. You could compare this to wearing a white t-shirt or a black t-shirt in summer. The black t-shirt will be warmer but will get dirty more quickly, and vice versa for the white t-shirt.

If your yurt is surrounded by trees, opt for dark, natural colours, as the trees will provide shade but will also dirty your canvas. If your yurt is in the countryside, opt for light colours.

If you want to combine colours, we recommend using a light colour for the roof (to keep the yurt cool in summer) and a dark colour for the walls (because the castings are more visible on the walls and will be less visible on a dark colour).

For interior fabrics, it's important to consider the amount of natural light in your yurt. That's why we only offer light colours ranging from white to beige.

No, you don't need to waterproof your yurt canvas with a waterproofing product, because it's the quality of the weave and the material that make your canvas waterproof. Our modern yurt covers and wooden yurts are made from high-quality materials. We use acrylic canvas, which is weatherproof and UV-resistant with a 10-year guarantee. These canvases are solution-dyed to maintain their colour throughout their life.

That said, we strongly recommend cleaning your yurt canvas with clear water once a year. This will extend the life of your yurt covers. To find out more, please refer to the question "How do I clean my yurt canvas?"

Over time, yurt covers can accumulate mould, which affects their appearance and performance. In fact, moss with tiny roots can grow on top of the mould, becoming embedded in the canvas and affecting its waterproofing. To avoid this, it's important to clean your yurt regularly. We recommend washing once a year. This will extend the life of your canvas, improve its waterproofing and enhance its appearance.

To clean the canvas of your yurt, we recommend using clear water, a garden hose and a scrubbing brush with synthetic bristles (no metal bristles). Simply wet well and scrub to remove dirt and moss. Finish by rinsing thoroughly with a hose. Avoid using a high-pressure cleaner, which can damage the covers.

Regular maintenance of your yurt's canvas is essential to ensure its longevity and durability. By following good cleaning practices, you can extend the life of your yurt.

No, it's not dark in our modern yurts. We always make sure there is plenty of light in our yurts through the oversized crystal clear skydome at the top. We also build in as many windows as you like. Either way, plenty of light will brighten your days in each and every one of our custom yurts!

Please note that this applies to our modern yurts. Most traditional yurts are quite dark as there are usually no windows. In addition, the skylights are smaller and they are covered with a piece of white canvas instead of a clear dome. Although it is very relevant to the lifestyle and needs of nomadic people in the Asian steppes, it is less relevant in Switserland to have a dark yurt.