FAQs
Get Informed
What sizes do you offer?
Our metal roofs come in 10 sizes - 12', 15', 18', 21', 24', 27', 30', 33', 39', and 42' diameters. These sizes are nominal sizes with the actual roof diameter being 3-4 inches larger than the stated size. So a 24' roof package will fit a 24' diameter yurt and have a couple of inches or overhang. We recommend over-sizing the roof by one size to provide a generous 18" eave overhang and allow for water to drain away form your yurt walls and let you keep your windows open in light rain. Examples: A 20' yurt could use either a 21' roof or the larger 24' roof. A 24' yurt could use a 24' roof, but a 27' roof is recommended.
How do I know if it will fit my yurt?
You need only two measurements to fit our roofs to your yurt.
First and most important is your yurt roof angle. Our roofs are all manufactured to a 30 degree roof angle to match most major yurt manufacturers. If your yurt has a 30 degree angle roof, out roof will fit. The easiest way to measure your yurt roof angle is to use a smartphone and free protractor or angle finder app. Download one and place your phone up against the bottom of your rafters. It should measure close to 30 degrees. Take several measurements at different rafters and average the numbers. Yurts are flexible buildings and the angle will vary, but if you are within 1-2 degrees, the roof should fit. Contact your yurt manufacturer and ask what the roof angle should be if your roof does not fit, it could be that your tension cable has stretched or needs to be loosened to change your rafter angle.
The second measurement is the diameter of your yurt. This should be a round number, but again, every yurt is different, so take an accurate measurement to be sure.
What are the main benefits of a metal roof over a fabric roof?
1 - Metal roofs allow you to have a wide roof overhang, keeping your yurt walls dry and allowing you to keep your windows open in a light rain. Dry walls mean longer lasting covers (saving money) and cleaner walls (saving you time from cleaning mold and mildew).
2 - Metal roofs offer protection benefits from falling objects. Our metal roofs will help protect you from falling branches and hail due to their thick sheet steel construction. Would you rather have a piece of steel or a piece of fabric in between you and a falling tree branch?
3 - Metal roofs will save you money. Our metal roofs will last an average of 70 years, saving you the time and expense of changing 5-7 fabric roof covers. You will see a 75% or greater savings over their life.
4 - Metal roofs are made from chemically safe galvanized steel. There are only three elements in the product - iron, carbon, and zinc. No chemicals, no algicides, mildewicides, plasticizers, chlorine compounds, or proprietary poisons in our roofs, unlike in every other fabric yurt roof. Don't be fooled by trade names like durolast, they are all vinyl coated fabrics and contain chemicals like bpa that leach out into the air and water.
Which countries do you ship to?
Our 12', 15', 18', 21' and 24' roofs feature a 22" center opening. All sizes 27' and larger feature a 36" opening. A larger opening size of 36" (on 12'-24' sizes) or an optional 60" opening on larger sizes is available for $1900. The basic package comes with a complete weather skirt flashing system to seal the ring and panels and a solid metal roof cap to keep out the weather. This cap can be used to run a wood stove chimney directly out the center of the roof or removed for a clear center dome. We will try to work with you to see if your existing clear dome and opening hardware will work with our roof system. If not, we can provide a replacement dome for your new metal yurt roof.
Hw long does it take to install?
Our metal roofs have pre-punched bolt holes and fully formed flashing panels that make install quick and efficient. Installation is as easy as bolting all the pieces together, making sure the roof is centered on your yurt, and screwing the panels down to the rafters using metal roofing screws. Smaller roofs can be installed in a day by a competent crew. Larger roofs would require 1-3 days depending on the number of people and their speed.
To think simply and conservatively, the weight of the metal yurt roof is minimal compared to the published snow load ratings of most commercial yurts. Our metal roofs weight approximately 2-2.5 pounds per square foot. Compare this to the ground snow loads of 5-70 pounds per square foot that occur around the country. Most yurt roofs have snow load ratings around 20-40 pounds per square foot or higher depending on the upgrade package purchased (check with your yurt purchase literature). While the weight of our metal roof would lower that rating, it only makes a difference if your yurt rating is right at the limit of your local snow load. To get more technical, our metal roofs are actually a structural roof system that are designed to hold 22 pounds per square foot of overall load (2 psf dead, 20 psf live) when properly engineered into a structure. We don't claim that they will increase the load capacity of your yurt roof because they are acing solely as roofing in this case and not as the roof structure (your wooden rafters). If you are making a round wooden/earthbag/concrete house, we can provide you with roof upgrades (roof stiffeners and metal rafters) that can increase the snow load rating of the metal roof to function as your entire roof and rafter system, saving you lots of time and money.
What are the roof panels made of?
Metal Yurt Roofs provide an exceptionally strong roof by using high-quality galvanized steel manufactured from G-115 coated steel (min. 350g/m2 zinc coating). This means that they will withstand 70 years or more of harsh weather. No other roofing solution uses a thicker zinc coating and zinc is what keeps the metal from corroding. Other than a minor amount of sealant (your choice of type and composition if you want), the roofs are made entirely of galvanized steel, protecting those that are chemically sensitive.
Do your roofs fit on other round buildings than yurts too?
Yes!. Our metal roofs have been used on strawbale, earthbag, and wood frame round houses. The roof can be engineered into the structure to provide a complete rafter/roof system, or be placed on top of standard rafters.