Comments on: Gertee: Houses made from Scraps

By: Lopa

Lopa — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:35:35 +0000

I just love the idea of a yurt.

It gives me a feeling of just hiding away from the world for sometime in the little personal yurt.

By: kk

kk — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:03:54 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing your depth of experience. It has inspired me to build one as well. I’ve been wanting a yurt or dome, but don’t have the money. I do have some space in the woods behind my apartment where I could begin to explore a shelter in this way. Thank you! And please let us know when the book comes out. I could use all the details that a novice builder would need to know. Even a list of the tools I would need would be extremely helpful, as I have none beyond a hammer and screwdriver.

I think I could start on the lattice immediately if I can figure out the dimensions and how to find lumber that is small enough to fit in the tiny car I have. I also have a ton of ironwood in the woods and am wondering if that is good for the ceiling (it grows like weeds here).

By: Lucy

Lucy — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:21:30 +0000

Hi guys, if you’re encountering problems with the page loading, it might not just be your browser. Make sure you clear your cookies and try to reload the webpage. That might make it work better.

By: Gertees for Gabriola?

Gertees for Gabriola? — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:59:41 +0000

[...] These days I spend a lot of time thinking about low-impact housing, small houses, and also inexpensive houses. Sometimes those topics intersect, as they might with some kinds of yurts, for example. Sure, it’s expensive to buy a yurt from one of those specialist yurt companies, but there are cheaper alternatives. One is the Gertee, which I read about in this page at the Tiny House Blog: Gertee: Houses made from Scraps. [...]

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:27:33 +0000

To paraphrase a great Einstein quote…

If a cluttered home is a sign of a cluttered mind, what then is an empty home a sign of?

By: Raven

Raven — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:19:06 +0000

Hi, I love your blog. Is there some way, does anyone know someone to get this info, with pictures, to the people of Haiti? They could really use it. They need ideas along with money and this is a really good idea.

Raven

By: Epperson

Epperson — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:22:04 +0000

Niki,

You have something much more important than most people living in the lower 48, FREEDOM.

If you haven’t noticed, we’re moving closer and closer towards Serfdom. And the answer is no, we don’t have “Freedom” the way the Founders intended.

Americans are educated but not “Classically Educated”. They are easily duped by catchy tunes, cheap entertainment, savvy marketing and new age political slogans.

When Americans realize what’s happened to their country and who “really” took over, you’re in a sweet spot on the map and out of harm’s way. I envy you for that.

For the thinking person, alternative forms of Housing should be the way to go moving forward. As you and others have proven, you don’t need to spend an obscene amount of money on plans, materials or trailers to achieve this goal.

Thank you Niki and keep us posted on your Book and DVD.

By: Niki Raapana, Alaska

Niki Raapana, Alaska — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:10:28 +0000

I sure hope you’re right Joyce! What a world it would be if everyone lived in whatever suited their lifestyle AND budget. I loved it when I read it’s tradition in Mongolia to give their daughters a yurt when they grow up. I’m grateful to know my daughter will never be without a home in her lifetime. I don’t follow any of their gert traditions except that one and their definition for gertee, which means “at home” in Mongolian.

If you decide to build a gertee let us know, we’d be happy to answer any questions you have. The cool thing is they can also be built out of nice brand new materials and fabrics that aren’t that expensive but are clean and unstained.

God bless you too, and everyone else here also. I do feel blessed today. To all our relations.

By: Niki Raapana, Alaska

Niki Raapana, Alaska — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:56:32 +0000

Lucas you’re right, the center ring (called Tono I think in Mongolia) is the hub and appears to hold the tension at exactly the right pressure. One of the problems Tim had with it at first was he wanted it all to be tighter. We used a real cable for the tension band on the 20′ and he kept making it so tight all the walls moved in a foot! I think a big part of the strength is in the flexibility because of what it does when strong winds hit.

As for adapting, I guess it’s something grew up with traveling with my dad who was Army. I moved to Vegas in August, after years in Fairbanks, and I died from the heat the first fall. By spring I was comfortably outside doing things in 114 above.

By: Niki Raapana, Alaska

Niki Raapana, Alaska — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:10:41 +0000

Thanks Sharon! Kudos to you for seeing what we’re made out of… must be a recognition thing.