Matt Rogers’ vinyl-free yurts are built using locally grown ash, white oak and black locust from “mom-and-pop sawmills in the Hudson Valley and nearby,” he said. His current material of choice for yurt covers is waterproof acrylic-coated polyester made for the marine and awning markets, though he dreams of the day when silicone-coated fabrics become more widely manufactured. Rogers can make you a yurt with a cotton canvas cover/ But he cautioned that because the fabric is prone to mold and mildew these were more appropriate for arid climates,
If you want a permanent structure built with a yurt-based design, Rogers can do that for you, too. He has finished one for Billiam van Roestenberg at Liberty View Farm, which van Roestenberg uses as a temporary bedroom when his farmhouse is being used by a wedding party. Rogers’ next project is to adapt an existing lightweight yurt in Kerhonkson into a permanent, all-season wooden dwelling.
Mostly, though, Rogers spends his time manufacturing lightweight, portable yurt kits that he sells through his website, www.cleanairyurts.com. The main frame is a collapsible lattice, reminiscent of those folding gates that new parents rig up at the top of a flight of stairs to babyproof them. In order for the owner to know exactly how far to expand the lattice in order to have the yurt cover fit perfectly, Rogers has invented a system of vertical bracer bars with a slider element that he has trademarked as Perfect Circle Technology. The kit also comes with roof rafters rather like Tinkertoys that pop into a central ring.
The entire kit, including the cover, can weigh under 50 pounds, depending on size. The standard diameter for Rogers’ yurts ranges from ten to 20 feet. Covers can be customized depending on the number of screened windows you want, if any. And if you want a yurt for commercial uses — like a booth at a trade fair — he can print the corporate logo of your choice on the walls. The structures use simple connectors like wingnuts and wire pins. Rogers claims that he can set up one of his yurts in 15 minutes, but estimates that the average client will take 30 minutes to an hour on the task.
His clients are scattered all over the country, and include a campground in Ontario, an Occupy encampment, small farms, people who spend their summers attending music festivals or Renaissance fairs, and ordinary folks who want a backyard playhouse or seasonal screenhouse. Most kits can fit into a crate seven feet by 20 inches by 15 inches, and shipping is typically done by truck freight. Prices for a complete portable yurt kit begin at $2400, with many options available for customization.
Clean Air Yurts are built to order, taking about two weeks on average to manufacture, although Rogers does make some parts in bulk. Business is slowing down for the season right now, he said: Yurt-buying is mainly a springtime activity. For now, Rogers will be working on that house in Kerhonkson, as well as on his sideline in custom woodworking, slab tables and countertops.
To see samples of Matt Rogers’ work, or watch a slide show of how to erect a camping yurt, visit the website.You can also call or e-mail him with questions at 255-0087, 610-295-4681 or [email protected].
