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Shelters
Unlimited No temporary structure is more beautiful, more comfortable, more robust or more practical. Although the tipi is strong enough to withstand fierce storms and is capable of being a comfortable home all year round, you can dismantle it in less than half an hour and erect it again in under two hours.
Tipis are an
ideal structure for organised camps for both adults and
children as part of an outdoor activities holiday.
In places of outstanding natural beauty the tipi, unlike
any other structure, will not detract from the
scenery. A tipi is so beautiful and natural that it
has a positive impact as you can see from some of the
photographs on this site. In the garden a tipi is a
comfortable shady summer house, a childrens play space
protected from the sun or a cosy evening social space
with an open fireplace. Not to mention a dynamic
feature. The cover of
the tipi is mainly white. This gives good light in the
tipi. Choose from these colours to highlight the
smokeflaps, door panel and the interior lining. SIZES AND UK PRICES top
MEDIUM TIPIS -
SUMMERHOUSE - GARDEN STRUCTURE - HOLIDAY HOME - PRIVATE
RETREAT
All
prices are exclusive of VAT (@ 17.5%) 1 Sort polesCheck and sort your poles out, a 14'/16' tipi should have 14 poles, an 18'/21' tipi should have 17 poles. The three strongest poles for the tripod (N,S and D, standing for north, south and door respectively), the longest pole is the lifting pole (LP), two twisted or bendy, medium sized poles for the smoke flap poles. Tie
ribbons (2' min.) to the very tips of all the poles
except the smokeflap poles, put these to the side.
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If you want special modifications we can
design and then incorporate them. In the past we have
made tipis with four doors, permanent tipi installations
and changed the size and shape of the doors to suit
customers needs.
The tripod position is crucial. The
look and the shape of the tipi depends on the tripod, its
pitch and angles between poles should be as close to Fig
3 as possible, when standing where the doorway will be.
The doorway will be on the right of where the doorpole D
rests, take your time and make sure the tripod is in the
position you want it. The door traditionally is in the
east but it may be different depending on the lie of the
land and the prevailing wind. Ideally the tripod should
not be moved once it is in position but it may be
necessary to tweek it a little once the cover is on to
get the odd wrinkle out.
Then take the anchor rope, which is
hanging from the centre of the frame, pull it to the
outside and walk (dance) it round the frame sunwise
(clockwise). Take the rope round 4 times (to symbolise
the 4 seasons or 4 directions) flicking it up tight to
the crown as you walk around. Make sure that the rope
winds tight around the crown as this is what holds the
poles in place, tighten the rope by pulling it down, not
outwards. Then leave the rope hanging down in the middle
again, there should be enough rope left hanging to lash
securely to two stakes in the ground. Do not worry about
the position of poles 1-8 on the ground as they will be
adjusted to there final positions when the cover is on. 
Tie a rope or
broomstick across between the door pole and pole 1 below
chest height to stand on and reach the top pins. With
either of your last two pins secure the door onto the
cover by the holes at the top of the door (Fig.5). 
Plant the forked
stick in the ground 4 - 6' in front of the door of the
tipi then attach the lines from the bottom of each
smokeflap to the points of the stick, pulling the lines
fairly tight. Taut smoke flaps pushed away from the wind
help the smoke draw up and out. 6 Pegging
Peg loops are made by tying pebbles or marbles into the cloth with 12" - 20" of strong cord using a clove hitch (pennies will do if you are stuck).
Start at the lifting pole and work round each side at bottom of each pole. After hitching the pebble into the cloth tie of the loose ends of the cord to make a loop.( You may want to leave the pegging until after you have hung the lining or you may want to peg just the windward side - to enable rolling up of sides ). Place a peg in the loop formed and twist round until the cord is tight around it. Hammer the peg into the ground at an angle, removing any last wrinkles.
Stick two
pegs crossed in a V form in the ground either behind the
fireplace/smoke hole or to the side.Anchor the rope
hanging in the centre of the tipi securely to them. This
is usually only necessary when the winds are strong,
otherwise the rope can hang down behind the lining.
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7 Hanging the lining
Pass the lining rope around the outside of the poles, but inside the cover. On a 14'-18' tipi the rope should be about waist height, on a 21' or larger tipi the lining rope would be about chest height. Tie the ends of the rope to each other with reef knot. Unroll the lining on the ground inside the tipi starting from the doorway, with the ties in towards the centre. Starting at the door, from the outside of the tipi, peg the lining down just inside the poles. Stretch it between each peg as you go and fold the bottom 6" to the inside.When you have gone all the way round go inside the tipi and tie the webbing ties at the top of the lining up to the rope you passed round the poles. Tie each with a bow knot for easy release. The rope may be too high or too low. If too high the ties will not reach all the way round and you will have to slacken it off. If too low.the lining will sag, you will have to tighten the rope and take up the slack. Pull and peg the lining until it is tight, it takes a little time.
The lining is there to insulate the tipi and exclude drafts, but let air rise up. That is why the cover doesn't reach all the way down to the ground. The air is drawn up by the heat in the tipi and keeps the space ventilated and dry, like a chimney in effect.
To make it homely you have to make a tipi warm and comfortable - no tipi is complete without a fire. Make a fireplace forward of centre under the smoke hole, using good stones to enclose it, like you would an outdoor campfire. Choose your fire stones carefully making sure they will not crack or explode when fired. Good wood is fairly essential, dry seasoned hardwood holds a bright flame . Avoid wet wood and any thing that smokes a lot. Green rushes make good ground cover (traditional), mats, rugs and sheepskins all help to finish the space.
To enjoy your tipi it will take a little looking after. Choose a suitable location and aspect for your tipi, one you feel comfortable with.
Care of your tipi canvas and woodwork will ensure that your tipi will last for years.
When pitched it will have to be secured against wind and rain and also opened wide to the air and sun When derigged the canvas must be stored dry. Poles should be stored outdoors but undercover. Sand and oil (linseed) your poles each autumn to protect them from weathering, it cleans any soot of them and smooths any rough areas caused by drying out.
Choose your pitch well, a good pitch should be sheltered from the weather from the west and north and open to the sun from the south and east. Traditionally the tipi is pitched facing east which is good for protection from prevailing winds and catching the morning sun. But it is not obligatory and your pitch may have some features that affect this, like a large tree or a fence to the east etc.
If you are
making a permanent camp a good floor is essential in a
tipi especially in the cooler months. First make sure
that all the water drains off round the out side of your
pitch. It may even be necessary to level your pitch
before pitching or to dig a ditch on one side to take any
surface water away. If you go to the trouble of terracing
your pitch you may want to put some gravel on top to
encourage surface drainage. Reeds and rushes make a good
base layer next to the ground as a barrier and for
insulation. If your camp is not a permanent one a layer
or two of coir matting will do or some such equivalent.
These coverings will allow the ground to breath and any
spillages, drips etc. to drain away. Plastic floor
coverings are not a good idea. Colourful rugs, sheepskins
backrests, baskets all help to insulate your lodge and
make it homely. Air out the under layers on dry days
every few weeks.
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9 Lighting the fire
When you have pitched your tipi and laid the floor lighting your fire is the next important task. Always choose the driest wood, especially when first lighting, like dead seasoned branches up in trees which are air dried. Even in the wettest weather dry twigs and branches can be found in most trees. Choice of wood is very important. Trees to steer clear of are Willow, Blackthorn, Rhododendron, Elder, Ewe. Excellent woods when seasoned are Ash, Holly, Apple, Oak heartwood, Sycamore. Pine is good kindling but tends to spark and spit so watch your rugs. Remember to empty your ashes out sometimes, especially if they are damp (the fireplace should be positioned under the smoke hole and collects any drips from above).
As you
light your fire you will see how well the smoke draws out
the smoke hole, you may have to adjust your smoke flaps.
Getting your smoke flaps right shouldn't be a problem but
can be a matter of trial and error with changing winds In
general they point away from the direction of the wind,
stretched tight. The gap between the flaps is wider on
finer days than on days when the weather is poor. When
the weather is fine it is good to open them wide and let
the air through your tipi. At first the smoke flap poles
seem a bit large and unwieldy but you will soon get used
to handling them. After you have adjusted them always
push the flap upright by pushing the pole up and in
towards the base of the tipi, taught flaps help wind
deflection and smoke draw.
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10 Operational advice
In bad weather peg your tipi securely. Make sure the anchor pegs are solid, the rope is taught and tied well to them. Check the peg ties on the cover, making sure that they are tight around their pebbles and then peg down well. Always start pegging from the lifting pole and then round each side stretching the cover down and round towards the front. Tipis are quite aero dynamic and are resistant to most winds when properly secured.
In good weather unpeg your tipi cover occasionally and air out the base of of the lining. Roll back the lining away from the door loosening a few ties and lining pegs to create a large entrance, this allows air and sun in to dry out floorspace especially round the door area. You can take out the lacing pins and roll the cover right back onto the lifting pole on fine days, with the sky above using the lining as a wind break.
When you must leave your tipi for a time it is always wise to batten its hatches before you go as weather can change suddenly and sometimes you can't always get back. Rap the smoke flaps around the crown of the tipi, by placing one flap and pole inside the other bringing the butt of the pole round to the door. Then push the other flap and pole over the first, bringing its butt round to the door also. ( insert diagram of closed smoke flaps here ) Crossed poles or sticks over the door being symbolic of there's no one in and the doors shut, and it helps keep most of the rain out. Pull/fold any rugs away from the fire area , hang sheepskins and blankets on the lining rope between the poles. Peg the anchor rope well especially on larger tipis and check the pegs round the cover often.
Repitching your lodge is a good idea at least every six months for the sake of the ground it is on (see Pitching Instructions), canvas and ropes also stretch and everything is restretched and tightened when you repitch. If you don't want to use it over the winter take it down after a couple of dry days make sure the seams and hems are dry. If you don't have some dry days and must take it down or the lower parts of the cover and lining are still damp hang up in a shed, airing cupboard or by the stove until it is well dry before folding and storing.
11 How to fold your tipi cover
Lining: fold along vertical seams until canvas is in a bundle one panel wide then roll up, rolling from the top of the lining to the bottom. Make sure that where it is pegged to the ground the is dry before storing.
Always dry your canvas before folding and storing.
Sometimes you may have to take down your tipi down when it is wet; always unfold and dry thoroughly before putting it away.
Poles
should be rubbed down by hand with medium sandpaper and
then oiled with linseed oil before storing. Either
upright in a bundle against a tree/building or under
cover
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12 The Ozan
When pitching an ozan for the first time the
Tipi should be well pitched and and the poles evenly
spaced, using the lining seams as a guide for the pole
spacing, this will help your ozan fit in future. Read
these instructions through and look at the diagrams
before pitching the ozan. The fire place should be
directly under the hole between the smoke flaps and the
fire should be completely out.
To pitch
the ozan spread it out in the tipi with the two long ties
towards the door. You will need a chair or a step ladder
to reach up to tie the long strings on to the door poles.
The front edge of the ozan (the straight edge) should
come half way across the fireplace - see plan.
The two ties should be tied up to the door poles about a
foot above the bottom of the smoke flaps leaving about
15"- 20" of string between the poles and the
edge of the ozan, you may need to get someone to take the
weight of the ozan while you do this.
The ties to the poles will be put in at the correct
places by using the pebble technique that we use to peg
down the tipi, tying a clove hitch around the pebble and
leaving two long ends.
Then
stretch out the ozan towards the back of the tipi (if you
have an 18' or 21' tipi the centre crease of the ozan
will tie to the lifting pole, a 14' or 16' the ozan
centre will be between the lifting pole and the one to
the left as you look at it from inside the tipi). Hold
the centre crease up to the lifting pole or the space
between the poles and stretch the canvas back from the
door poles - there should be enough canvas to tie to the
lifting pole at or just above head height and then to
reach down behind the lining. (If there is to much canvas
going behind the lining or not enough when you hold it up
to the lifting pole you can adjust the length of the ties
to the door poles) Adjust the height of the lifting pole
tie position until the canvas looks in the right place,
then tie a pebble into the cloth with 2' of cord, the
pebble on the inside of the ozan and the ties outside -
next to the poles. Then tie to the lifting pole at the
correct height. Go to the next pole and do the same thing
- stretch the canvas back from the door pole ties and
from the the lifting pole and tie a pebble into the cloth
at the correct height - then tie to the pole. Proceed
round both sides of the tipi, stretching and tying
pebbles into the ozan and tying up to the poles until you
reach the front edge. Make sure you are happy with the
look of the ozan at this stage before going on to the
next stage.
The ozan should now be stretched above your head and
sloping up towards the smoke hole with the excess fabric
to tuck behind the lining hanging down. Go to the back of
the tipi again and pull the excess fabric down to meet
the lining. Where there is a lining tie make a hole in
the ozan with a sharp knife or the point of a pair of
scissors. Untie the lining tie and push the ozan down
behind the lining - pull the ties through the hole you
have made and retie tightly to the rope. Do the same with
each tie round the lining on both sides, until you reach
the leading edge of the ozan. The leading edge may need
tidying up with a tie from the edge to the next pole.
Your ozan should now be pitched tightly between the poles
sloping up to the smokehole and tucked neatly behind the
lining.
Pitching Instructions by Laubin & Laubin