BajaNomad

palapa construction...

eetdrt88 - 5-8-2005 at 10:41 AM

has anyone on this board ever built their own palapa?i'm wondering about the degree of difficulty involved....i know a guy here in town who imports them from Bali and sells them for about 10000$ a peice,these have carved poles and are made from some special type of wood:O

No big deal, really...

Mexray - 5-8-2005 at 11:33 AM

Take a look at one...really simple construction...it just depends how you want to put into one. There are many web sites about palapas...just toss a search or two...

In my experience, most 'authentic' coastal palapas are designed so the thatch roof palm fonds can be easily replaced as needed - like every few years when the monsoons come blowing through! The frame works usually survive the storms, and new fonds are then gathered and attached.

bajajudy - 5-8-2005 at 11:55 AM

We have what they call a shade palapa(easily replaced and not expensive.....also not beautiful like some palapas are) and after watching the guys do the work, I wouldnt tackle the job. It seems that one of the worst parts of the job is getting all the little pointy spines from the palm frond and then cutting them all to approxiamtely the same length. Then you varnish all the wood(fajinas, not sure of the spelling on that- fay hee nahs is how it is pronounced and they are the cross sprats that the palms are nailed, tied, whatever to) and beams. Build the frame and then get some idiot to climb up there and nail, tie, whatever the fronds to the fajinas. We have one on our second floor and it was too scary for me to even watch the guy up there doing his nailing thing....yikes.
That said. Are you building this palapa in Mexico? If so let a local do it. Look around and find one that you like and find out who built it
Suerte

Oh I forgot the fronds have to picked at a certain time of the moon so there are no bugs. We have never had any sawdust or any other sign that there are bugs up there but I dont remember if it was a full or new moon!?!?!?!?!?

latitude26n - 5-8-2005 at 12:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by eetdrt88
has anyone on this board ever built their own palapa?i'm wondering about the degree of difficulty involved....i know a guy here in town who imports them from Bali and sells them for about 10000$ a peice,these have carved poles and are made from some special type of wood:O


Did you want to put this palapa in Laguna Bch.? I could find out the city fire code regs. if you're really interested.

I know that you can be cited for not trimming the dead leaves off of Fan Palms in Laguna because they are so flammable, but I don't know if the treatment that's applied to the palapa leaves makes it an ok structure.

You also might want to check your home-owners insurance. Since the big fires, there are many exclusions on home policies in your town.

latitude26n - 5-8-2005 at 12:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajudy
(fajinas, not sure of the spelling on that- fay hee nahs is how it is pronounced and they are the cross sprats that the palms are nailed, tied, whatever to) and beams. a full or


Doggone it bajajudy, it's gonna bug me all day til remember what those are called.
Is it latillas?

Along Bahia San Nicolas...

vgabndo - 5-8-2005 at 12:35 PM

lots of folks stretch an old fishing net over the ojas to help keep them in place in a "blow". Too bad that isn't the only thing they use the nets for!!!

Tucker - 5-8-2005 at 01:08 PM

Fajitas !

From and Ole Fart

Skeet/Loreto - 5-8-2005 at 01:39 PM

Rancho Sonrisa just North of Loreto has two palapas. the first constructed of 13,00 Ojas placed on Split Palm Rails, Ojas cut after oct 21st{Full Moon{ soaked in the estuary for 48 Hours, trimmed and cut and nailed at 44 per Meter, sealed with Water Sealed with a touch of chlordane. It is still there!!

The other Palapas was constructed completely without metal, Palm Posts, Ojas{Palm Leaves} tied with the inside of the young Palm Plants, tied with Bull Hides brought from San Javier and prepared on site{Rawhide}.

If you take a trip to loreto I am sure you can find many people to tell you how to build a Palapa.

Skeet/Loreto.

bajajudy - 5-8-2005 at 01:40 PM

Thanks Tucker. You know how there are some Spanish words you can never remember....that is mine.
On the net thing. We have a net on both of our palapas but the spine of the second story one still blew off in Marty. Fortunately our palapa guy is our neighbor(not a bad idea by the way!) and was fixed in less than 3 days. Of course the fact that he was stuck over here on this side of the river with no work helped. It also helped that my husband had fixed his generator(blown fuse) The palapa repair cost $250usd....not bad.