DaliDali
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Palapa roof netting
Has anyone used netting material to help hold down the palm fronds on palapa style roofs?
Opinions or comments either way would be helpful.
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Udo
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Stop by any fish camp in Baja. They have tons of it (literally).
The stuff works great.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Martyman
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Or..use an existing illegal net and help the fish populations recover.
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larryC
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Just don't get caught.
I have used the netting and it works really well. Lasts several years.
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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bajabuddha
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I loved watching construction of original style palapas on La Perla when dear old Pablo Fuerte was alive. Before netting the roof, they would take
the overhanging edge-leaves of the fronds and 'roll' them under, similar to tucking in a pie crust.... then, using a piece of wire with a tiny 0 loop
on the end, they would 'sew' the fold in place with heavy twine in a looping stitch. That would keep the edges from catching wind. Then, finish with
fishnet (old and unusable), tying it through the roof latas every 3 - 4 feet. Pablo's palapas were bomb-proof, needed little maintenance. Once he
passed, so did his art form..... and so did his palapas.
I always wanted to build a palapa from scratch; Pablo instructed me on it. Always use Palo Blanco for the upright corner and supporting posts; not
only do they grow very straight and tall until they bifurcate into a perfect 'V' for cross-members, but the Palo Blanco is also bug and rot-resistant.
He'd dig his postholes with a tuna can until a full arm's length deep, and square his corners with a stretch of rope. Never used a tape measure.
All was fastened with wire and natural twine or vine. Latas (side slats) were always made with cardon staves. From the peak-beam down to the eaves
were 2x4's, sometimes even just 2x2's... cardon latas went horizontally on the roof as well as the walls. The palm leaves were soaked at least
overnight in the surf w/ rocks holding them down..... that'd cure them from weathering. they'd be 'shingled' from bottom up on the walls and roof
with little 2p. nails, overlapped by half-a-frond. On the roof they'd sit on a large wide board while nailing fronds to keep from crashing
through.... the cap-piece was a work of art, inter-weaving the fronds north-south to each other. That's where the netting comes in most handy btw.
The excess hangers of fronds on the edges were either rolled or cut; I thought the rolled method was much more desirable for stability.
I ramble and reminisce; built dozens in my dreams. Fascinating. 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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BigWooo
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Netting is very necessary. If there's a good blow, without it you'll have palm leaves facing every which way. The net helps keep everything in place
when the wind picks up. I don't know the names of the types of net, but they range from the thin mono-fiiment type to a thicker net material that's
about 1/16" thick. The thicker netting works better for a palapa roof. The thiner nets won't last and the mono can cut or damage the leaves if
there's too much pressure on it.
[Edited on 5-29-2015 by BigWooo]
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bill erhardt
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I replaced the hojas on my palapa about five years ago after twenty years of service. The roof before I replaced the hojas had a net and I didn't put
a net on the new. I have not noticed much difference in storm damage with and without a net, and last year with Odile and the other storms boiling up
out of the south like boxcars throughout hurricane season the new roof sans net was put to the test. I lost some trees but the roof held up well.
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BigWooo
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Quote: Originally posted by bill erhardt  | | I replaced the hojas on my palapa about five years ago after twenty years of service. The roof before I replaced the hojas had a net and I didn't put
a net on the new. I have not noticed much difference in storm damage with and without a net, and last year with Odile and the other storms boiling up
out of the south like boxcars throughout hurricane season the new roof sans net was put to the test. I lost some trees but the roof held up well.
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I didn't consider pitch. You probably have a nice steep roof pitch? If the roof has a good pitch the wind hits more directly on top of the leaves and
has much less effect. My palapa patio cover only has about a 25 degree pitch, so the wind gets under the leaves and lifts them making a net more
necessary.
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DaliDali
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| Quote: Originally posted by bill erhardt | | I replaced the hojas on my palapa about five years ago after twenty years of service. The roof before I replaced the hojas had a net and I didn't put
a net on the new. I have not noticed much difference in storm damage with and without a net, and last year with Odile and the other storms boiling up
out of the south like boxcars throughout hurricane season the new roof sans net was put to the test. I lost some trees but the roof held up well.
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Same over here in Colonia Centro....
A couple of limon trees blew over but the hojas on the roof held.
And have held though several hurricanes.
Now the global warming gremlins are telling me I should get a net.
Then all I need is a dike to stave off the rising seas.
[Edited on 5-30-2015 by DaliDali]
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vandenberg
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We had between 100 and 120 mph winds here in Nopolo during Odile.
Blew over several large bougies, took several 20lb rooftiles, disintegrated 8 ceiling fans totally, destroyed many outside potted plants, but did
nothing to our large palapa roof
Forgot: No netting !!
[Edited on 5-30-2015 by vandenberg]
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bajabuddha
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I'm no structural engineer (never even been on a train...) but steep pitch vs. shallow, my thoughts would be shallow = less area = less stress during
wind. Basic math says the steeper the pitch between two stationary points (opposing walls) the more distance and material used, which makes for more
'sail' material. Pitch is more for load, i.e. snowload; that's why a simple 1:12 or 2:12 pitch would/should be more than enough.
Netting not absolutely necessary; frond roofs are made to breathe. However, couldn't hurt! Just a smarter way to go in all, don't you think? I did
watch subsequent shoddy palapas built that blew apart very quickly without ol' Pablo's expertice; they're all gone now.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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