BUILDING ON STILTS - ROATAN EAST STYLE




The building style in the east end of Roatan Island  (Municipality of Jose Santos Guardiola) is very specific to that area.  Houses are built on stilts by the water to take advantage of the breezes to cool the houses.  The tradewinds blow from east to west normally and the houses are positioned to be cooled this way.  It also permits people who get around solely by boat to have full access of housing and commercial establishments right off the water. The boats can also be pulled in underneath for storage and protection from weather, if part of the houses are over the water. The island's only main road wasn't extended east until the late 1960's; hence the shorelines and mangrove tunnels have been the only means of transport for generations.

Now how does one get started building like the locals?   Well hire one !!!

I am in the process of getting an extra planting deck built off the back of my wood stilt house.  First the builders dig the post holes by hand and then cement the posts in one by one. Let the posts set overnight.



Next morning, back to put the decking on. The posts are wedged at the tops and are chipped with a machete. 



Support beams and cross beams are next.  Then the decking planks on top




Once the cross beams are secured, the decking planks are nailed on top.

And finally the finishing touches: railings.




:
And the finished product: a deck on stilts.





More info on Roatan's East End:  https://www.roatanet.com/exploring-the-east-end-of-roatan/

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