By the NIPA Palma team
Walking from the pool to the beach at a Punta Cana resort, a guest passes under five or six cana roofs and sees them as one: the same color, the same texture, the same edge. The operations team sees something else. For them these are dozens of roofs of different ages—the bar re-thatched two years ago, the restaurant already asking for work, the spa gazebos nobody has checked since the last storm—each with its own calendar.
NIPA synthetic cana thatch brings those two views together: it lets you renovate in parts without the whole looking patched. What follows is how that renovation is planned.
Cana, caney and bohío: naming what is going to be roofed
Cana is the leaf of the cana palm (Sabal domingensis), the country's traditional roofing material. In hotel construction, “caney” refers to the open roofed structure: bars, restaurants, gazebos. The word comes from the Taíno chief's house; the bohío was the family dwelling, with a circular plan and a conical roof. “Cana sintética” and “palma cana sintética” name the panel version.
In a works inventory it helps to separate the two things: the structure —caney, bohío, gazebo, villa— and the material —NIPA synthetic cana, standard or FR version—. That way each roof has its own record from the start.
Renovating in phases without it showing
Con hoja natural, cada caney envejece a su ritmo y es normal ver tonos y densidades distintos entre edificios. Con una sola especificación NIPA —mismo producto, mismo color—, la cubierta renovada este año y la del año próximo se leen igual. Si aún está decidiendo entre ambos materiales, esta comparación para hoteles reúne las variables que conviene poner en el presupuesto.
The delicate point is the transition. While natural cana and synthetic cana roofs coexist, the difference shows, especially next to leaf that has already turned grey. That is why we recommend grouping the phases by visual ensembles—the whole pool area, the whole beachfront—rather than by scattered buildings. A zone closed for works is temporary; two different roofs side by side stay in view until the next phase.
Three criteria usually weigh in ordering the phases: the condition of the timber, wind exposure and what the hotel can close without affecting operations. Once installed, NIPA panels resist mold and do not rot, two problems that bring forward the renewal of natural leaf.
The hurricane season in the works calendar
According to the NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, peaking around 10 September, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. For roofing work, the prudent approach is to schedule it between December and May and to finish any roofs under renovation before June. Those months coincide with much of the winter high season, and it is the division into zones that makes it possible to work without closing the hotel.
Against wind, the NIPA system withstands up to 260 km/h—within the Category 5 range of the Saffir-Simpson scale, which starts at 252 km/h—when installed to our fixing specifications. The figure refers to the roof covering: how the whole caney performs depends on its structure and anchors, defined by the project engineer. In a renovation, inspecting the existing timber and anchors is the first step. After a strong storm, a visual check of the eave, ridge and hips is recommended.
Fire and insurance: deciding structure by structure
In a resort's insurance policy, the roof covering is one more item alongside detection, the fire-fighting network and evacuation protocols. For restaurants, bars with kitchens and areas with fire, NIPA offers an FR version with a Class A rating under ASTM E108, tested by Intertek. The standard version does not have that rating and is priced differently, so the phased inventory is a good moment to decide which caneyes get each one. The final requirement is set by the authority and the insurer; in this article on ASTM E108 we explain what the rating covers and what it does not.
Start with the resort map
To propose phases we do not need every drawing at once. A general plan or an aerial view with the roofs marked, the approximate number of structures and, if you have them, photos of those in worst condition are enough. With that we suggest a first grouping; the drawings of each caney, with the roof height, come later to calculate the panels for each phase.
Send us that map through the contact form.
Frequently asked questions
“Cana sintética”, “palma cana sintética” or “palma sintética”?
All three terms are used in the country for the same type of panel roofing. In a quote, what matters is that the product is clear —NIPA synthetic palm thatch— and whether any area takes the FR version.
Can it be installed on the structure of an existing caney?
Often, yes, if the timber is in good condition. First the beams, battens and anchors are inspected; then the battens are adjusted to 22 cm (9 in) to receive the NIPA panels, with a minimum pitch of 18° (4:12).
Which months are best for the work?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. That is why we recommend scheduling roofing work between December and May, in phases and in line with the hotel's occupancy.
Sources
- NOAA, National Hurricane Center (NHC). Atlantic tropical cyclone climatology. nhc.noaa.gov
- NOAA, National Hurricane Center (NHC). Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. nhc.noaa.gov
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online: Sabal domingensis. powo.science.kew.org
- ASTM International. ASTM E108: fire test methods for roof coverings (Classes A, B and C). store.astm.org
