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Puka just means hole, as Leilani guy said. There is, however, an odd connotation to it in Hawaiian. It is used for a wide variety of holes, from pinpricks to huge calderas. It is also considered, I think, a little funny as people always smile when they say it. Don't know why.
When I was a kid "puka shell" necklaces were popular on the mainland (there was a tiki craze). The puka is just the hole in the shell that you put the thread through.
In the case of my house, it is a large depression which is big enough to put a house in (and a patio). Consequently, my house appears to be at ground level, but is not. That depression is a puka. Although a depression is also a kapoho, as in the area called kapoho. Kapoho means depression (physical, not emotional or economic), or low-lying area.
Mr. Bill -- exactly. The way it works at my place is the land slopes up and then drops off. The inside of the puka was graded, and gravel was laid down. The P & P was built on that, but you don't see the P & P unless you go to the side of the house.....then you realize it is built up.
If I didn't have mobility issues and if I were building new with no puka, I would rather have post and pier. My biggest concern about slabs is that they are hard to lay properly and Hawaii Island has earthquakes. P & P gives. Slabs don't.
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Thank you,Leilaniguy and Glen.
So another way is to excavate the hole?
Or it will cost half a house?
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Yes, I think that if you have a natural depression that is not quite large enough for a house, it may be worthwhile to expand it. In fact, I am not sure, but I think that is what was done with my place: natural depression that was graded, cleaned out, expanded a little bit and filled with gravel (or something). My catchment is ALSO in that depression, but the house is above the catchment because it is on post and pier and the catchment is not.
I have seen many such depressions, or pukas, in lots in my area. In fact, there was one down the street that I looked at. There was a large ridge where the lava built up and stopped, with a lower lying surface area behind it, big enough to put a house in. However, at the time, I looked at the ridge as an obstacle, rather than an opportunity. It was actually an opportunity ---- a great opportunity as the house would have had a spectacular ocean view if perched in the puka with an entrance at the level of the ridge. Silly me. In my area, it is necessary to work with the contours of the surface to the greatest extent possible. In your area, I think you have a'a rubble, which I have the impression is easier to work with, at least when it comes to plants.
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Our decision to build with a slab was based on a number of factors.
1. I have a background in concrete so I could lay it out in finish it to my specs.
2. Cost. Since the labor was free I just paid for materials. Plus I could acid stain the floor and seal it before putting up the walls. When we were done with the walls it was just a matter of cleaning up the floor and we were pau. The acid stain floor is the most inexpensive solution if you have a slab
3. Temperature control. The slab absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night.
4. We have a friend in a wheelchair so it was no problem making it accessible for her
5. we loved the look and easy maintenance of concrete
Cons
Definitely hard on the joints. You need a few strategically placed throw rugs and were slippers
Jim
http://www.funkstoppers.com
http://www.barefootfloorcare.com
The funk stops here!
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Good to know,thanks.Now i dont have to drink so much longboard!!
quote:
Originally posted by leilaniguy
Puka is a hole. There is a hawaiian dictionary online @ http://wehewehe.org
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Thank You all. For your views and experience on this subject. I glean some real jems from every post. I will build with raised wood frame floor and , the decideing factors are, #1 I am a carpenter and #2 it will be easier to boot-leg a kitchen
into the guest house after the smoke clears.
I'd rather be fishing "WITH BAIT"
Give me liberty and give me BAIT
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Yeah I hate to be a nay sayer. But coming from northern CA earthquake country a good 6.5 sidewinder will take down quite a few P & P's. True it depends on individual project design (don't go 2 stories) however most P & P's won't stand up to this lateral loading criteria.
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http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1351&SearchTerms=post,in,pier,va,slab
You might also do a search of "foundations and floors" seems it had a bit of info also.
mella l
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bytheSEA
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quote:
Originally posted by Blend
Yeah I hate to be a nay sayer. But coming from northern CA earthquake country a good 6.5 sidewinder will take down quite a few P & P's. True it depends on individual project design (don't go 2 stories) however most P & P's won't stand up to this lateral loading criteria.
Closer To Free
We don't normally have the type of earthquakes that produce the motion that happens in California or the one in Haiti.My 2 story plantation style house survived the 1975 Kalapana quake with minor cracking damage to the cinder block catchment.
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The October '06 earthquake damaged older P&P buildings in the Kohala districts, and some of the reported damage was to materials stored beneath P&P buildings that moved off their piers (one guy lost his business equipment & truck....), it also damaged monolith structions (like stone churches & the palace) and damaged some concrete (more reports of slabs separated than a slab cracking on that EQ) That motion was a oceanic plate 'snapping' due to weight, with some frictional plate slide (like CA) motion.
Our house slab was built before the '75 earthquake and has no damage from that one.... we also have had no mass intrusion of large insects (do get those micro ants.... but most of them are coming in through the screens.... ) The most important way to keep bugs out is to try to eliminate the entry points (as you would if you were in a colder climate & wanted to eliminate cold air intrusion.) We chose the house based on the location & not the construction type... we do not have mold/mildew problems, but that is more due to the fact that we have a structure that has very little potential for mold/mildew to grow....
No matter what building system you use, make sure it is done well, and it should stand up to much of what this island throws at it...
