koi

I'm just a small fish in a small corner of this big Laguna, and this is how I've been swimming it

06 November, 2011

Palochina in Binan


     I'm showing the bookshelf, not the books.  It is very simple, straightforward, made of palochina.  I don't know exactly what the name translates to, or if it is even supposed to be one or two words. Palo could mean like a strip of wood (please, somebody, help?), while china would mean that it is wood from China?

     Anyway, palochina used for furniture, usually beds, is sourced from shipping crates.  Carpenters source the crates from the port area in Manila, but I also heard they buy the crates in Santa Rosa. I just don't know where.  I am also not sure how sustainably-produced the wood is, but at least it is recycled from cargo.  These days, the price of palochina is up, owing to low supply of good quality crates.   I suppose it is also due to a decrease in imports?

    I remember palochina being something of a fad in the late '70s to early '80s, or at least I thought it might be when as a child I kept hearing about it from a neighbor in our middle class neighborhood.  She had a 'bar' made (a well-stocked liquor bar set with stools is, I reckon, another fad from the era. I don't think it's as standard an area as it was then. Correct me again here, please?) I digress.

    By the time I wanted furniture made myself, I turned to palochina, as it was affordable, had the Swedish pinewood appearance, and there was a community carpenter whose specialty was the palochina bed.  I had him make little stools for children.  Later I ordered a bed from one of the palochina guys along the Service Road toward Bicutan and across the United Paranaque Subdivision (United Hills).  I have since ordered store shelves and cabinets from a guy named Jose, who has since disappeared from Sucat Rd., and wardrobes from the group on Santolan Ave. across Camp Aguinaldo.  
This bookshelf above, is from my latest palochina carpenters in Binan, Laguna. 

   Trivia:  all these guys are from Isabela in the north. Just ask them. They are all cousins, they say, including the ones along Commonwealth Ave (are they still there?). They must have learned from one great master carpenter, then.  I tend to believe them, too, except maybe the latest, most professional one so far.  Why? Well, no matter how "industrial" your preferred design, meaning all straight lines, they will insist on adding their "curved" border.
    Honestly, I can't even remember whether I drew the curve for them to follow. Then again, I think my sample photo was from an IKEA catalogue and it didn't have the curve. At any rate, it has grown on me, and I concede that straight lines would make the piece too boring and box-like.  These guys, are after all, craftsmen. It's just that, if you aren't really going for the "country cottage" look, make sure you have your design clear. 

   Through the years, the varnish the carpenters use has evolved.  My first orders yellowed due to the finish, my sister's one order turned dirty because she refused varnish, hoping to keep a natural finish. Now, they have achieved the natural finish with a new kind of varnish.  The wood doesn't turn yellow.

   Since our previous bedroom furniture already consisted of palochina, I chose it again for the book and toy shelves. JOVIMAR Palochina along the national highway in Binan, toward SM Sta. Rosa and just before the fork to Sta. Rosa, is a good shop. They did not charge for delivery, either, and have their own van for it. 
   I have observed that many Korean families here (and there are many), opt for palochina tables and beds. Double deck beds made of palochina are popular in the country.  It is quite practical, inexpensive and clean-looking. I recommend Jovimar for their on-time and even early delivery, and for how they try their best to get the design right by thorough discussion.  Jovimar's number is 09263449312.  They don't need advertising, and I get nothing from them for this. They don't even know.  Wait, this again assumes someone's out there reading this. Let me know?

11 comments:

  1. kakahanap ko ng tindahan ng furniture dito sa laguna di ko alam kung pano ako napadpad dito sa blog na to. anyway tnx for the info about this, very informative. puntahan ko nga to mukhang maganda mga gawa nila.

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  2. I'm also from Sta. Rosa Laguna at palipat kami this may sa tingin pwede din silang gumawa ng picket fences made sa palo china :), gandang blog sis, congrats :)

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  3. Thank you! Saan kaya ang Sacred Lair mo dito :-). Ganda rin ng blog mo, pictures mo...and I saw your story---binasa ko talaga kasi sabi ko sino kaya ito I am sure kaibigan ko or may nag-refer. Goal ko talaga dito makatulong sa info. Marami pa nga kulang. Paano ka napunta dito, dahil sa paglipat or paghanap ng palo china? Yung lipat-bahay , may bagong contact numbers na kung kailangan ninyo. Mabait at mura pa rin from Metro Manila to here. I was amused to read na lumaki ka sa Guadalupe. So---nabasa mo ba na doon kami galing bago dito, mga 6 years? May friend rin ako na taga-Guadalupe--Viejo, na lumipat dito. Baka lola mo yun?

    I'm just curious, lilipat kayo within Sta. Rosa rin? Yes, am sure kaya nila yung picket fence (cute idea)...would that be for indoors? They buy palo china from used crates, diba, so planks yun, baka naman hatiin lang yung plank to make picket fences, so it's just a matter of shaping and finishing it. Ganun rin naman ang kama.

    Okay naman itong carpenter. Just that with most of them, talagang tutok ka dapat and kulit sa details ng kung ano ang gusto mo... but I'm sure you know that. Abangan ko sa blog mo yung finished product? ;-) Good luck and do visit again.

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  4. Matagal ko nang gustong malaman kung saang puno ba galing ang palochina. Wala lang, gusto ko lang malaman. Sana madagdagan pa ang ating kaalaman tungkol sa kahoy na to. Anyway, salamat sa post mo, gusto ko ring magpagawa ng cabinet na gawa sa palochina.

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  5. Hi Engineer Baker..yes that is correct. Thanks for leaving a comment. I think I know you...hmm..:-)

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  6. magkano po mag pagawa ng double Deck na palotchinaung singel lang sya

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  7. Hello po how much pagawa ng table

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  8. hi po ask q lng how much po yung bedframe nyo n double size?

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  9. Pd po ba ako magpagawa ng double deck single 30×30×75

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