Post #31813 by Squawker on Mon, Apr 28, 2003 10:22 AM

I've spent plenty of time in the deep south (particularly Florida), where everything seems moist year round and I was born and grew up in the Pacific Northwest and am very aware of the overall soggy situation there.

The problem is wood is wood. When properly finished or protected with appropriate varnish, it has a long life - even exposed to fairly harsh environments. Standing water is a major source of wood damage. Even in drier climates, the constant exposure to irrigation systems, without proper drainage, will eventually cause rot.

One of my tikis is well over 25 years old and had been displayed outdoors all of the time before I acquired it and did restoration. It held up well even without varnish. Now it's almost indestructable and resides on my deck. Pardon me, but how many people own 500+ pound tikis? My Leroy Schmaltz is five foot tall, over 1 foot in diameter and weighs in somewhere between 150-200 pounds. I've sat it on a tree stand dolley and it moved around okay (I now keep it near my indoor fountain). My 4 foot tall, 10-inch diameter tiki weighs in at maybe 85-95 pounds. A full-size totem pole (like the wonderful Indian ones I remember from my youth in Oregon) could be that heavy and more, and I knowledge that is a particular problem. But then, they were never meant to be moved, once planted. A 500 pound tiki is enormous compared to the majority of available tikis on the market meant for home and yard display. Yes, I've seen some huge ones created for hotels and such. If you've actually gotten one of these, you'll need a crane and an 18-wheeler to move it! (and where would you put it?)

Yes, I agree, a custom-made moving dolley with heavy duty casters would be the smart way to go. I suggest, if what you have a tiki that is very big, you might consider building a platform on strong supports (non-movable like a miniature deck), open to air circulation underneath and consisting of slates above, so water will easily run off. Also, and I did this to mine, apply several layers of marine varnish to the bottom of your tiki, where it contacts the platform, sun deck or whatever. Additionally, it would be advisable to relocate your tiki every month during wet periods so the area underneath could have an opportunity to dry out.

Outside of keeping your tiki indoors, you have to understand the tiki, like yourself, is organic and nothing lasts forever.

[ Edited by: Squawker on 2003-04-28 10:34 ]