Making my Tiki Paradise--1 new pic added 6/05

Man, I need encouragement. Maybe it's just me...or maybe it's just because I am waayyy overbudget on this one.
I got a loan and decided to build my version (or what I think will look good) of a Tiki Bar complete with a Jacuzzi spa. I am about $5k over what I wanted to spend on a large outdoor BBQ pad with sink, fridge, grill, and griddle plate. So far, I have everything laid out...we poured 10 yds. of concrete today, with 4 more coming for the jacuzzi spa next week. My plans are to use a two sided roof with raffia on top to cover a 5X5 jacuzzi spa with a small waterfall ...a small outdoor shower...all on a 12X35 ft pad. I live on one acre so I have lots of room. I am lucky my wife is supportive but now I am getting nervous about this whole thing. I will post a pic as the work progresses in case anyone wants to see and/or make comments (I have thick skin and will appreciate suggestions). I think at this point I need ideas to keep me on my toes...for example, I will be using 4X6 beams holding up this structure instead of round logs because of availability. Should I carve and stain the beams a teak color or just stain them w/o adding carvings?
I guess I am nervous as hell about this whole project...but I guess any of would be if we invested about $16k after everything is to be completed...am I off my rocker or what?

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-08 20:20 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-08 20:22 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-15 21:00 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-23 16:55 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-03-27 22:10 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-05-14 12:05 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-05-26 22:07 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-06-05 20:50 ]

Garz,

Maybe a little "value engineering" is in order. If you're $5k over now, I could see that adding up fast & maybe going higher as the project progresses. Do you really need the shower & waterfall now? I'm not suggesting you cut them out of the project, but maybe you could settle for adding them in later. I'd stub in the sewer & water, and cap it off at a good point for later extension. And you can always tie the shower drain vent line into the sink vent later. I don't know the specifics of your project, but if I were you I'd take a good look at what you absolutely need, and what's on your wish list if the budget permits. You'll need power for the barbeque, but maybe you can stub some conduit with pull strings in place to add some of the non-essential lighting later. Tiki torches give off a nice romantic glow, right?

Just a few thoughts... Hey, that huge yard looks like an empty canvas for the perfect tiki dreamscape! Now that you've posted pix of the beginning, you'll have to keep us posted on how this thing progresses. Good luck & thanks for sharing!

A-A

El Centro! My gramps "cookie" had a ranch there. And yes w a nickname like "cookie" boy could he scrap. Well back to the topic at hand. I would say carve the posts, but if you f them up, thats it. So on that note, I would say make a repeating tapa design of cut0outs. Maybe use redwood fencing wood 6" to cut the designs out. You can carve on these adn if the get screwed up, toss em. Sometimes if I amd doing a repeating design, I use masonite templates so they come out nice and crispy clean.

After these guys are all cut out, carved on to add some depth and maybe painted and then stained over the paint(to give it that oldschool look) nail them to the posts. See if you carved on the post , it might weaked them or....? so that is my $.02. Maybe you can give us so mo pics.

My suggestion is carve the posts. The more carving the better.

You didn't mention anything about landscape. Is that in the budget? Are your jacuzzi, waterfall and BBQ pre-made, drop on site kinda thing or are they being custom made? How much of this are you doing yourself?

Here is how we justify some of our over budget items. Break the cost down over the next 20 years. It doesn't seem so bad then :wink:

Good luck and keep us posted.
:drink:

Of course I'm all for carving all the posts and beams, but it can be a hugh undertaking to do them All.So just do the corners and a pattern on some of the beams. Any dark stain is fine. Just don't plan anything so intricate that it never gets done. Keep it simple and follow the plan. You can change many things as you go and add many thing after the project is complete.
You can add carvings to posts by getting Carvable pine or cedar 2X6' boards and gluing them together at 90% along the egde. Carve a face and screw it to a post
See the tiki on the far post on the right?

It doesn't take much to make it look good.
Keep us posted with pictures and Ask all the ?'s you need.
Have FUN

No real advice from me, just tons and tons of envy. Look at that size of that yard! I'm starting to hate condo life the more I see of everyone's tiki bars and workshops!

I do like the idea of carving on other wood and attaching it to the posts. Not sure how intricate you were looking at getting, but I would be worried about weakening the posts if you carve them.

On 2005-02-08 22:04, thechikitiki wrote:
I would say make a repeating tapa design of cut0outs. ... Sometimes if I amd doing a repeating design, I use masonite templates so they come out nice and crispy clean.

I'd love to see a detailed post on this technique with plenty o'pics... the patterns especially. The concept is easy enough to understand, I'd just like to see a master at work before I hack up a chunk of wood.

-Z

Wow, many thanks for the great ideas! I am only doing the final landscaping myself with whatever will grow out here in the desert (I am 110 mi. south of Palm Springs-ask thechikitiki..LOL). I guess banana plants will do ok here as well as the omnipresent palm trees. The Jacuzzi, waterfall and BBQ are all custom-made, as my crew doing the gruntwork assure me it would be less pricey...so far, they are right (maybe it's ME who didn't want to go over over $10k on this...hey, what do I know?).
I really like the idea of carving 6" redwood fence planks and screwing them on the main posts later. I will probably stain them a teak color for now and do the carvings as time permits.
AA: thanks for the advice. At this point, all the power supplies and drains have been installed. This whole thing should be completed in 3 weeks or less. I will take pics as I go along and post them.
I really appreciate all the advice...this yard is HUGE. The pic only shows 1/3 of the backyard...and there are 2 side yards and a front yard also!
Dave

I'd say go with a dark color and some manilla rope. I made this one a couple of months ago.

Damn that looks nice, Danny. Must be tough workin' with all that round lumber, though. I'm thinking about building one of those 4-post open carving huts in the next year or so. Maybe I'll hit you up for some advice when it gets closer if you don't mind?

A-A

Thanks for the ideas, Danny. I like the color you used on those round logs. The only problem I have here is intense sun and heat, so I am using 1/2" plywood sheets as a roof and the raffia will go on top of that. I will paint the underside of the sheets a brown color so it will "blend in" a little better. Here's another pic of the progress...oh ya, that's me on the right side...before I had to go to work in the morning. The rain forced the guys to stop work by the time I got home...

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-10 21:21 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-10 21:22 ]

Maybe you can cover the underside of the ply with lauhala matting in stead of paint. It'll look way moe tiki hut-ish.

There goes the budget again :lol:

Excellent idea....now if I can just find a place that sells the matting at a cheaper price...LOL...yep, there goes the budget again!

This is a pic I took this morning before leaving for work. I had the privilege of meeting Onatiki after work and he and his wife Monica were gracious enough to show me their beautiful home. Their home is a pristine example of "Tiki" as I would imagine it...even though the pics on this site are good, they don't do it justice. Thanks Ric for the many excellent tips and ideas...you will see how I implement them here little by little...LOL!

WOW!! It looks great. Bigger than we expected. That's a lot of thatch.

It was nice getting to meet you. Next time bring the Mrs. Can't wait to see more pictures.
Talk to you soon.
:drink:

I added two Sago palms and one King palm today...among a few Bird of Paradise plants...looks like there's a little more green now. I plan to add more as time progresses. We finished the raffia on the roof yesterday and the bar is almost ready for the ceramic tile. How does it look?
Dave

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-23 16:59 ]

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-02-23 17:00 ]

That looks so fabulous and huge! You are ready for a proper Luau now. Looks like something right out of Hawaii. Once your landscaping grows in it will be incredible. Is that a little king palm in the last picture? More, more! They look so great when they get big. And those giant birds of paradise? will get huge in a couple of years also. Great start.

For your wood posts, they would look great stained or painted dark. You know there's a simple way to give rectangular posts a real nice tiki look without weakening them. You can take a router with a sign bit, one of those that makes a 'v' groove -and it is easy to carve in geometric patterns like concentric rectangles and stuff. It gives a real nice hand carved look and looks real good painted. Just a suggestion.

Your going to have a great summer back there, thanks for showing us!
Paul

More info on the "Router" technique - please.

Okay, here's a couple of quick pictures to give the idea for the router method. The first post on the left is a salvaged piece from some old tiki establishment I bought from Oceanic Arts about 10 years ago. The second one is my attempt at something similar using a router, just freehand. I did this one a few years ago just to see if I could do it; someday I'll use the technique on a project. The router bit is shown at the right, a 'v' point sign bit. You can do these designs freehand but you have to take your time or it will get away from you. My first attempt there could have been better. I really like the one from Oceanic Arts - I think it has a good look.
Cheers,
Paul

Hi Paul!
Thanks for the great advice...I do plan on staining the posts a dark color and doing a similar designs like the ones in your pic. Yes, that's a baby King palm and I will add some more plus a few Queens. I have to move most of my plants because I just found out the Bird of Paradise plants won't handle our desert heat...!
I am still debating where to place the sign you made for me last year...you know, the one with the Schwinn Sting-Ray Pea Picker bike (Dave and Sandra's Tiki Hideaway). ANy suggestions?

thegarz, It looks like your backyard is going to be the place tobe and be seen this summer. It's shaping up nicely.

Oh yes I remember you and the pea picker! That turned out real nice. I hope you give it a place of honor under the thatch somewhere!
Love your place, it's going to be the neighborhood hangout I'm sure. I'll keep looking to see your progress.
Have a Mai Tai for me.
Paul

Two more pics...almost done with about 90% of the bar--now we are going to finish the spa within 4 weeks or so. We still need to stucco the front of the BBQ and wire the sound system. I put up Pariarts' sign yesterday among other things...

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-03-27 22:07 ]

We were wondering how things were going for you. It's looking good!!

Are you still doing a waterfall by the hot tub?

More pics. More close ups :wink:

Garz --

I envy you.

One thing you might consider is to plant lots and lots of bamboo just inside the fence surrounding your property. Bamboo grows very fast, and before you know it you'll be surrounded by lush stands of bamboo -- very tropical. Won't be able to see your neighbors. A tiki paradise. You'll love it.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions...Ona, we are picking up the tile for the spa tomorrow in El Cajon. The spa should be tiled by the end of next month and the small waterfall will be in place by then too. Satan's sin--bamboo? Oh ya! We plan to plant some around the spa area for additional privacy. We found a variety that will do well here in the desert. I will take more pics as the project progresses....

Garz --

I see you are in El Centro! My friends and I just this past weekend had an overnight campout/party in the Anza-Borrego, about 17 miles west of Ocotillo on the S-2, in a place called Indian Canyon.

Next time you must join us!

Absolutely!
It's a nice area this time of year...I haven't been there in a while but it's neat. I especially like the "morteros"--the holes the Indians made on the rocks to grind meal paste, etc. See any of those?

"Morteros?" So that's what they're called.

Yes, have seen a few. Campsite was 5 miles down a jeep trail in Indian Canyon. Just off the trail is a very small plateau. Back of plateau is a very large boulder (and a boulder-y hill behind that) with a very old fire pit in front, and in back, where a slab fell off the rock whenever it rolled downhill hundreds or thousands of years ago, are three morteros (for grinding acorns, right?}

In front of the plateau is a view across to the other side of the canyon, across a scrubby plain and hundreds of spindly ocotillo (now in full bloom). You point your camp chairs this way, and when the stars come out and the boombox pumps out Frank Sinatra's cover of "Fly Me to the Moon," it is very much time to have a camp-made Manhattan.

I'll post in the "Tiki Events" section next time my friends and I decide to party down at this place. I did last time, but there were no Tiki Takers. Maybe next time!

Don't get on the ship! Don't get on the ship!

[ Edited by: Satan's Sin on 2005-03-28 16:56 ]

Here's an update on my project. It has taken me 2 months to get someone who knows how to do pool tile to come over and install it. We are scheduled to complete ALL tilework today. This spa should be up and running within a week...more pics will follow. The waterfall is 70% complete...that should be done in 3 more days...hopefully! Man, it's been a S L O W process but I think the end result will be well worth the wait. The Tiki Bar is operational and I will finish the little details when the weather cools off this fall and winter...

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-05-14 12:06 ]

man, that is too kewl!!!

Yes, iymis Really coming together. I can see Many super tiki gatherings here. Nice

Shes coming along nicely. Keep the pics flowing

All I can say is OMFG; I cannot let my wife see this post... this 100% cool. I would love to see as Pic at night when it’s all up a done... It looks Fantastic

Thanks OnoTiki....we will probably finish the spa within a week...the waterfall was done as of 2 days ago. I will take some night pics and post them here...may thanks for the nice comments...it was 109F today so no work got done...we are starting work from 5:30-8PM due to the summer heat...!

Here's two more pics...one is a night shot as requested and the other is one of me and my wahine enjoying our spa for the first time today...! I will post more pics as we near completion...right now we need to add lotsa foliage around the spa and some finish work--we discovered a couple of areas where grout is needed and some other minor things...I guess with a project this large there's bound to be a few odds-n-ends that need to be addressed before a project can be truly "finished". We're almost there!

[ Edited by: thegarz on 2005-05-26 22:05 ]

Well,if that isn't a slice of heaven,I don't know what is! Gorgeous!

Very tasty. Love to see more pics with the greenage

I wouldnt get out of the spa to post the pic, looks like you got a good thing happening there...

One last pic for the time being...I planted 4 Queen palms and 2 bamboo bushes yesterday. It's getting too hot to do any more planting so this will be probably the last pic until winter when the weather finally gets nice. Hope you like!

Once again I have a case of yard envy.
Thanks for sharing

Simply gorgeous!
Thanks for posting the great pics, makes me long for a visit to a more tropical local.

Mahalo,
-Tw

Great Job!!!

Looks awesome!!

Aloha

Thanks guys--really appreciate the nice comments...that makes this whole thing worthwhile....Hey OnaTiki....looki'n forward to the party in July...see ya then!