To Seal or Not To Seal??

My wife insists on putting clear sealer on all of our outdoor tiki's, while I prefer an unsealed, weathered look.

Please settle a bet and tell me that I'm right!!

Do you want someone to tell you you're right or do you want the truth?

If you just want to be right, tell her MadDog said they are best left with the natural finish. Tell her that the ancient Polynesians didn't use sealers and that tikis were not meant to last forever, that they were intended to return to the jungle from whence they came - the circle of life and all. Tell her MadDog is a Grand Member on Tiki Central, that should be credential enough. Of course, she won't know that I don't have the slightest clue about carving tikis and that anyone who pays their 24 bucks can be a Grand Member!

If you want to know the truth, you had better wait for the carvers to answer :lol:

Welcome to TC Wedgie :D

That's what I keep telling her MadDog!! I picked up a couple of pieces over the weekend, and I told her if they're sealed when I get home she's outta the house!!

I have seen them both ways and I think that they both have their place. I like the shine to some of the Witco pieces I've seen, as well as some totems I've seen, but I also like the weathered look of a lot of pieces. I guess what I'm saying is, do what you like. Do what you can agree on, maybe seal half? Or just try one and see if you like it.

Personal choice. Meet her half way. Seal some then let the test of time take its
path. I prefer the none sealed weathered look. I think the seal becomes a choir in the
long run because it comes off. You might try the tung oil its a natural sealer.

I never thought of the tung oil.....that might be the ticket. Grassy ass.

Are they palm? If so, make sure they're dried out before sealing (if you decide to seal them). Most carvers around here (TC) properly dry palms before carving, but some of the more "commercial" carvers out there carve wet, green palms that just get nasty-looking if sealed (yes, this is the voice of experience). Palm doesn't weather well in my area so I'm sticking to cedar and redwood pole purchases now, and I do seal them to keep them from graying in our intense heat/ sunlight. I placed my old, nasty, grayed tikis into the landscape beds and they do have a certain charm there so like Jones said, it's more about personal preference.