What is the right bar stools for a tiki bar?

Okay, I posed it as a question though I already have my own idea.

So, you know how it goes, I wasn't shopping for a bar but I stumbled onto one on ebay and now I'm staring at my sweet Hey-Wake ashcraft tiki bar. alas, one needs bar stools to truly enjoy the bar. So, thought I would throw out an "in search of" some appropriate bar stools. I'm open minded, they don't HAVE to be bamboo, but they should be of the era. i have finally ruled out the chrome models, while I like them, I don't think chrome really meshes with the bar. I'm not against metal but the shiny chrome, nah.

cheers,

george

p.s. I am not a "money no object" type of guy, I'm a cheap junker most of the time.

Sorry about the lack of subject/verb plurality agreement in the subject heading. Hate when that happens!

The Heywood Wakefield ashcraft line simulates rattan, not bamboo, so you may want to check the local thrifts etc. for rattan bar stools for a closer match, bamboo isn't quite as structurally sound as rattan, as evidenced by the target tiki stools recalled this year. Aloha!

On 2006-08-16 19:11, countritiki wrote:
I'm a cheap junker most of the time.

Welcome To Tiki Central!

On 2006-08-17 07:51, Sneakytiki wrote:
The Heywood Wakefield ashcraft line simulates rattan, not bamboo, so you may want to check the local thrifts etc. for rattan bar stools for a closer match, bamboo isn't quite as structurally sound as rattan, as evidenced by the target tiki stools recalled this year. Aloha!

You're joking that the target stools were poorly constructed, right? It's nice to have stuff that matches, but I'd always choose bamboo over rattan.

"Bamboo is a viable replacement for wood. It is one of the strongest building materials, with a tensile strength that rivals steel and weight-to-strength ratio surpassing that of graphite. It withstands up to 52,000 pounds of pressure psi."

how many are you looking for? I have two stools that have a 1/4 back rest that swivel. they are bamboo and I think one or two need some touch up work.

On 2006-08-17 07:51, Sneakytiki wrote:
You're joking that the target stools were poorly constructed, right? It's nice to have stuff that matches, but I'd always choose bamboo over rattan.

"Bamboo is a viable replacement for wood. It is one of the strongest building materials, with a tensile strength that rivals steel and weight-to-strength ratio surpassing that of graphite. It withstands up to 52,000 pounds of pressure psi."

Yes bamboo maybe stronger than rattan but as far as I was told by the different furnature makers in the Philippines when looking at the choices between the two, generally it was understood that the joints on bamboo loosen up quicker due to its large size. In the P.I. bamboo would be my choice as it is much cheaper (25% of the price) than rattan and I could have it easily replaced, but here that may not be the case as it is the shipping that adds so much to the overall costs.

Rattan is a member of the climbing palm family, traditionally found deep in the tropical rainforests of the Far East, with most of the supplies coming from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Harvesting is difficult because it must be cut by hand and then floated down mountain streams or carried out of the jungle by horse, buffalo oxen or elephants. This tropical vine grows as tall as 600 ft. and is a solid, yet pliable specimen. The hard outer shell and tough fibrous center core give this raw material its strength. Rattan is as strong as steel, yet has some "give" or flexibility, lending itself to comfort when used for making furniture. To "mold" this vine into the beautiful furnishings you see today, the vine is heated by steam and then molded into place. Once it has cooled, it is again, as strong as steel.

Bamboo is a tropical grass that grows straight up from the ground; it is hollow and stringy, and is limited in its usage. Bamboo is not flexible like rattan and is subject to splitting over time. It is best suited as an accent on furniture or used to create unusual and one of a kind accessories and accent pieces.

Rattan is stonger and sturdier than bamboo. Bamboo is strong, yes, but it depends on the bamboo, and the strength as cited almost always goes by green bamboo, not dried, try stomping on a solid piece of rattan and then a piece of bamboo of the same diameter, you'll barely bruise the rattan, you'll likely bust the bamboo, splitting and smashing it.

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-08-19 12:34 ]

But bamboo looks soo much cooler. Plus you can grow it almost anywhere, lending a tropical look to your very own backyard.

The above statement also describes the way you tell the difference between a bamboo piece and a rattan piece. Bamboo cannot be bent, it will always be straight(unless grown curved).

I still think bamboo makes a tiki room, not rattan. Though I wouldn't hesitate to use a sweet vintage rattan bar and stools. I'd have to offset it with even more big, thick, glorious bamboo.

The fact that it's hollow might make it easy to work with, you can cut notches into it to fit around edges, and it's sometimes thick diameter gives a bold statement. Maybe it's easier & less expensive for the average homeowner to work with? Do we have a 'Rattan Randy' in our ranks?

So as you can see, I'm sort of on the (bamboo)fence about the whole thing. Rattan is good for curves, but to me it's pretty boring. Give me hollow with nodes, cracks and all, any day.

Yes bamboo does make a tiki room, but I was trying to answer what would be the best bar stools for a pseudo rattan bar. Rattan just makes better furniture, period, bamboo is good for wall treatments and MANY other applications.
If you want the bamboo look for furniture, you generally want the bamboo surface as a decorative layer attached over stronger materials, I have a bamboo bar and that's how it was made.

To drown sorrow, where should one jump first and best? "Certainly not water. Water rusts you." -Frank Sinatra

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-08-19 14:22 ]

I have a bamboo bar also, just the surface was covered with bamboo. It looks great. But I also have rattan furniture and they look great together. I think the bar stools I have seen from the 50's are mostly rattan if I am not mistaken? I agree with rattan being real sturdy, I have used and misused mine for years now and they are all still in great shape.

On 2006-08-19 14:17, Sneakytiki wrote:...answer what would be the best bar stools for a pseudo rattan ark. Rattan just makes better furniture, period, bamboo is good for wall treatments and MANY other applications.
If you want the bamboo look for furniture, you generally want the bamboo surface as a decorative layer attached over stronger materials, I have a bamboo bar and that's how it was made.

Well yes rattan can last a life time if taken care of, but bamboo furniture is quite durable. Again it is the joint strength more than anything that goes, not the breaking of the bamboo which you would have to take a hammer to it to break it (hell they make their houses out of it!). I know folks that use it in their bars and restaurants in the PI and it lasts them several years plus. That is PROFESSIONAL use with customers coming and going, so for the average Joe bamboo would be fine for probably 5-10+ years of use. Also many people use it for home furniture there as it is cheap. Beds, sofas, tables, lamps anything that we would use modern press board furniture for and it lasts about as long. The rattan you could leave to your grandkids but it costs plenty.

I wish we still had the stuff my Grandparents got when they lived in Subic during '49-'51, it was so KEWL! :D

[ Edited by: Rattiki 2006-09-11 02:30 ]

After much looking, I came home with these. I'm happy. Though not rattan, their color goes well with the bar and they are of the period. Now I just have to get the bar stocked properly and start testing recipes!

Great stools! I have four that look like the same maker but another style. Mine have a wrapped rattan back. Great to see something along the same lines.