Gas tiki torches

The gas tiki torches are what is the most useful thing that is out there when you compare it to the other ones which are available and these are the oil based ones.

I have heard horror stories about how the someone had a oil based tiki torches and how the oil spill happened and the deck or the backyard tiki hut caught fire.

This is the reason that I would recommend the gas based tiki torches. There are again two or three types of torches that are available and these are the propane based tiki torches and the natural gas tiki torches.



The outer material can be anything ranging from the bamboo tiki torches to copper, brass or stainless steel tiki torches. Most likely the copper and the brass ones are more probable ones to be used with this kind of gas based tiki torches.

As far as safety of gas tiki torches is concerned it is always in the best interest of everyone as to switch them off when you are done with the partying and everything as opposed to leave it unattended.

Shut off the supply from the propane or the natural gas tank as and when you are done with the requirement for the tiki torches.

The other important thing is the maintenance of these tiki torches and it helps to have the tiki torches cleaned off any debris and carbon deposits. Also make sure that you have the supply line absolutely clear else it can be hazardous.

Apart form the maintenance aspect of these torches I believe they are very much the best thing that can happen to the outdoor lighting and the having that fine Hawaiian experience recreated in your backyard and the patio.

You can have small propane canisters or a regular tank which can be used for the supply of gas.

Disadvantage

These burn with a steady flame and that special effect that a normal oil based burning wick will give which is so close to the old style torches is missing. So think of the ambience that you are going to create before settling on the gas based or the oil based tiki torches.

Citronella Tiki torches

I am sure that whosoever has been interested in the tiki torches will be know Citronella tiki torches but a lot of people do not know what citronella is and how and why it is used for the tiki torches.

The main thing to know that citronella tiki torches are nothing but the tiki torches that can be used with any bamboo, metal and brass torches.

The reason is simple citronella is nothing but an oil additive that will be used with the oil for a few benefits and those are:-

Since most torches are used outside it is basically a mosquito and a bug repellant and a very effective one at that.
Citronella oil is made from the plant and is approved by the US government agencies for use as the mosquito repellant.

Secondly it has a nice citrus aroma and hence no smell of burning fuel.

Last but not the least it has that special orange hued flame that will give the whole backyard tiki bar or the Caribbean style décor or even the beach wedding that special touch.

As far as procurement of citronella is concerned it can be had anywhere and the best part is that any shop which sells torches does sell the oil and the citronella additive.

The other alternative is to use the paraffin oil but the disadvantage is that the paraffin oil is odorless and also it is not bug repellant hence it is not good for outside use of the tiki torches.

The other thing that to know is that it is always important to have a different wick for different types of oil if you are using the same torch.

You can buy the sunjel fuel or the paraffin oil with citronella for the oil based tiki torches.

Bamboo tiki torches

Look at this photograph and I am sure that it will look wonderful and simply amazing to you. The mainstay I would say of these is the bamboo tiki torches and these tiki torches almost never cease to amaze each time I put them on in my backyard tiki bar.

Bamboo as a material will give your entire décor a very good feel and hence the reason that bamboo is used mainly on all the beach weddings.

As I mentioned in my earlier guide about tiki torches that I saw the tiki torches at my friends wedding but also I must mention that I saw some great other bamboo stuff and that was the bamboo wedding arches. And of course the whole wedding décor was sealed with some nice bamboo favors that we received.

More on that later and in fact I will suggest you a few good sites which have nice information on the bamboo arches and bamboo favors.

The best part is that you can get some great bamboo torches in the market that are available for as less as dollar six and more.

The bamboo torches working

These torches work on a simple principle that it basically has a sort of a candle holder on the top of the bamboo torch and that helps because then you can put a nice candle on top of the torch or you can place a nice torch wick with an oil canister below which will help in getting the necessary flame.

How to make a bamboo torch on your own

Well in a very simple manner here is what you will require and that some bamboo poles as well as the lighting part of it.

The first step is the bamboo poles and those bamboo poles that you need have to be at least 5 feet long. Then comes the next game and that is that you need to be able to make a recession at one end of the bamboo to hold the oil as well as the wick or the oil can canister.

Make sure that the hole is deep enough so that everything fits inside easily and only the flame is visible from outside.

The best ways to do that is to make sections out of the opening so that it gives a good effect and then make sure that you have a strong reed to go through the cuts so that fuel canister does not drop out.

Essentially we are making sure that canister is tightly held in the hole made for the canister.

Next to give the shape that is so essential make sure that you get a shape which is the best and that is the taper effect. Simply use a knife to have the taper effect.

The other way is to make sure that you have the carvings done on the tiki torch so that it is actually a tiki torch with all the stylish tiki carvings done on them. If you have a patio and you need to decorate them with tiki torches then make sure that you do not light them ever as that can be dangerous. As and update if you need to have a patio you may need to have some good patio umbrellas with some nice tiki designs on it.

Last but not the least make sure that either you put these tiki torches in the ground with one feet inside the ground or use the tiki brackets to make sure that you have the tiki torches attached to the bamboo poles or the wall or the railing.

Types of tiki torches

Before I start to tell you about the tiki torches and how to maintain them let me tell you to decorate your house with the tiki torches and also a bit about what types of tiki torches available in the market.

This also specifically relates to the outdoor lighting that you can have with the tiki torches.

Types of tiki torches

Table top tiki torches – Usually used outdoors but can be used inside with care

Bamboo torches – Tiki is all about wood but specifically about bamboo as bamboo as a wood is sturdy and very much used for bamboo torches.

Stainless steel tiki torches and the copper tiki torches - I would easily vouch and say that bamboo is the best as far as the beauty of tiki torches is concerned.
Note: A lot of folks like the wrought iron furniture and I found out some good tiki torches which are wrought iron tiki torches.

While bamboo is beautiful, if you have already decorated your deck or patio and have maybe a built-in stainless steel grill and a portable Stainless Steel Cooler, then obviously, the stainless steel tiki torches might be the way to go

Mini tiki torches – these are meant to be kept inside and used for the purpose of décor as opposed to lighting

Tiki and the décor

Tiki torches are the mainstay of the décor in a beach wedding can be used either as big tiki torches in the main area which is the outdoor setting or as tiki torch centerpiece on the wedding reception decorations for tables.

Then these can vary based on what kind of tiki torch fuel is used and that fuel is mainly propane though it can be many other fuels. I have seen natural gas or gas tiki torches as well as the solar tiki torches.

Oil is another which can be used as a burning material for these tiki torches.

The most important part which is going to be the mainstay of the whole tiki torches is the tiki torch wicks and you may make sure that you have some good amount of replacement tiki torch wicks ready if you are having a tiki theme party or entertaining some guests by your backyard tiki bar.

Welcome to tiki torches guide

Welcome to my guide on tiki torches the amazing world of tiki. Let me tell you how it all started.
I would admit that it was all because of the special beach wedding of my cousin which happened at nice beach town in Dominican Republic and there one of the decorations was those beautiful bamboo tiki torches.

In the fading sunlight those things were just amazing. Nothing too modern and nothing too odd to be seen in the beach in the twilight. I just loved those and asked the wedding decorator there for what are these and he answered tiki torches.

From that time and then I have done all sorts of research on these beautiful tiki things and have been working really hard at setting up a good tiki bar in my backyard replete with all the things like tiki stools to tiki mugs and that much needed ambience with the tiki torches. More on that later and a whole world of tiki torches.

I will also explain about how to set up a tiki bar as there have been several things that have actually been distasteful especially when people online have been out there to cheat with all sorts tiki bar kits at exorbitant prices.

Tiki totems are those beautiful hand made masks that look so lovely in a tiki bar as well as in your living room as independent decorations.

Tikiwiki is another thing which I got to know and that was very surprising as this is nothing but a content management system/groupware. But it is often heard if you are in the internet world looking for software online.

Tiki Barber is another great football player and now broadcaster.

So I started this blog to write everything and anything about tiki torches and tiki culture.

For all my readers who are reading this and want to know what is Tiki then simply said and I am republishing that from Wikipedia is “ large wood and stone carvings from the Central Eastern Polynesian culture.

Tiki means the first man in the Maori culture and in Hawaiian culture also there is reference of Tiki.

Tiki is very popular

I frankly was not aware about tiki being so popular and that there are tiki bars to tiki lifestyle magazine to dedicated tiki fan clubs in the world. In fact in Hawaii there are hotels dedicated to the tiki culture and the whole culture experience in a tiki environment.

I have never been to Disney but now definitely I know that there is an attraction by the name Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room and also a song which is played there which is “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” by Sherman Brothers.

Tiki Bar TV

I am definitely not a music fan but yes there is that famous tiki Bar TV which was shown on the launch of the iPod video launch.

Tiki culture has influenced all of us so much that tiki coloring pages to tiki clip art are fairly good demand if you see the online websites which dish out all these.

Tiki statues to tiki masks to tiki signs all need to be carved and hence I learnt a bit of carving myself but then I will admit that I bought quite a few so that the place looks beautiful and not ugly with my self done tiki masks.

Of course the free spirit of Hawaii flows everywhere and that includes the Hawaiian tiki as well as Big Kahuna tiki.

Keep coming back for more on the tiki culture and the tiki torches.
Update Mar 2010 - If you need more information on home and garden then this site is worth a visit. It has some really good articles on home and garden which will be helpful to you.