8 Benefits of Adding a Tiki Hut to Your Backyard in Florida
It’s hard not to smile when you say “tiki hut.” Even harder when you’re lounging underneath one.
These custom-built outdoor structures with the tropical vibe are perfect for outdoor Florida life and are way more versatile than you might think.
Why have a tiki? Get ready to learn more:
A backyard tiki hut offers shade
A tiki adds the ultimate tropical vibe
Tikis are entertaining hot spots (or cool spots)
Tiki huts are versatile
It’s a great place to add lights
A backyard tiki hut adds value to your home
Tikis need little maintenance
Let’s talk tiki:
First, What’s a Tiki Hut?
Tiki huts are constructed mostly of wood, topped with a weather-resistant palm thatched roof that offers pure tropical vacation vibes — and precious shade outdoors.
The most popular sizes are 10 by 10 or 15 by 12 feet. But a backyard tiki hut is custom built, so it can be any size you need.
We just installed a 16 by 16 foot tiki to cover an outdoor kitchen, complete with a bar for watching TV.
Most tikis are 6.5 feet high. But this homeowner is 7 feet tall. So we raised the height to 8 feet. Tikis are custom, so there are no rules. Get an L-shaped tiki! Do an impressive peaked entry!
Why do you need a tiki? Lots of reasons:
1. A Backyard Tiki Hut Offers Shade
Tiki huts are among the most popular shade options in Florida.
The Sarasota sun can be intense. Everybody needs some respite — a shady spot to escape the hot rays.
Not only do backyard tiki huts provide full shade outdoors from the brutal Sarasota sun, those charming roofs keep the rain out, too.
When it rains here in Sarasota, the temperature blissfully drops about 20 degrees. Why not enjoy it? A tiki keeps you dry so you can still enjoy being outside.
2. A Tiki Adds the Ultimate Tropical Vibe
Tiki huts are inspired by Polynesian architecture, with their thatched roofs that rustle in the warm breeze, so they’re an authentic way to add a cool tropical vibe to your outdoor living space.
It’s hard to be uptight under a backyard tiki hut. You kind of feel like you’re on vacation, all the time.
3. Tikis Are Entertaining Hot Spots (or Cool Spots)
Everybody wants to hang out beneath a backyard tiki hut. It automatically makes anything more fun.
Play cards. Play Mario Kart. Gather your book club. Add a TV for watching the big game. Host a Polynesian-themed dinner party. Invite the neighbors over to work on your grocery lists together.
Tikis make everything more fun. They offer an automatic entertaining hub spot.
4. Tiki Huts Are Versatile
Tikis are at home just about anywhere, making them a go-to spot for so many uses.
Shade your patio so you can lounge luxuriously on a cushy couch. Add a backyard tiki hut over your outdoor kitchen to provide shade as you whip up your pineapple shrimp skewers. Cover your boat dock. Make a tiki the focal point of a lush tropical garden.
Tiki bar? Absolutely. A tiki makes your tropical drinks seem more authentic.
Pool tiki hut? Of course! Tikis love it there. Suddenly your pool seems more like a tropical vacation resort.
5. It’s a Great Place to Add Lights
Sure, your trees need uplights and your walkways need lighting for safety and your front porch needs light to welcome guests.
But tiki lighting is fun. Add festive bistro lighting along the roofline for extra sparkle at night. Instant magic.
6. A Backyard Tiki Hut Adds Value to Your Home
Beyond the fun stuff, a cool feature like a tiki hut adds value to your property. Home buyers love ready-to-go outdoor spaces they can enjoy right away. (Not that you’ll want to move anytime soon once you have a great tiki hut.)
Own a rental property? If you don’t include a backyard tiki hut, what are you even doing? Vacationers love these things. It’s really not much of a Florida vacation without one. They’re deal closers.
7. Tikis Need Little Maintenance
Crafted of sturdy natural materials, a backyard tiki hut is practically no maintenance.
The roofs, thatched with the fronds of the Sabal palmetto, also known as the cabbage palm, last for eight to 10 years before they need to be rethatched, which costs about $10 per square foot.
The sturdy posts are made from cypress trees, or you can opt for pressure treated lumber, but the natural cypress looks dramatically better.
8. It’s Fun to Say
Admit it. You love saying “tiki.” Think how often you could say it if you actually had one?
“Let’s go have a drink under the tiki.”
“Should we eat outside under the tiki?”
“Where’s the dog?”
“Outside under the tiki.”
Smart dog.
Ready for a Tropical Backyard Tiki Hut? Talk to Us
Here at Tropical Gardens Landscape, we’re backyard tiki hut experts. “Tropical” is part of our name.
Need more than a tiki? We’ve got you covered, with full-service landscape design services in Sarasota that include design, installation and maintenance.
Need lush tropical palms and plants to surround your tiki? Check.
An outdoor kitchen for beneath your tiki? Got it.
Lighting to make your tiki twinkle? Absolutely.
Give us a call or fill out our form today! Our team of Sarasota designers can’t wait to design the perfect outdoor haven for your backyard or vacation rental property. Start the blender.
