We start with a sabal palm trunk. The sabal palm (cabbage palm) is an incredibly durable, near hurricane proof tree. In the late 1800's, Florida homesteaders actually used these palm trunks as support posts for their docks. After sinking the base, the tops were covered by sheets of tin to prevent rain from seeping into the wood. The docks have long since rotted away, but a few of the original sabal palm posts are still there...enduring over a century of Florida sun and salty tropical weather. Wow!

After the wood has cured for a few months, the carving can begin. This stage is the easy part - the tiki is trapped inside the wood and the carver just cuts away the unwanted bits...basic subtractive sculpture.

The rough cut tiki is then sanded smooth and burnished with fire. Tiki Mon does not believe in painting tikis. The natural colors of the sabal palm are revealed by the finishing process. These colors range from amber to auburn, from pale yellow to dark umber, from red-brown to black. The wood color is therefore unpredictable and will vary in each tiki we carve.

The final stage is a triple coat of polyurethane. This step brings out the wood colors, provides extra weather protection, and gives the tiki a rich luster.

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