FAQs

A chickee is the traditional open-sided wooden hut built by Seminole and Miccosukee builders and roofed in palm or palmetto. Tiki hut is the broader name people use for similar thatched structures, including ones built by contractors outside the tribes.

Pressure-treated southern yellow pine and cypress are the two woods we trust. Treatment and the natural resins in cypress both slow rot and insect damage, which matters when posts sit in humid ground and rafters stay damp after rain.

More leaves mean more overlapping layers between you and the weather. A densely thatched roof sheds rain instead of dripping, holds its shape longer in wind, and weathers gradually, while a thin roof opens gaps and needs rethatching sooner.

We source mature palm leaves by hand and choose them for size and strength rather than convenience. Longstanding relationships with members of the Seminole community have taught us what a good leaf looks like and how traditional builders lay it.

SoFlo Tikis backs every roof with a 2-year warranty on the palm leaves and every frame with a 10-year structure warranty. We explain both in writing before work starts in Coconut Creek, FL, so nothing catches you off guard later.

Anything that makes the structure unsafe or exposes it to more damage counts, such as a cracked post, loose rafters, torn ridge thatch, or large sections of lifted leaves. Call us any time, and we will help you decide what cannot wait.

Very little, when the roof is built well. Water runs down the overlapping leaves rather than straight through them. Leaks usually point to thin thatch, a low roof pitch, or weathered sections that need attention before the frame starts soaking.

Ask each builder what wood the frame uses, how many layers of thatch go on, how the leaves are tied, and what the warranty covers. A lower price often means fewer leaves or untreated lumber, which shows up after a couple of seasons.

Yes. We build custom tiki bars as standalone pieces or inside a larger tiki hut, sized for the number of stools you want and the way you like to serve. The same framing lumber and dense thatch go into every bar.

Any thatched roof can give insects, lizards, or birds a place to settle, especially where leaves are loose or gaps open up. Tighter thatching leaves fewer openings, and a yearly inspection catches nesting early before it damages the roof.

Rethatching means stripping worn palm leaves from an existing frame and laying a fresh roof in their place. When the posts and rafters are still sound, it restores the look and weather protection of a tiki hut for far less than a rebuild.

Usually, yes. At SoFlo Tikis, we inspect the posts, rafters, and connections first, because new thatch on a failing frame wastes your money. When a structure in Oakland Park, FL or nearby checks out, we rethatch it with our usual dense layering.

Good synthetic thatch comes surprisingly close, with varied leaf color and texture molded to resemble natural palm. Up close, it can read a little more uniform, but it holds its color for years while natural leaves gradually fade to gray.

Treated pine or cypress framing that stays dry at the connections typically outlasts several palm roofs. Keeping the thatch in good condition shields the rafters from constant moisture, which is the main thing that shortens a frame's working life.

Thatch wins on comfort. It blocks direct sun completely and stays cooler underneath, because thick layers of leaves insulate instead of trapping heat like fabric. It also stays put in afternoon breezes that would send an umbrella tumbling across the deck.

Stand underneath on a sunny day and look up. If you see daylight through the roof, the layers are too thin. Also check the edges and the ridge, where cut corners show first as loose, sparse, or unevenly trimmed leaves.

Palm leaves naturally fade from green or tan to silvery gray as sun and rain dry them out. Graying alone is normal and mostly cosmetic, but brittle, crumbling leaves along the edges suggest the thatch is nearing the end of its life.

In most cases, yes. Posts can be cut to different lengths or set at different depths so the roof sits level even when the ground does not. Drainage matters more on a slope, so we plan where runoff goes before setting anything.

Keep open flames and grills out from under any thatched roof and well clear of its edges. Dry palm leaves ignite easily, so plan a separate cooking spot nearby, or ask about fire-rated synthetic thatch if cooking close by matters to you.