Can You Use Tiki Torches Under an Awning?
Quick answer
No. TIKI Brand's own instructions say "Do not place torch under covered shelter or umbrellas, near pedestrian traffic or combustibles such as wood structures," and that rule is printed on its tabletop torches as well as its pole torches. TIKI's tips sheet adds two numbers: place torches at least 6 ft from the house or other structures, and 6 to 8 ft apart. Treat the awning as part of the house. Set torches 6 ft past the front bar and 6 ft past each end, outside the area the awning covers when it is open, even on nights it stays rolled up, because TIKI also says not to move a torch while it is burning. Cutter's citronella candle label lists porches among the enclosed areas where the candle must not be used, so candles go out from under the awning too. A butane Thermacell Patio Shield is the one repeller here whose directions do not rule out an open-sided awning: outdoors only, never in an enclosed area, and kept away from flame.
No. TIKI Brand's own instructions say "Do not place torch under covered shelter or umbrellas, near pedestrian traffic or combustibles such as wood structures, fuel, clothing or dry vegetation." An awning is a cover over your patio, so a lit tiki torch does not belong under it. It does not belong beside the fabric either. TIKI's tips sheet says to place torches "at least 6 feet away from the house or other structures." So put them 6 ft out past the awning's front bar and 6 ft past each end, and leave them there all evening.
Two answers circulate. One says a torch is fine if the flame is well below the fabric. The other says never. TIKI settles it, because its rule has no height in it. Neither TIKI sheet gives a distance at which a cover becomes safe. The rule is about being under a cover at all. Citronella candles and butane Thermacell repellers, which often share the patio, are covered below too.
What a tiki torch is, and what "under" means here
A tiki torch is an outdoor torch that burns liquid fuel through a cloth wick. TIKI is a brand, a trademark of Lamplight Farms of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, but people use the word for any torch of this kind. The torch head holds a fuel canister. You fill it with torch fuel, which TIKI's label says "contains petroleum hydrocarbons," and the wick draws the fuel up to the flame. Many stand on a pole pushed into the ground. Some sit on a table, and some clip to a deck rail.
A covered shelter is TIKI's term, and its sheets do not define it. The plain reading is anything with a roof over the flame. That takes in an awning, a patio cover, a gazebo and a covered porch. TIKI names the patio umbrella on its own. An umbrella is a small fabric cover on a pole, so an awning is the same thing, only bigger and fixed to the house.
The awning's footprint is the patch of patio under the fabric when the awning is fully open. On a retractable awning it runs from the wall out to the front bar, the metal bar along the outer edge of the fabric, and across the awning's width. The awning parts guide shows where the front bar and valance sit. Everything in that patch is "under" the awning when it is out.
What TIKI's instructions say
Two instruction sheets that ship with TIKI torches, both from 2020, and TIKI's 2012 tips sheet:
| TIKI document | Covers and structures | Other placement rules |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable Flame tabletop torch, warnings and instructions (2020) | "Do not place torch under covered shelter or umbrellas, near pedestrian traffic or combustibles such as wood structures, fuel, clothing or dry vegetation" | "For outdoor tabletop use only"; "Use only in well-ventilated area. Do not use in windy conditions"; exposed wick no higher than 1/2 in |
| Pole torch instruction and use manual, 4001238 (2020) | "Do not place torch under covered shelter or umbrella, near pedestrian traffic, or near combustibles such as wood structures" | "Do not move the torch while it is burning"; pole at least 6 in into the ground; wick at most 3/4 in; cool 30 minutes before refilling |
| TIKI tips fact sheet (June 6, 2012) | "Do not place torches under trees, overhangs or near other flammable materials"; "at least 6 feet away from the house or other structures" | Torches "6 feet to 8 feet apart"; 6 to 8 in into the ground, or use a stake or stand |
The tabletop sheet matters most for awning owners. The patio table is usually right under the awning, and TIKI prints the same cover rule on its table torch as on its pole torches.
Notice what the rules do not say. Neither sheet says "combustible covers" or gives an overhead height. A metal roof or a high awning is still a covered shelter. The 2012 sheet's "overhangs" is the closest TIKI comes to naming an awning, and it says no to those too.
Why a small flame still does not belong under fabric
TIKI's own warnings give the reasons.
- The fuel can spill. "Do not tip torch as fuel can spill and cause fire or serious injury." A torch knocked over under an awning spills burning fuel where people sit and walk. That is why TIKI keeps torches away from "pedestrian traffic," and the space under an awning is where the traffic is.
- You cannot move it once it is lit. The pole torch manual says "Do not move the torch while it is burning." If a torch ends up in the wrong place, you snuff it and wait 30 minutes for it to cool. You do not carry it out from under the fabric.
- Wind. The tabletop sheet says "Do not use in windy conditions." Your awning should be rolled up in real wind anyway; see awning wind ratings.
- Soot. TIKI's label warns that the torch's combustion products include soot. Under an awning, it rises onto the underside of the fabric. Awning stain removal covers soot marks.
Fire-rated fabric does not change this. TIKI's rule is about covers, not about what they are made of, and the guide to awning fire ratings explains what an NFPA 701 rating does and does not test.
Worked example: placing torches around one awning
Here is how TIKI's numbers lay out on a typical patio. Nothing here was set up or lit. It is the published figures, worked through on paper.
Worked example
Take a retractable awning 12 ft wide with a 10 ft projection, so its footprint is 12 ft along the wall and 10 ft out. The owner wants torches around the seating area.
Where the line goes. TIKI wants torches at least 6 ft from the house or other structures. Count the open awning as part of the house. That puts the torch line 6 ft past the front bar, or 16 ft from the wall. At the ends, the line runs 6 ft past each side of the awning.
The front row. The front line runs 12 + 6 + 6 = 24 ft, corner to corner. At TIKI's widest spacing of 8 ft, torches go at 0, 8, 16 and 24 ft. That is four torches. At the closest spacing of 6 ft, it is five.
The sides. One more torch on each side line, 8 ft from the wall, sits 8 ft from its corner torch. It is also more than 6 ft from the house, so it passes both of TIKI's numbers. That makes six torches in all.
The table. The tabletop torch on the dining table under the awning has to go. Move it to a side table outside the footprint, or leave it unlit.
The same line holds on nights the awning stays rolled up. A torch inside the footprint is fine until someone opens the awning. Then the torch is under the fabric, and TIKI says you cannot move it while it burns. Keeping torches outside the full projection means the awning can open at any time.
If your patio is too small for a line 6 ft out, that is the answer too. Use fewer torches, or none, or light with something that has no flame. The guide to string lights near a retractable awning shows how to hang lights on the wall and on posts without touching the awning.
Citronella candles under an awning
A citronella candle is a wax candle with citronella oil in it, sold in a metal bucket or a glass jar to keep bugs away. It has a smaller flame than a torch, so it feels safer under a cover. The labels do not agree.
Cutter's CitroGuard candle is registered with the EPA as an insect repellent (EPA Reg. No. 121-80). Its label says "Do not use indoors or in enclosed areas such as garages, porches or tents." It also says to place candles "at least 18 inches apart," to set them on a "heat-resistant surface away from anything flammable," and that "Best results within 3 ft." The label the EPA has on file for the same registration, from 2004, uses the same porch wording.
A porch is a roofed space against the house, which is what an awning makes. Cutter puts porches in the same list as garages. So read the label the strict way: the candle goes out from under the awning, on a stone, brick or metal surface. An outdoor citronella candle label from the same maker, United Industries, from 2014, says to use it "outdoors, not in enclosed areas," to "Keep away from things that catch fire," and not to burn it "for more than four hours at a time."
Since the candle works best within 3 ft and must sit outside the awning, it helps the chairs near the front edge, not the ones by the wall. Both labels also say not to move the candle while it burns or before the wax hardens, the same rule TIKI gives for torches.
Butane Thermacell repellers under an awning
A Thermacell Patio Shield is a mosquito repeller that runs on a small butane cartridge. The butane heats a pad called a mat, which holds a repellent called allethrin, and the heat releases it into the air. An orange glow in a small view hole shows it is working.
Thermacell's US directions for the Patio Shield say "Only for outdoor use as a mosquito repellent. Do not use indoors, in tents or in any enclosed area." They also say not to leave it unattended, not to use it in windy conditions, and not to expose it to rain. Set it on "a flat, stable surface with the grill facing upward," and do not touch the grill: "it will be hot after a couple of minutes." Each mat lasts up to 4 hours. Thermacell's support page puts the protected zone at up to 15 x 15 ft.
None of that rules out a table under an open-sided awning. The directions bar enclosed areas, not covers, and they do not mention awnings, porches or patios at all. Thermacell also says the product "works best in outdoor areas where there is minimal air movement, such as yards." So of the three products here, it is the only one whose directions leave room for a table under the awning, as long as the sides stay open.
Keep it away from the torches and candles. The booklet for the Thermacell MR450, sold in Australia and New Zealand, says the cartridge "contains flammable, pressurized butane. Do not use near fire or flame." It gives no distance, so put it on a different table from any flame.
Which goes where
| Item | Under the open awning? | Where it goes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiki pole torch | No | 6 ft past the front bar and ends, 6 to 8 ft apart | TIKI pole torch manual; TIKI tips (2012) |
| Tiki tabletop torch | No | On a table outside the footprint | TIKI tabletop torch sheet |
| Tiki torch, awning rolled up | Not inside the footprint | Same line as above, so the awning can open; never move a lit torch | TIKI pole torch manual |
| Citronella candle (Cutter CitroGuard) | No: porches count as enclosed | Heat-resistant surface past the front bar, 18 in apart | Cutter label, EPA Reg. No. 121-80 |
| Thermacell Patio Shield (butane) | Yes, if the sides are open | Flat surface, grill up, away from any flame | Thermacell Patio Shield directions; MR450 booklet |
| Any of these with side screens or curtains closed | No | Open the sides or move it out | Cutter and Thermacell: no enclosed areas; TIKI: well-ventilated area |
The last row is the one people miss. Closed drop shades or side curtains turn an open patio into something close to a room.
Lighting and putting out torches near an awning
- Fill and light at the torch's final spot. TIKI says to position the torch before filling it, wipe any spilled fuel before lighting, and use a long lighter or fireplace match.
- Snuff it, do not blow it out. The pole torch manual says "Do not blow out the flame." Wait 30 minutes before you handle or refill one.
- Keep spare fuel off the patio. TIKI wants fuel in its own bottle with the cap on. Keep it out from under the awning, along with any propane cylinders.
The same thinking runs through this site's other flame guides. A fire pit under an awning is ruled out for wood fires, and a patio heater needs 2 to 3 ft above its top. A torch is smaller than either, but TIKI gives it no overhead figure at all, only "not under."
Where this answer stops applying
This page covers liquid-fuel torches, wax citronella candles and the butane Thermacell Patio Shield. It does not cover propane patio torches or gas lanterns, whose own manuals set their limits and were not read here. Battery and solar "flame" torches have no flame, so the TIKI rule does not reach them. The 6 ft line past the front bar is this page's reading of TIKI's 6 ft distance from structures, with the awning counted as part of the house. TIKI does not name awnings. The Thermacell finding rests on the directions as written. Thermacell's directions do not say what counts as an enclosed area, so with a low awning, a wall on two sides or a closed curtain, ask Thermacell. Apartments, condos, rentals and restaurant patios often have their own rules on open flames, and a lease or fire marshal can be stricter than any label. None of this says whether these products keep mosquitoes away.
Key takeaways
- TIKI says not to place a torch under a covered shelter or umbrella. An awning is a covered shelter.
- TIKI's tips put torches at least 6 ft from the house or other structures, and 6 to 8 ft apart.
- Set torches 6 ft past the front bar and ends, even with the awning rolled up. TIKI says never move a lit torch.
- Cutter's citronella candle label lists porches as enclosed areas. Keep candles out from under the awning, 18 in apart.
- A butane Thermacell is not ruled out under an open-sided awning. Keep it away from any flame.
Frequently asked questions
How far should a tiki torch be from the house?
At least 6 ft, by TIKI's tips fact sheet: "Position torches at least 6 feet away from the house or other structures." If you have an awning, measure from its front bar and ends, not the wall.
Can I put a tiki torch on a covered porch?
No. Both TIKI instruction sheets say not to place a torch under a covered shelter, and the 2012 tips add "overhangs." The rule has no height limit, so a high roof does not change it.
How far apart should tiki torches be?
TIKI says 6 to 8 ft apart, pushed 6 to 8 in into the ground or set in a stake or stand. The pole torch manual says at least 6 in into the ground.
Is a citronella candle safe on a table under an awning?
Not by Cutter's label. It says not to use the candle "in enclosed areas such as garages, porches or tents." Put it on a heat-resistant surface out past the front bar, 18 in from other candles.
Can I use a Thermacell under a patio awning?
Its directions allow outdoor use and bar only enclosed areas, so an open-sided awning is not ruled out. Keep it out of rain and wind, and away from torches and candles: the MR450 booklet says "Do not use near fire or flame."
Sources and further reading
- TIKI Brand (Lamplight Farms): Adjustable Flame tabletop torch, warnings and instructions (2020, hosted by Lowe's)
- TIKI Brand (Lamplight Farms): Torch instruction and use manual, 4001238 (2020, hosted by Lowe's)
- TIKI Brand: Five tips for using your outdoor TIKI torches (fact sheet, June 6, 2012; archived copy, as the tikibrand.com link now returns 404)
- Cutter (United Industries Corporation): CitroGuard citronella candle label, EPA Reg. No. 121-80 (2016)
- US EPA: Label on file for EPA Reg. No. 121-80 (2004)
- United Industries Corporation: Outdoor citronella candle label, 16-11306 (2014)
- Thermacell: Patio Shield mosquito repeller directions for use
- Thermacell (Mayo Hardware, Australia and New Zealand): MR450 mosquito repeller instruction booklet
- Thermacell: Fuel-powered repeller support and FAQ (zone size)
How we write our guides: figures are typical US ranges checked against manufacturer documentation, published standards and installer pricing. Read our editorial standards. Spotted an error or outdated detail? Request a correction.