Japanese bath:
Hi friends, Will here. I’m planning to build a Japanese ofuro soaking bathtub. The difference from our typical baths is that these tubs are deep enough to have the water level at your neck. I’d like to build the tub with a ceramic tile lining. I’m looking for info on how to construct the tub so that it will bewater tight, and can be insulated.
Should a guy approach this the way a concrete swimming pool would be built? I’m also considering welding a stainless tub pan with expanded stainless mesh spotwelded to its inside surface to hold the morter and tile.
I’d appreciate your advice, thanks, -Will
Replies
I couldnt begin to tell you the issue but within the last year or two FHB ran an article about a home built by Dan Rockhill, he is an Architect/Builder/Professor in Lawrence KS. He built a similar tub for a customer and cast it out of concrete, there was no tile lining. One important thing to consider if you go with concrete is weight, its heavy and the framing will need extra help to support it.
Japanese ofuros are made of wood. And only wood. A good book about them is The Japanese Bath . Another good source of information can be found here, at woodentubs.com . They'll even sell you one and ship it to your door.
A concrete box, tiled or otherwise--despite what the FHB article implies--is NOT a Japanese ofuro. (And who wants to take a bath in a concrete box?) Sheesh.
Hi Suntoad,
thanks for your reply to my question about Japanese baths. You must not have spent much time in Japan if you think the tubs are only made from wood. There, in home tubs tend to be fiberglass, with some stainless. A lot of bath houses and spas do use concrete. I do not belive Ive ever used a wooden ofuro in my years in Japan.
-Will