I have a wood (Teak to be exact) tub on a project that I am in the process of building. The manufacture of the tub says that it has to be filled with water at all times and it is meant for soaking so in other words the use of soap is a bad idea. Essentially it is an old fashion hot tub but this one just happens to be in a master suite. When the architect and the homeowner decided to use this tub some how the idea that it is a Japanese soaking tub that has to be full of water all the time and the inability to use soap never sank in with the homeowner. Due to the cost of the tub the homeowner has asked that we find a way to make this tub into a regular tub. The salesman that sold the tub has indicated that it can be covered in fiber-glass but the architect is not sure about how this finish will look on the tub. Has anyone ever come across this problem before and if so did you find some other method of coating this tub or did you use fiberglass and how did it look.
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I've never done or seen what you ask but offer this: Could you use a conventional tub and then clad the exterior with this teak thing that is unusable? or get some teak and replicate the look and use the soaker somewhere else or unload it?
Well they could try to sell it on Ebay.
There is this
http://www.miraclemethod.com/aboutRefinishing/alternatives/bathtub_liners.htm
You could also call http://www.westsystem.com/ and ask their expert opinion.
The wood hot tubs have metal bands around them. When you first put water in them they leak until the wood swells up inside the bands.
If this soaking tub is the same you need to keep the staves wet or they will shrink and open up. Putting fiberglass on them won't help.
The architect should know better. And the home owner doesn't have to. But putting fiberglass on it is a bad idea.
I have read the same. But I once moved into a place that had an old tub (not used in years) a few hours cleaning it up and filled to the brim. Not one leak! I'm not disagreeing, I've always wanted to know why wouldn't the wood just swell back up? I mean how else did that one hold water so well after neglect.
I'm no expert on this. In theory it works by swelling and staying wet. I'm not sure what happened in the one place you moved into.
I guess my main point would be that this is a homeowner and an architect that made the descision to get this tub. I understand how you want to help but what if it is a total mess? How many coats of fiberglass? What about the finish? There are so many variables. You could come out like a knight in shinning armor but there is a pretty high chance you won't. I don't like getting into those situations.
I think I've heard of wooden tubs that are glued up and finshed. They don't have to stay wet and you cna use soap. I read about them here maybe. Maybe they need to seel the wrong one and buy the right one?
Oh I wasn't suggesting that they would be alright risking that situation! Just a theoretical question.
As far as other tubs that are water tight in barrel making it's referred to as a "Wet Barrel" (big surprise right". The seal comes from accurate joint work and external bands to keep it under pressure. Maybe there are companies out their selling them. That's a lot of water to push a joint apart tho.
The tub does in fact need the water so it does not leak at the seams as well as the fitting for the re-circulation of the water, basically it is old fashion boat building. The wood swells and closes off any voids. Because the tub is a reqtangle and not round it does not have any bands and is in fact made up of 5 panels so what we are concerned with is the mitered corners and the 5 fittings that it was outfitted with for the drain and re-circulation of the water. I am not trying to be the problem solver and savior as this is a problem created by miscommunication between the architect and homeowner. However as we all know the solution what ever it may if it goes wrong the homeower is not going to call the architect they are going to call the builders; us. As for selling the tub, that does not seem to be an option at this time.
It could be used inside or out it really does not matter. What i am trying to guard agianst is someone claiming they have a solution and doing the work only to have it go really wrong. When full this tub will have about 200 gallons in it so in does not take much imagination to know the damage that could be done if it were to fail.
Fit it with a copper liner and be done with it.
We have a winner!Except for the part where the occupants turn green... <G>
IMO, the homeowner should accept things as they are and put the tub to use as it was intended.
I've installed a few hot tubs and in-ground fiberglass spas as well. I'd prefer wood for a soaking tub.
BTW, as others have said, the two materials are totally incompatible, due to the expansion/contraction of wood according to humidity. That's why fiberglass objects are laid up on molds made of similar material. Spas and boats are two good examples.
I suggest that you sell the homeowner on the Japanese tradition of long soaks to deep cleanse the skin while relaxing the mind and body. This is also traditional anywhere that natural hot springs are found, including the U.S.
When you're finished you climb out and take a brief shower.
Edited 2/15/2008 2:12 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
The design of the space is meant to just that, a Japanese style bath. Somehow the homeower just never really wrapped her mind around the total concept. Everyone who has posted have only confirmed that which I though and that is that trying to coat this tub is a very bad idea and the long term implacations are for one major head-ache in the long term.
let me know if you want to sell it, if your local, your profile was not completed.
We fiberglassed a camper shell we made of redwood benderboard. The wood moved so much all the joints cracked, glass and all. The finish stops looking nice about the second day, as it scratches easily. The mat obscures the grain. The resin causes some folks respiratory problems and others skin rashes while being applied. And it isn't cheap.
I think that's about it.
I used to make 8' darkroom sinks with ply and coat the inside with fiberglass. In time the fiberglass would seperate from the wood, no good!
Then I switched to a expoxy paint, a bit better, but still in time, no good.
In time I learned to buy the right thing for the right job, man is a 8' S.S. sink, $$$$$$
Sounds like that tub was designed to be outside on a deck or something, not inside and having the whole house smell like the high school pool.