Spray Kohler Cast Iron Tub White? Suggestions?

2 years ago

I am remodeling my bathroom. I have a mustard yellow / gold Kohler Villager From maybe the 70’s. Not sure how old. It’s in great shape but the color is bad. My plumber suggested buying a new Americast tub to replace it. The builder suggested buying a newer more modern version of it, Kohler Bellwether. They still sell the Villager. I hate to spend the $$$ to tear out a perfectly good tub to replace it with one that is not as well made or one that is exactly like the old one. Install is the money issue. Anyone had luck with the various spraying companies? Miracle Method? Or?? 550 was the cost to spray white. I just don’t want to squander my chance to replace if spraying doesn’t work. Thx for your help!

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Comments (5)

Jeanne Cardwell
2 years ago
Replace while you have the chance, I speak from experience.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
The spraying is just a stop gap and IMO change it now or be prepared to make a huge mess later.
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I am so sorry I bought an Americast kitchen sink. I chose it because, yes, it was cheaper, but also it was the shape I wanted. Now the enamel is wearing off -- dulling -- and I have had to repair two chips. (Ten years; two-person household.) My Kohler prep sink looks brand new. I have an airjet tub in the master bath. It has a heater to keep the water warm, but if you like long soaks I'd go for the Kohler. Is the Mendota the right size for you? I like the fast fill for my smaller airjet tub and I don't slide down to 'drown' in it. It's an Ultra Bain.
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I would not give it up at this point. Ask the plumber to get his wholesaler into it again - they likely have more pull than a single person buying a single tub. They were willing to replace the entire tub for him, at the very least they should be willing to do what they said they'd do before. I would question the wholesaler as to whether or not this tub was actually brand new and not a return. The first thing I thought of when you said there were spider cracks around the drain is that someone had overtightened the drain (my shower base manufacturer warned me that if you get a "gorilla" for a plumber this can sometimes happen). If you're sure your plumber didn't inflict the damage, I would suspect that the tub had been installed somewhere before. Alternately the tub could have been damaged somewhere in transit - again this should be an issue the wholesaler should be able to take up with their shipper. I'm half wondering if the wholesaler didn't even take it up with kohler but rather was going to do the swap for you just like that because it's easier. Ultimately you will decide how much effort you want to want to expend to get whoever is responsible to pay for the fix. It could be the wholesaler, it could be the shipper, it could be a manufacturing defect. Everyone is going to want to pass the buck on it too, but I'd keep after the plumber and wholesaler because I think it is more likely damage than a defect. At the same time you might want to tell Kohler that you want someone out there to SEE the defect (be careful not to say the word "damage") and actually make a determination about whether it is a defect or not - because surely they can't do that over the phone. Ask to speak to a supervisor if necessary. It sucks that you are dealing with this with your brand new tub though :(.
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OK, I know this thread is ancient but I just had to add my two cents worth for people who come along later as I did. The idea that cast iron retains heat longer than fiberglass or acrylic tub materials is simply a myth. Cast Iron, even with porcelain over it is a better CONDUCTOR of heat than any of the modern tub materials other than steel. Steel and cast iron will conduct heat at more or less the same rate with differences that would only matter in a lab. Cast Iron will transmit heat to the surrounding air and other materials faster than fiberglass or acrylic, which are both better insulators than cast iron. This is the exact opposite of retaining heat. Anybody who doubts this: Take a cast iron pan, fill it with hot water. Take a plastic pan of equal size and fill it with hot water of the same temperature. Put the pans side by side with a thermometer in them. Check them an hour later. I guarantee you the water in the cast iron pan has lost more heat and is colder because cast iron is much better able to radiate heat to the surrounding air than plastic. There is no way that any metal tub whether steel or cast iron is going to keep the water in it warmer than fiberglass or Acrylic will. Yes cast iron does radiate some of the heat from the water back to the bather above the water line, which some people like, but it does this because it's a better conductor of heat, not because it holds heat. The sole advantage of cast iron is, admittedly, much greater strength and if you want maximum strength steel is stronger still. I've demo'd multiple cast iron tubs into pieces with a sledge hammer. It shatters easily. Try that with steel.
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In my Kohler cast iron shower pan, I use something called R.O.G.3 Its a spray. I can't remember how I came across it. Supposedly it is recommended by Kohler. It works well. I wash my light gray shower pan about once every 3 months. I am the only one using it and I don't go barefoot. So it stays very clean. I could wash it more often, but I can hardly tell the difference. I clean the walls about once or twice per year, because I wipe the entire shower down after every shower with a microfiber auto detailing towel that I got at The Rag Company. Wiping down everything prevents any build up of soap and keeps all areas from getting moldy. I turn my fan on, and run about 30 minutes, when I start my shower and have never had any mold issues in the bathroom. Nothing steams up. the towels I use for drying are: edgeless-avalanche-20-x-40-super-plush-drying-microfiber-towel I hang it over my glass shower door and it dries beautifully. When I wash the microfiber, I wash on hot water with only other microfiber products. You don't want to wash microfiber with cotton, etc, because the lint from these other fibers are believed to "clog" the grabbing capacity of the microfiber. I used a squeegee for a few months and hated the process. A towel is SO MUCH easier IMO.
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katinparadise
2 years ago
The glazing holds up for about 3-5 years, then you'll need to replace. I would do it now while you're remodeling.
hifromlisa
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you so much for your comments. While I was at the tile shop today, the sales person told me that over the years she’s worked with many people who wish they would’ve just replaced the tub when they had a chance. I think that is important with a completely gutted bathroom.

I actually called Kohler today too. They were very helpful. They have some Kohler approved “refinishing“ companies for cast-iron tubs. However, there were none near me. I asked about the spray type of refinishing and she said they don’t recommend it. She told me to Google refinishing cast-iron tubs and all that came up was Miracle Method and the other companies. I might call again tomorrow just out of curiosity to find out who their approved companies are, even though there is not one near me in Minneapolis, just to find out what kind of company they are.

I did address one other issue that I had read about and that is that the new cast-iron tubs have a slight wave to them as in they are not completely flat. The sides look like a slight ripple like finish. She said some tubs are worse than others. She told me the reason for that is over the years they have changed what goes into the cast-iron tubs. That’s when she said if I really wanted to keep the one I have to find someone to refinish it. She wasn’t specific about what used to be in it versus what is in it now but I thought that was interesting too.

All of this to say, I’m just gonna buy a new tub. I’d rather save the money but as the old saying goes I don’t wanna be penny wise pound foolish. I’m going to go with a Kohler bellwether. I like that it is low to the ground but has clean lines. Easy to step over but still a bath if you need it. And it’s a beloved cast iron tub!
badgergal
2 years ago
Years ago we had a very old tub refinished in a condo that we owned. Four years after it was refinished it was starting to have some issues. Glad we sold the place before it failed even more.

Last spring we replaced a one piece acrylic tub/shower unit in our hall bath with a Kohler Bellwether tub. The tub was under $700. We love the way it looks, no ripples or waves.

Spray Kohler Cast Iron Tub White? Suggestions?

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Jeanne Cardwell

Patricia Colwell Consulting

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Spray Kohler Cast Iron Tub White? Suggestions?

Comments (5)

Jeanne Cardwell

Patricia Colwell Consulting

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katinparadise

hifromlisaOriginal Author

badgergal

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hifromlisa
Original Author