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| Recent Customer Installation of New Cast Iron Clawfoot Tub |
You’ve
just purchased a Victorian Era styled house or wish to build or remodel based on the style and are looking for a tub fitting the period. In early America, when main bathrooms came in to
style, the cast iron clawfoot tub became the standard. Known for their
durability and temperature retention the cast iron bathtub became the hallmark
soaking tub used through several generations.
Why did they fall out of favor?
in 1883,
both the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company (now American Standard) and
Kohler began the process of enameling cast iron bathtubs to form a smooth
interior surface. For a time, only the wealthy could afford the cost of a cast
iron bathtub but when they started mass producing the tubs it opened up
availability to home owners of lower income levels. Which was great, however,
the sheer weight of the tub limited the type of houses the tub could be put in
and generally only on the first floor. In many cases, having a properly
reinforced floor to accommodate a heavy tub may not have been in a homeowner’s
budget or consideration when building or purchasing a home back then. Other
materials and lighter weight options eventually began to enter the scene and
take over the market. Slowly the beautiful and timeless cast iron bathtub
disappeared as an option to purchase “new”.
Why did it take them so long to emerge back in to style?
Actually,
the clawfoot tub never really lost its allure to home buyers and remodelers who
cherished the look and the period of American history they represent. For many years it was nearly impossible to find a brand new cast iron bathtub and buyers started turning to the secondary market. Availability of new tubs in the U.S.A. was impacted by the amount of lead content in the tubs manufactured at the time as well as the fact that the American National Standard plumbing codes changed. The change in the code essentially prevented vintage cast
iron tubs from passing plumbing inspections on new builds and bathroom
remodels.
Take a
look at the placement of the overflow and faucet holes on a vintage tub.
Now take a
look at the placement of the overflow and faucet holes on the new cast iron
bathtub.
The revised
plumbing codes required the placement of the overflow to be at least on-to-two inches
below the rim of the tub, where the incoming waterlines come through the faucet.
This is a precaution against a drop in pressure in the water line, such as a
break. With the faucet being above the rim the bathwater is prevented from
being siphoned out, back through the lines, which would contaminate the fresh
water supply. https://law.resource.org/pub/us/code/ibr/iapmo.upc.2009.pdf
In an
online article, This Old House states, “For an average cost of $350 to $500-a
fraction of the $1,200 to $5,000 expense of a new cast-iron or steel tub
installed — refinishers can make an antique fixture look brand new.” This may
be applicable to a homeowner who has an existing cast iron tub which requires
refinishing to bring it back to life as the owner is not remodeling or building
a new home. If the tub is not part of the original structure the story and
estimates may prove significantly higher, perhaps even more costly than
purchasing a new clawfoot tub and fixtures.
Essentially,
an antique cast iron clawfoot tub found on secondary seller sites such as
Craigslist would have to be retrofitted to accommodate modern plumbing so as to
pass inspections. This would require, not only, a thorough refinishing of the
inside and outside of the bathtub but also a significant cost in plugging the
existing holes on the face of the vintage tub. Both the plugging of the holes
and the refinishing or reglazing of the bathtub results in a tub that is now
not original porcelain on the surface. Once a the tub has been refinished or
reglazed the owner now has to be concerned with cleaning chemicals and sharp or
heavy items which may damage or discolor the new surface. Inevitably the tub
will have to be professionally resurfaced much more often than a new porcelain
cast iron bathtub.
Here at
Tub King, in Jacksonville, Florida, we routinely refinish vintage tubs, farmhouse sinks,
and other items. We are also the only approved
refinishing/resurfacing trainer in the entire United States for Midwest
Chemicals. We have a great love for the antique cast iron tubs and thoroughly
understand the allure of wanting to have that “feel” and “look” of the past,
which is why we sell brand new cast iron clawfoot and pedestal bathtubs for new
home builders and home remodelers. In the end, what you “think” is a higher
cost saves money and headaches down the road when deciding whether to purchase a
new or buy a vintage tub.
When pricing the
purchase of a new tub or considering the expense of retrofitting and
refinishing a vintage tub, consider the long term savings of buying brand new
and visit www.tubking.com or calling us at
(800) 409-3375.
