hidey ho, everybody

Got a question about the Kohler Greek Tub t'other day, and since the response was sooooo long and sooooo informative, I thought to myself "share the wealth." Plus I took a couple pix, and nothing goes together better than pix and posts.

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Glad to share more info regarding our experience with Kohler's Greek tub. For us, the dimensions are great. As you already know, it's short; when sitting bolt upright I can just barely extend my legs full length. Some people have questioned the comfort of a short tub -- but when's the last time anyone sat so rigidly while soaking in the tub? If I want to extend my legs, I prefer slouching down and propping my heels on the edge.

And the depth more than compensates for length. In fact, its depth is the more important factor for installation considerations because it results in more volume than standard tubs, so there's more water weight. We considered consulting a structural engineer to calculate the load, but since bathroom was a gut reno we just sistered the floor joists before putting in new subfloor.

Water weight was also a factor when I caulked between wall and tub. I'd read a trick about filling tub with water before caulking and draining it only after caulk has cured, but for whatever reason I ignored that advice -- and had to rip out the caulk a few days later when gaps formed at both of the surrounding walls. For the re-caulk, I filled tub and seal held, though after several months I noticed a small gap and will need to pull the caulk on that edge again. I'm guessing the new gap has to do with structural settling, ie not much I can do but monitor the situation. Small price for a great tub.

Our decision to side-mount the fixtures was based on rain-type shower head. In my experience, shower heads are end-mounted because of the angled spray and the accommodation of tub length to adjust location of spray on the body; with rain-type shower head that's not a factor. I also feel like the end-mount orientation is contrary to the body's orientation while showering. By that I mean my wider dimension (side-to-side) spends most of the time while showering in the tub's narrower dimension (also side-to-side). Placing the rain shower head on side wall means I can stand "sideways" in the tub, which gives me more sense of room.

And it made a lot more sense to run the supply lines on same wall as shower fixture, rather than running at least one line around the corner. Could have end-mounted the shower and run a longer arm, perhaps with a ceiling support -- but I didn't. And I really am happy with the side mount. We've made several unorthodox decisions in the design/renovation of our house; some people questioned the wisdom, but I've been happy with outcome in every case.

One more tip: insulate the tub! We wrapped some spare fiberglass insulation around as much of the tub as we could reach after it was installed but before we closed up the deck. I can only compare to all the other tubs I've used that seemed to lose heat faster than I wanted; definitely not a problem with this tub. Insulating tub body is probably a good idea no matter what tub you get. I think I got the idea while reading about building a deck for a hot tub installation and made sense to apply same wisdom to standard tub.

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'K, that's all for now. Oh, and I quit my job a month AND didn't do a lick of work on the house besides wash dishes, do laundry, tidy, and make meals. What WILL it take to kick this project back into gear? I'm thinking warmer weather.

Comments

[toby]

...there's only one thing I might add. The tub uses a LOT of water. Unlike my sister who can draw a bath and do laps in it all day, I can only soak in a hot tub for 20 or 30 minutes max.

That's a lot of fresh water for my soothing pleasure that then rolls down the drain. Right now, I think I'm at about one a month.

[Alfred]

Very Interesting article. I used spray insulation from Home Depot and it worked like a charm.

[yuko]

Hello. I came across your site while searching for reviews of Kohler's greek. We're remodeling our bath and have been searching high and low for a soaking tub. I really miss that Japanese bathing experience. We're considering Kohler's tub and have been wondering about the overflow -- whether if it's high enough for a deep soak. How tall are you, if you don't mind my asking, and how good is water coverage?

Your bathroom looks beautiful, by the way. Very nice work.

[michael]

I am 5'7". When the tub is totally full, ie up to the built-in overflow, the water is plenty deep enough to submerge my shoulders, and if I fold my legs a bit into a very loose cross-legged position then my knees are also completely under water. This is a rather reclined position, which is typical of Western tubs; I haven't used a Japanese-style soaking tub, but I gather it's used in a more upright seated position. Personally, I have no problem lying back in the tub, but then I was raised using tubs in that way. Hope this helps in your decision.

Have you looked at the OmniTub? Wouldn't have fit in my bathroom, and shipping from UK could be pricey. Thought I'd mentioned because it was a brief contender -- and for some reason not at all easy to locate in web searches. So here's the URL http://www.omnitub.co.uk/

[sid281]

The Kohler Greek Tub looks lovely but if you soak for a long time it can get a bit uncomfortable on the back of the neck. The best remedy is to get a neck pillow. There are plenty available from centres that sell hot tubs and spas. One of the most useful has brackets that allow them to hang over the bath

[Andrew]

I agree the tub looks great. I am going to look at something simular for my project. I am more of a shower person, however, now i am older i have started to like them more.
Can you buy them in the UK easily?

[Andrew MacPherson]

Hello. Pics look great. Question: Do you use a shower curtain? of glass doors? or nothing? If you could shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

[FK]

Anyone used the omnitub...? am thinking of getting one....

[Michael]

I was hot for the Omnitub in early deliberations, but wouldn't have been a good fit for the room. Not to mention delivery cost from UK. Effective advertising.

[Lewis]

Been looking at the Kohler/Creek, in my desire for a Japanesese sokuro type bath, just note that the kohler greek is about a 70-80 gallon capacity, like a six foot tub, and your 40 gallon water heater just won't cut it, hope that you have at least a 50, and more like a 60 gallon, a tank-less, or two 40s in tandem.

[mymex]

Thanks for the great info. I am also planning to install the Kohler Greek soaking tub and notice that yours is installed flush with the wall on two sides. Is this comfortable? What if the wall were flush with the side for your head?

[Melissa Bristow]

Hi: Love the bathroom. I'm contemplating a similar arrangement and wonder about a question posed that you haven't answered...do you find the need for a shower curtain or other way to block water from the shower from getting all over the room? How have you managed this?

[Debbie]

Can anyone comment on wood ceiling and maintenance?

[Julie McCambley]

Hi,

I love the tile on your wall, can you tell me what it's called and where you got it?

[Joanne]

I have done my bathroom very similar, my husband however, put me mood lighting in, which works so well with the black tiles and looks absolutely amazing!

[Helen]

Hey, I have recently had mood lighting installed in my kitchen area, it looks absolutely amazing, so I can imagine how good it would look in a bathroom with black tiles.

[sara]

This bathroom looks absolutely amazing, would you be able to advise how much something like this would cost, I have a bathroom which looks to be a similar size, and am looking to update so would like to know roughly how much it would cost.

[julia]

The white bath works really well against the black tiles, and the white grout in between the tiles just perfects the look even more.

[Discount Timberland Shoes]

Very, very nicely done!

[Subfloor insulation]

Subfloor insulation is a major issue in home and building construction. Some methods of providing insulation can be expensive. Some insulation techniques may seem like a good deal, yet will not supply the proper security you need for that climate that the home or building is situated. Teaching your self about the different options available will help you make the perfect final decision when selecting the best subfloor insulation for your home or custom building.

[Insulated Panels]

Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also.
Hello. impressive job. I did not expect this. This is a impressive story. Thanks!

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