http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x6012Oh my.
The sparkling husband primitive.
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-07-08 10:08 PM
Original message
Is anyone familiar with Americast tubs?
We're ready to buy the new tub for our house reno. cast iron is out of the question due to the difficulty of getting it in and up stairs in a narrow old Baltimore rowhouse. The Americast is far lighter.
Has anyone had any experience with them, long term?
Kingshakabobo (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 11:16 AM
Response to Original message
1. I heard bad things about them from plumbers on plumbing.com.
They were saying the porcelain(??) flakes off and the tubs tend to arrive damaged due to their fragility. Of course, I read that AFTER we installed one in my sister-in-law's house. I will say, I would probably tend to agree with the plumbers as some of the porcelain on the lower edge of the apron flaked off while we were installing it. Fortunately for us, it was below the tile/cement board height. Also, the SIL lives alone with no kids so we HOPEFULLY won't have any wear and tear issues.
Excellent source for plumbing questions:
http://www.plbg.com/forum/list.php?1
I feel your pain on the cast iron weight issue. I purchased a Kohler cast iron spa tub for my place. I had three of my friends come over to help me carry it up three flights of stairs but we couldn't budge the fricken thing off the first floor landing. I was lucky to have a neighbor down the street moving so I borrowed her movers and paid them 100 bucks to take it up for me.
The guy I hired to install it called me in a panic when he realized I left him a cast iron tub to install. Apparently, he assumed I paid him to install fiberglass tub with removable front apron.....LOL. I don't know how he did it, but he installed the thing in a three wall alcove and no removable apron and no access behind/underneath.
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 01:03 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. True to form, I purchased one earlier today ....... BEFORE reading this.
Oy vey .......
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 06:09 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. Okay, I took it back.
Not a penny lost, but my back hurts.
What about Sterling Ensemble (made from Vikrell)? Reviews seem very subjective and are all over the lot. Lowe's sells both Americast and Sterling and the guy in the store is very much in favor of the Sterling. He says it is their most popular tub.
AZDemDist6 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 06:11 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. too bad it's going in your rental property (isn't it??) cuz a good fiberglas tub sounds like the ticket
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 06:19 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Like the barefoot shoemaker's kid ........
.... the main bath in our house needs a makeover, too. Once we do the rental, we'll get to our own house .... we ain't either broke or dead.
Kingshakabobo (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 06:22 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. Check with that plumbing site..........
..There are several pros that post there and they are pretty helpful. They might have a brand the plumbers like that isn't sold at the big-box stores. For instance, the plumber LOVE the Toto toilet but you can't get them at the big boxers.
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-08-08 06:54 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. I did check there, lots of hits on a search for both "Vikrell" and "Sterling Ensemble"
Lasco was the only other brand that got some mention and that was mostly tepid.
Now ..... the Sterling is 60 x 32 unit. My bath is small and very tight, but hopefully I can fit it in.
eleny Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Jan-11-08 01:40 PM
Response to Reply #7
8. How did it work out for you?
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Jan-11-08 05:34 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. I spent until quite last yesterday getting the supply rough-in moved and the new mixer installed ...
..... and now I need to move the drain an inch or so. I was going to do it today, but my son is sick and I'm too busy to take the time to go there.
I am now wishing I have stayed with the 30" tub. Moving all the plumbing for a damned one inch difference is a HUGE hassle. The ceiling below is now closed and the drain itself is over some ductwork in a soffit in the kitchen, so getting access to it from below is VERY difficult.
That said, the Sterling tub, it turns out, is ***identical*** to the one in my son's house. His is very nice and has worn well. The issue is that it isn't set into a mortar bed (optional with this tub) and the bottom can be felt to 'work' a bit as one moves around in it. We're planning to put a mortar bed under this one.
eleny Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Jan-11-08 08:34 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Oh, that one inch!
After all the plumbing we had done around here last year I can understand about those inches. Our new bathroom has a shower. And the drain is off center a smidge. Not a big deal since the shower is so big. But it's the way it worked out. We didn't have architect's plans and went about telling people what we wanted. Then you go to install the step-in of the shower and realize it wasn't factored into the plans. Since it's a house with a concrete slab and no crawl space everything is pretty much "set in stone". No changing the position of the drain for those 2 inches.
Good luck with your project. You have my respect doing all of it yourself!
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-15-08 04:37 PM
Response to Original message
12. Update ..... the tub got installed today
We set it into mortar as the floor was quite unlevel. The plumbing is all ready to finalize and lines up nicely. We'll get it fully installed tomorrow and get the backer board up for the tiling. In the course of redoing the house, this is the tub replacement was the job I dreaded the most. It isn't done yet, but it sure looks like the worst is over and we can move on to the kitchen next.
You know, I misspoke the other day.
I was thinking of the crooked tale primitive, and not the sparkling husband primitive, when I commented about California; the sparkling husband primitive is in Maryland, not California.
With 5,000 primitives, many of whom all look alike, sometimes one gets them mixed up.
