FAQ's - wood quality
| SIMPLICITY + SATISFACTION: Installing a wood bath tub might be thrilling for you and a little worrisome for your contractorif he is doing it for the first time. Actually, installation, use and maintenance of a hinoki bathtub is very straightforward and you will be surprised how simple it is. Please look at the FAQ`s below and feel free to ask anything you do not understand. |
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| Kiso valley: selective logging -> |
 Q #01 |
Is Hinoki the same wood as Port Orford Cedar? |
| A #01 | No. Can you say that a filet mignon is the same of T-bone steak? Port Orford Cedar, also known as Yellow Cedar, is an appreciated North american wood used for construction and sidings. Anyway, Hinoki (or cypress hinoki) has higher rot resistance and more pleasant grain and color. Moreover, the soft aroma of the Hinoki wood is much more pleasant than the strong smell of the Port Orford Cedar, expecially when warm water is poured on it. For this reason, we may suggest the use of Orford Port Cedar for the wall paneling of the bathroom, but we do not recommend to have a bath tub or the floor duck boards built with this wood. |
| Q #02 | Are your bath tubs made in Cypress Hinoki wood? Are they made in Japan? |
| A #02 | Yes. All our Hinoki comes from the Kiso Valley (Nagano prefecture, Japan): the most precious hinoki production area. Since the 1950`s all tree cutting is done in respect to the environmental sustainability and is subject to strict rules. Yes. all our bath tubs are handmade in Japan by our skilled "toyo" (master carpenter) using traditional techniques. |
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FAQ's - durability
Q #03 |
Does knotty hinoki last as long as the smooth one? |
| A #03 | The knotty and smooth wood have almost the same performance. Should they were to be tested in a laboratory, you will find out that the straight cut hinoki is maybe 10% more resistant than the knotty one. But this is rather an academic problem. You will avoid anyway putting the hinoki in extreme conditions and will enjoy it for 20 or 30 years. It should add that the knotty hinoki is slightly (again, about 10%) more aromatic than the straight one as knots tend to be rich in resin. |
| Q #04 | I live in a dry and hot climate. Will my japanese hinoki bath tub suffer damage from this conditions? |
| A #04 | The japanese hinoki is a very tough wood. It is compact, stable, hard, insect and mold resistant. It does not crack in conditions where other woods crack and does not mold when all woods usually rot. But it is still a natural material and it is always better to avoid extreme conditions. It is ok if you use it at least once a week. If you leave your house for a long period, fill your hinoki tub @ 3/4 of water and leave uncovered. Or fill for about 12" and cover with its lid. Avoid direct permanent sunlight exposure, expecially when not used. If you keep it always full, you might want to empty it once or twice a week and let it dry for 12 hours. |
| Q #05 | I am looking at your rectangular ofuro.
What is the life span? I am concerned that due to its rectangular shape, over time, the water pressure might cause leaking at the seams. |
| A #05 | The life span depends very much on the site conditions and care in using it. A wood tub is built to last 30 years and over of daily use: anyway the average life span is about 10-15 years. The problems are not caused by water pressure, as we dimension carefully the thickness of the planks and the joints are extremely solid. If the ofuro is wider than 800mm we use a top beam frame construction. The causes of aging come from humidity level. If it is too high, it can create stains or mold. If the room is to dry, the wood might crack. Of course cracks can be repaired, but the esthetics is compromised and after 10-15 years many decide to replace the tub. Keep in mind anyway that ofuros in commercial spas or hotels in japan thus are heavily used, have a long life span because are well mantained.  If you check periodically an hygrometer and keep the habit of quickly wiping the tub after every use with a towel, your tub will be strong and even more splendid after 30 years. Here to the right is the side board (against the wall) of a 15 years old tub we just replaced in a hotel. Considering that it could not be accessed for cleaning, it is still in good condition after all this time! |
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FAQ's - equipment
Q #06 |
I would like my bath tub equipped with a circulating pump. |
| A #06 | Sorry, we cannot supply from Japan heating / filtering / circulation pumps or whirpool systems. Maintenance or replacement of parts would be too troublesome and expensive. You should find one locally and send us the pump specs so we can modify the bath-tub as required. Please note anyway that in most cases a pump is uneconomical and unpratical for private use. |
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| Q #07 | Do we need to adapt the diameter/length of the fittings? We are planning to use a circulation pump. |
| A #07 |
You have to think of the hinoki tub as a large basinet. It is simply set on the floor and not connected with any piping (a part for the case of a pump). The faucet is wall mounted and the water flows into the tub. Often the drain is not even connected with any fitting: the water flows out from the bottom towards a floor-drain. For the pump fittings: you can let us know the exact location of the outlet and inlet so we can prepare the openings. Actually, opening the drain hole (of the right size, in the right location) on site is the probably best option as the tub is made of solid wood and opening the hole is very easy. We do not have availability of fittings with diameter/threading matching the connections of your pump. You should request the pump manufacturer fittings at least 3" long. (the tub wall is 42mm thick). In the worst case, you should be able to have fittings custom made in your country without too much fuss. |
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| Q #08 | Your site recommends 'pure warm water' Is a high salt content okay? My image is the salt pools I sat in at Spa LaQua. I am thinking of Israel Dead Sea Salts, or another healthy salt. |
| A #08 | There isn`t any direct problem about using salty water in a hinoki bath as long as:
1) once tub is emptied, it should be generously washed with normal water to avoid oxidation and staining
2) we will use stainless screws and plates, so no problem. Anyway we do not have experience of this and do not know what it will happen in the long span. It may be OK, I do not know. You would have to try at your risk. I feel that salty water would at least alter the aroma and therapeutical properties of hinoki, but this might be just a prejudice. |
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| Q #09 | Do you only make ofuro, or do you also provide disinfection systems, recirculation pumps, and everything I need for a commercial ofuro? |
| A #09 | To be honest, building a tub is more similar to naval carpentry than a normal plumber job. We do not supply any machine or pump equipment of any sort. I recommend to find locally a pump and cartridge filter. If you replace the water every 3 days or so, you might skip the filter. About the disinfection: do not use chlorine. Ozone seems to be popular, personally I would recommend a salt chlorinator. Please ask a pool equipment dealer near you. I had a client who used 'Aquapure' in a small pool and was very satisfied. It is a product available in the US. See: http://www.jandy.com/html/products/chlorinegenerators/aquapure_faqs.php |
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FAQ's - order and payment
Q #10 | Can you ship to the United States? How long does it take? | |
| A #10 | Yes, we do ship to the US and to many other countries worldwide. In most of the cases we use air freight. Once the order is confirmed with a deposit, we start to custom build your bathtub. We guarantee the delivery to your home in 6~8 weeks from confirmed order. Shipping is done in a sturdy wood box and it contains the bathtub unit already in one piece for troublefree installation. | |
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| Q #11 | Is the cost inclusive of transportation? | |
| A #11 | Yes.The personalized quote includes pick-up in Japan, freight, terminal charges and delivery up to your door. The price may not include sales taxes. In most cases you (the coinsignee) will have to fill in a customs application (it can be done by fax) which costs 200-250 US$ and includes sales tax. You will not have to pay any other charge. | |
| Q #12 | What kind of payment schedule is common for the purchase? May we use credit cards? | |
| A #12 | Every tub is made to order. We will require a 50% deposit (made by wire transfer to our bank in Japan) to confirm the order. The 50% is calculated on the price of custom made items only. Within 30 days we will build the tub and send you by email the photographs of the complete tub / accessories. Then we will require the balance 50% payment + packing charge + accessories if any (es. bucket, chair...) + transportation charge, as it was shownon the quote. If you prefer, you can use a forwarder you know. Sorry, we do not accept credit cards. | |
| Q #24 | My builder also enquired if it would be possible to get something like a VAT registration statement in respect of Bartok Design in Japan, if such a thing exists in Japan (it can be in japanese, I can get it translated locally). Or is this information going to be contained on the invoice? This is becase - I assume - since the tub was produced for export, there would have been no VAT or equivalent sales tax chargeable in Japan, but it will fall to be paid by me once I take the house with the tub in it from the builder. The builder would like some sort of documentation to support this. | |
| A #24 | I understand what you are saying (a stamp stating that the shipper is VAT exempt is required for exports originating in Italy), anyway the japanese customs do not require it. The shipping is DDU terms (Delivered Duty Unpaid) which already implies that VAT is payable by the coinsignee. On nearly one hundred of shippings we were never required to provide this declaration so to be honest I am not sure how to make it. Of course I can add a "VAT unpaid in country of origin for exported products" declaration and send you the amended invoice. Is it enough? Do you have any specific requirement according to the format of this declaration? | |
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FAQ's - maintenance
Q #13 |
How long can I leave the water inside the tub? Do I need to dry it after each use? |
| A #13 | The water should be removed while still warm (cold water can facilitate the insurgence of mold). It is a good practice to quickly wipe the bathtub with a towel to remove the excess water. Then ensure there is a good natural ventilation (a bathroom with a vindow is strongly recommended) so the wood can "automatically" regulate its degree of humidity. |
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| Q #14 | Are your japanese hinoki bath tubs mold resistant? How do I clean it? |
| A #14 | Again, hinoki wood has a unique natural protection against rot, mold and fungi, but you should use some common sense. If the bathroom is not ventilated or if you leave the bathtub full of cold water on a daily base, some stains may appear overtime. No need to worry. Just pour abundant warm water on the area until well absorbed by the wood. Then wipe gently with a cloth sprayed with alcohol for disinfection. The stain will disappear completely. |
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| Q #15 | Which is the optimal humidity level for a wood tub? Can I use one for outdoors? |
| A #15 | You should pay attention to the following:
The wood is a natural material and is well preserved in a balanced environment. A moisture percentage of 50% is recommended.
Yes, you can install the tub outdoors, but please avoid as much as possible direct sunlight exposure, expecially when the tub is empty. |
| Q #21 | Several years ago I purchased a tub from Japan and it came with a container of a kind of cleaning/conditioning fluid for the tub, which included a hinoki oil base. Do you offer, or know where I could obtain, something similar? |
| A #21 | Cleaning liquid: I am sorry, we do not have this product. In Japan, as in other countries, hinoki oil is available for aromatherapy in different formats, including a liquid emulsion to be poured inside the hot water to have a hinoki-tub-like aromatic effect. This is not used for cleaning. Hinoki wood contains within its fibers the resinous product commonly known as hinokitiol. Usage of cleaning products such as detergents or waxes/oils will clog the natural wood pores thus sealing inside the hinokitiol. If you want to take maternal care of the tub, you may wipe it with a towel after use which will prevent any darkening caused by mold. Then keep a hygrometer inside the bathroom and avoid the relative humidity to drop below 50%. |
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FAQ's - construction
Q #16 |
I am measuring the niche where I will be placing the hinoki tub. How precise should the dimensions be? |
| A #16 | We build with a tolerance of +/-1mm, anyway be aware that wood is a natural material and tends to shrink and expand with the change of seasons. If you place it against a wall, be sure to leave a 10mm~15mm clearance all around to ensure air circulation (see details page). |
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| Q #17 | Do hinoki wood tubs leak? |
| A #17 | Hinoki tubs do not leak but may weep when the water is kept inside for a long time or due to condensation. Waterproofing of the floor is not required, but recommended. Anyway I would suggest to use materials such as stone or tiles under the tub. |
| Q #18 | Is it possible to have the bath fabricated from Teak wood? If not..which wood that you use wood look good next to teak..perhaps with a stain to bring the wood darker and closer to the Teak? |
| A #18 | Our company is specialized in japanese hinoki wood and other softwoods of the cypress family such as sawara or asnaro-hiba. We will not build a tub in teak or any other imported essence. If a tub should ever be built in teak, it should be uretan coated as it would produce an unpleasing smell and anyway it has not therapeutic properties. About staining hinoki: again, one of the main points of having a japanese wood tub built is the aroma and the natural feeling of untreated wood. By using a stain, these 2 elements would be spoiled. |
| Q #19 | May I ask why the corners of your tubs are ‘T’ shaped? Can you make mitred joints? |
| A #19 | While hinoki is impermeable when cut parallel to the wood grain, transversal sections are 6~8 times more vulnerable to water infiltration.
The traditional joint allows for full coverage of the plank head. Also, plugs and SUS screws can be inserted deeply in the joining plank, making the tub extremely solid and durable. No, we will not make 45° mitered cuts. It is a weaker joint and is not a proper detail for a hinoki tub. I wish that tubs with mitered corners were not misleadingly called “Japanese tub”… |
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FAQ's - certifications
Q #20 |
I visited your website. I really like the look and healing properties of your tubs. And, the craftsmanship seems outstanding. After reading about the hinoki wood and the few places it can be found, I was curious if the hinoki wood you are using is farmed or old wood. Is there concern about depleting it? Here in the Northwest United States much of our cedar is gone -- to the point of great environmental concern. I know Japan is protecting its forests as well. I'm curious about the current situation with the hinoki species. |
| A #20 | We use both cultivated and natural wood. It depends on the type of project, size, quantity etc.
In any case, all the wood comes from sustainably managed areas, some are FSC certified (FSC tands for Forest Stewardship Council).
Hinoki is a coniferous tree and the growth takes about 20-25 years before being commecially exploitable. Farmed wood has the advantage of having few or no thru knots for an optimized usage of the material.
Japanese farmed coniferous wood is a story with lights and shadows. Back in the 60`s and 70`s, millions of acres of mixed aboriginal woodland has been destroyed to make space for the more commecially exploitable farmed wood for construction. To add insult to injury, during the 1990`s a weak dollar promoted imports of cheap 2x4 material from Canada, so that japan forestry entered a deep crysis. After overproduction caused a drop in price, many forested areas ceased to be maintained or were abandoned all-together. This created a new problem: man-made monocultured-crop forests are not stable ecosystem and the lack of maintenance causes landslides and other disasters. The bottomline is that there is no point in crying over the poured milk: now the only thing we can do is to use this overstocked farmed wood to bring some relief to the mountain problems and maybe end up saving also some north american cedar forest (or what is left.) |
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| Q #22 | The shipper tolsd us that the customs may require what they called a PHYTO Certificate. It was explained to me to be a declaration by the producer of the imported goods which type of wood the product is made of, that the wood used was not treated by any dangerous chemical substance and that it is free from pests. Have you heard of such a requirement before? |
| A #22 | As the tub is a manufactured wood product, you should not be required for a Phyto certificate. Anyway we will be glad to supply a declaration stating the origin, treatments and properties of the lumber we employ. Please see here a sample -> PHYTO CERTIFICATE
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| Q #23 | We are looking into your tubs for a remodel in the state of New York in the US. The building inspector has told us that the tub needs to have ASME plumbing approval (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Do the tubs meet this standard? Can they be made to? |
| A #23 | Thank you for your interest in our hinoki products.
Sorry, we do not have an ASME sticker. We had 2 cases in the past of exports to Canada requiring a CSA sticker. I think that the client explained the details and could convince the inspector.
This is the first case I hear of such a requirement for the US.
You should keep the line that a hinoki tub is not a hygenical fixture (bathtub), it is rather a health equipment (soaking tub). We are at your disposability, should you have any problem.
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