for a japanese bath design all you need is a nice tiled floor, a hinoki wood tub, and some hot water

hinoki wood japanese bathtub > FAQs/comments > FAQ's - durability

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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