Many hours later...Ahhh what a lovely soak in my old cast iron bathtub! I wish the experience on everyone who is tired, stressed, paining or simply in need of time out from the cares of everyday.

@ bungalomo Was it you the one determined to find vintage plumbing for your equally vintage bathtub?
How is the purpose made tap set going? If it was you I hope you are getting as much pleasure from it as was the determination you employed to find someone "old school" to help you achieve your aim. I often think about that. My vintage taps needed new washers, they still had the original ones in them much to the amazement of the plumber. He is equally amazed that the relatively new bathroom vanity pvc plumbing has cracked...its only a few years old. Suppose I need to be gracious and concede that the pipe may have been faulty to start with. The plumber is not at all impressed.

ladyrob1....Yes, that was me looking for the vintage tubset...and I
found it! I love this old tub and no amount of babble will make me
believe that a piece of PVC would be better.
I'll be in there later today after I shovel what should be our last snowstorm here. Lord willing!!!

All the hardware is chrome plated brass. Finally got rid of the "new" plastic Moen crap! Stemset was morphed from vintage guts & new/old parts from DEA Bath Machineries. My plumber did an amazing job making this all come together!

Thermal conductivity is high in cast iron because it has a high density. Therefore the professional should never say it holds heat better. It is just not true. Despite this fact many continue to insist this urban legend is true so I guess I'm going to have to shoot the Mythbusters an email. Because the cast iron has such a large mass it can adsorb more heat energy. The problem is u want the largest portion of the heat in the water, not sucked from the water. Congrats on your bathroom looks very antique and dated except that floor has a bit of a modern flare. Looks like you have some spots where the thinset is poking through your grout lines. That toilet is screaming "I need more room if we are going to pass inspection!" of coarse looks can be deceiving.

Thermal conductivity is high in cast iron because....metal is a known conductor. Lets take it to mythbusters! The conductivity of metal isn't an "opinion"...it's physics!

Pour hot coffee in a metal cup & then in a plastic cup...which would you grab bare handed??

That toilet is screaming "I need more room if we are going to pass inspection!" That toilet has already passed inspection...thank you for your concern.

Looks like you have some spots where the thinset is poking through your grout lines......It's not the thinset, and I fully agree, I'm not totally happy with the grout job either, but it's an easy fix.Congrats on your bathroom looks very antique and dated except that floor has a bit of a modern flare....Actually, the floor is very period correct. I achieved exactly what I was going for.

But I'm guessing you haven't, since you obviously thought your comments would wind me up.

Wow. I am exhausted just trying to read all the comments. All I was trying to learn was if a 1924 tub could successfully withstand a period rehab, as in could it survive the demo and if there were any hints as to visually fitting in with the new tiles. Original pedestal sink stays, for sure, and the newer Toto " Promenade" toilet is just the ticket. Am a seasoned homeowner from the USofA.

@cparfc438 My cast iron tub is exactly that age. My answer to this is YES! Apologies I haven't any pics...my camera at the time of my period reno was not a digital so would have to scan paper photos. That tub could survive a cyclone. In tropical North Queensland all were advised to shelter in the bathroom where the strength was...heavy galvanised iron pipe plumbing and a heavy tub not easily demolished and not easily made airbourne....just an example. Original pedestal sink? I didn't get one of those with my house but still looking at recycled places all over. As for new tiles surely the tile manufacturers are getting en trend and manufacturing vintage designs...if that is what you meant. Many a vintage bathroom renovator chooses black and white square tiles, Suppose it all depends on what your type of house with those bathroom items would have had...and whether the items are white. Can you put up a PIC?

@ bungalowmo..LOVE your hand made chromed brass tap set and more...Love the shape of your porcelaine coated cast iron bathtub! It looks new since it is in such good condition. Did you have it resurfaced or is it still original? It looks period and classy not 'dated'. Bet you sit in that hot water for ages and admire those hand made taps and are proud of your labours! What's this merry-(or not so) go round on conductivity all about and who's a professional here...(except us who are professional hot bathtub soakers?) Maybe you, bungalowmo, who understands what all the waffle is about....but I feel entitled to voice my experience as a cast iton hot-tubber...definitely better, stronger, warmer.....and I wonder if, in 50 years, the pvc equivalent would still be standing? Bathroom renovators spend a lot of money and time getting it just right as you have. What a shame to see the bath crumble in half a century from here had you chucked the original in favour of...the "modern" version! I usually shy away from subways, not only for the memories but also because I like a bit of glitz if I can get the "Art Deco" look....however, yours look classy.
Sadly, though, it seems I will never be appraised by the expert as to why some of the modern pvc tubs are now being made with double skins incorporating an air void in between. For strength? As insulation?

I rest my case. Bung u just reiterated my sentiments you get my point but I'm just not sure your aware of it. "known conductor", well then you should know it is sucking the heat from your water very effectively and passing it around to everything else very effectively. It is a modern prospectus to heat the bathroom air with the rest of a homes' air and to heat the homes' water with the rest of the homes' water. Who ever told u cast is stronger than steel is also mistaken. Sorry but again it's just physics. R.I.P. U old heavy burden on heat cast tub I'm movin on up to the times where i've finally got a peace of the mind. The air pocket in the pvc is probably a design to minimize flexing, for pvc is already one of the best insulatinsulating materials but, that would be a question for the engineer who designed the tub.

http://youtu.be/8NziqyNiNdI

Ladyrob ( and All) , I'll refrain from posting pics for now. Haven't done that, as yet, on HOUZZ. The original finish is a bit worn down the center of the tub, making it almost impossible to get clean. Other than that, it is a solid, beautiful tub. As to any refinishing possibilities--I'll need to do some recon on that. Perhaps our local restoration society can give some researched advice. As to the that second floor plumbing-- the cast iron was replaced with PVC a few years ago ( a good idea, btw),when our soil pipe got replaced as part of our kitchen re-do. It's about time the main bathroom floor (4" of concrete under the unglazed porcelain tiles, as you may know) was jackhammered out and replaced with new subfloor ...and hopefully a similar floor. When I get brave enough to initiate my own request for advice, I'll try photos!

I just realized how old the original post is...back to at least Dec. 2013. Wonder how jaw4x2's old tub fared in the bath rehab! As to sturdy, yet worn vs. a bit less sturdy and new--it's whatever works out and makes you happy.

Oops, a correction. I meant galvanized pipes, not cast iron pipes. Am sure there must be a difference.

@ Rod Gaskins ... thankyou sir..."probably a design to minimise flexing" (air pocket pvc tub). If a bathtub seller told me that I'd run. Just had a funny mental Pic of a very hefty fella in a flexing pvc tub...I've enjoyed the mental gymnastics on this old post. I think the reverse is true and that you.Rod, with all your science and propriety have learnt a thing or two from Bungalowmo and are revamping the knowledge to incorporate in your own speel....but then, according to you I'm "obviously of a class of thinking where nostalgia outweighs logic" therefore incapable of rationale and you are "movin' up to the times when you've finally got peace of mind". Sorry ( take as a figure of speech) to inform you that that kind of Nirvana does not exist.....except if you are sitting in a cast iron bathtub soaking for an hour or so in the " hot tub"! Whether the heat in the water is actually IN the water or stored in the cast iron of the tub is quite beside the point...it is still a "hot tub" and one can comfortably soak for hours in it. Cast iron porcelain-coated tubs are keepers!

@ cparfc438...Yes, this is an old thread, but if you go to the top to the post by the Professional Bath Express...you could find someone who has an appreciation of the old bathtubs and the new who may give you some good advice. Cheers and good luck...its a hard decision but worth the perseverance.

Yes, I am working on my spiel and the reason I ended up here is because my current project gas hit the exact question posed in thus post. My finance wants me to keep the cast iron tub which needs resurfaced and I want to get a steel porcelain coated tub. Everything is getting gutted even the subfloor and I can't stand the idea of sticking this dull monster back in. So here I am trying to find some logic I can stick to in order to change my view or work my argument to change her view. A proper resurfacing isn't a very appealing prospect due to the toxic vapors sprayed and I'm not convinced the hot tub argument holds weight because I think adding more hot water to the tub is much more logical method for keeping a hot tub. Jets are more appealing to me than period nostalgia. I just can't seem to find proper justification to keep the cast iron tub.

So...bottom line...comes down to personal preference after all :)

@Rod, just got to say....from what you have written, your fiance wants her cast iron tub. In marriage, the choice often (at least in our own mind) is between being "right" and being happy. Stop fighting your fiance and let her have the tub. It is important to her.

No one ever won anyone's heart through winning the argument. This is from someone married 35 years so far!

And you can still have your jetted hot tub...just outside in the garden. There, someday, your wife of many years and you will soak, drink wine and laugh about this....

And, one final thing...if you keep the tub, the most difficult bit will be not continuing to hold it over your lady's head. So, when another couple is over for dinner, etc. no comments about what a great guy you were to let her have her way even though "it didn't make sense". After all, wouldn't you really gain if she thinks warm and loving thoughts about you each time she soaks? Sounds like a Win-Win to me.

pcmom1 What beautiful, practical advice! More beautiful and insightful because it extends into the future and to future attitude and comes from experience. Quite amazing when somebody insightful recognises that at the crux of a long exchange of information about cast iron bath V ..whatever is another more important issue.

@cparfc438 Just as I shut down my notepad I had a thought about the stains in the bottom of your bath. Mine was like that... years of ingrained grime plus rust showing through the aged and thined porcelain coating on the cast iron. No amount of scrubbing would remove it. The temporary soloution, unfortunately, is to find a product that will remove Calcium Lime and Rust. I say 'unfortunately' because it is both a temporary ( although long lasting) solution and involves a caustic/corrosive product. I used an Australian/New Zealand made product called "CLR clear" to great effect, (I understand they export all over the world), then I polished the whole porcelain surface with a common spray product that is used for many items in the home..from wood cabinetry to pvc counters tops....and, I found, that gives a high sheen to the acrylic lacquer duco on my old car...(.although not made for that purpose).
I kept the bath well coated with the spray...and it stayed clean for several years until I could have the whole bath resurfaced by a professional company.
Another option available here is to have a whole new vitreous/pvc skin fitted over the entire bath surface so you have the benefit of the thermal properties of both materials and a bath that looks like a modern marvel...in any colour you wish...the best of both for a fraction of the cost of replacing the old bath.(.which old bath which will remain as solid, unwarpred and uncreeped and cracked as it was when new and will last for another lifetime.
Just as an explanatory afterthought...cast iron does not expand and contract as do the pvc and other composit new baths...which, because of this, will not last as long or remain as solid as a cast iron bathtub....which is the main reason why there are so many companies today that specialise in resurfacing these old items..(at least here in Australia)....Oh, and I have found a refurbished pedestal basin and a refurbished toilet from the 1900s and couldn't be happier. Just as a by-the-way....because of the arguments for and against galvanised iron, cast iron V pvc on this thread, I read up on a physics site, about the properties of those materials and have opted for galvanised iron plumbing...it doesn't warp and doesn't crack and will outlast the last lot of pvc pipes I had installed. So gal iron pipes for me. Again Good luck...and ENJOY!

old cast irons tubs and sinks can be re-glazed

ladyrob1- What type of spray product, even your brand, did you use to somewhat seal your tub? Guess what worked to clean my tub!? -- Mr. Clean Stain Eraser. Which rather shows I'm just not that good of a housekeeper. It'll take awhile to get the tub clean, but will be well worth it if I can also prevent further soap scum from building up!

Also, I have scoped out neighbors' options of the plastic molded to go over the existing tub and even a rubberized bottom coat -- neither that successful. Saca, I've yet to see a reglazed tub; however a neighbor said theirs looked great until something dropped on it, at just the perfect wrong angle.

Thanks for the advice!

I mean reglazed, not painted. We had a vintage sink that was in really bad shape. It was gorgeous and we have been carrying it around for a good many years, waiting for a bathroom that could handle the magnificent thing (it's huge). when we moved to the present abode, we got it reglazed. looks like new (we did period appropriate not-shiny)

After

sorry about the boxes. my puppy stills chews them and I must protect them until UPS pick-up

Before

Saca, that IS a beauty. Am glad it didn't go to waste. Was the entire sink done, or just the inside-- the bowl? I might be a bit less skiddish about reglazing a sink, as anything accidentally dropped into it would not be dropped from as great a height as in a tub, so perhaps less force? I know...a little too much worrying going on, eh? ;) As our tub isn't worn down to the iron, nor has hard water etching on it, perhaps we' re going to be able to bypass a reglazing. I'd still like to personally inspect a local tub that has been reglazed and is still pasting muster. In another thread, I've asked how a tub job has fared after the three years since it was done. If I get a response, I'll let you know the outcome!

the whole sink. they basically strip the glazing to the metal and re-dip it and then bake it. I think any tub that has a hard items fall in it would break though. But I do not shower with a hammer most of the time ;-))

Rofl. I was picturing the hard plastic back brush wresting from my grip! ;) I bet the tub would take three guys and a dolly to move it once freed from the tile on three sides. Sounds like I'm just throwing up roadblocks. Btw, are you a designer? You have a clever eye for composition of the room with this sink. Plus, I bumped into a couple other threads where you have offered some darned good advice to folks on other threads. No, I promise-- no stalking! Just, there you were! Lol

cparfc438, I am a civilian, not a designer. Thanks for the compliments. And I hope if uyou decided to change the beauty in your bathroom you sell it. that rounded corner is just gorgeous.

Oh, am about 99 per cent sure we'll keep it. Btw, until hitting the blue houzz link next to my name on your comment, I was not aware that others could see my idea book; thought I'd switched them to private. Didn't know my activity could be followed, either. Good reason to always play nicely! Ha.

I'm rather tech-challenged, so it may take longer for me to wheel around this app as you and many other posters do, saca. (pardon my shortening your name. Guess I could write it down, rather than remembering just enough to get by.) In the meantime, what a terrific help it still is! Particular thanks to you and ladyrob1 in this matter of preserving our 90 year old cast iron tub, which has given our family daily service for the past 27 years. With any luck, I'll at least learn to show photos to present the bathroom's storage dilemmas for the overhaul that it absolutely must have some day.

bungalowmo, I love your tub and bathroom. I'm having a 1922 claw-foot tub refinished for my completely-redone bathroom upstairs and have had fun finding chrome-finished, porcelain trimmed hardware to go with it.

I've had cast-iron tubs, a steel tub and a fiberglass tub. The old cast iron were the best, IMHO. My "new" tub has local history. Provenance!

sacapuntaslapioz, that pedestal sink is absolutely gorgeous!

@ "should I replace the cast iron tub"....You can do what you like...but one day you'll be soooorrryyy if you do replace it!

Modern construction materials = PVC, Acrylic Tubs. The term "modern" implies a few things starting with the complete expanse of the history of construction, from the Roman aqueducts to the modern building codes. There are many who seem to have a bond with the history of their tub almost as if they themselves have been dipped and baked into it then glazed over so that no one might change their view. Bottom line is what I try to consider and therefore I recommend modernization with any major remodel. This brings all the aspects of construction up to the modern standard and provides you with conformity to modern building codes which are designed to protect you and your investment. I can't imagine walking onto a new home construction site to see a plumber cutting and threading galvanized steel pipe because of the demand for its' longevity, how ridiculous and absurd some get over their nostalgia. Don't recreate history embrace the future unless it's in your design plan. Good Luck. BTW one guy that knows how to use his head can handle a cast iron tub with elegant finesse.

Vintage fixtures can be used safely and in accordance with modern codes. A home is more than just an "investment" in any case.

@ rod gaskins... You don't have to 'dis' people whose opinions differ from your professional ones. If a house is an investment...and today that kind of investment is quire substantial, I don't see anything stupid or nonsensically nostalgic about keeping and refurbiushing any item that has stood the test of time because builders of yesteryear used substantial materials and indeed, built things to last....that's not ridiculous and there's nothing absurd about anyone's opinion that aligns with this. As for galvanised steel pipe, the fact that it is still around speaks heaps. That some of the old school plumbers still use it and do so with dexterity, knowledge and creatively is nothing to sneer at! These old professionals are more competent than some of the 'know it alls' being turned out of certificate courses today..some of their workmanship is abysmal. Put that together with the inferiority of some of the materials accepted by 'codes' today...( I dare not use the word 'modern' for fear you will lecture us on Roman aqueducts etc) and, in my experience with having the old refurbished and incorporating the old with the new, it does work. If you want to see a plumber working with gal pipe to amazing effect you should rock up to my old place...your eyes would probably drop out of their sockets in sync with the young building inspector's..."Well, didn't know that could work...!" Unfortunately there are too few left who have the competence or the imagination to pull that off successfully. pdk920 seems to have a good perspective on the vintage V the new. If I were remodelling my 1900s bathroom I would certainly not be throwing out the substantial cast iron tub.unless it were to replace it with an even better old casr iron tub..( mine is one of the ordinary ones, I'd love an ornate version!) Suppose that places me among the ridiculous and the absurd who have an irrational sentimental attachment to the historical...not an attitude of a plumber I'd like to have polluting the ingenious creativity of some of the old school professionals working on my humble little place. They put their heart and enthisiasm into it and it shows in the workmanship,,,they stand there pretty chuffed at what they've been able to achieve. Wonderful working atmosphere!...Its not just a job but an artistic adventure combining the best of both eras. I'm all for 'longevity'. Just as an example..( and I am not familiar with the appropriate speak in this area of expertise..but here goes)....The electrical company that takes care of bringing power from street poles to old homes here arrived wanting to renew the power lines attached to the exterior of my old house. On taking down the old lines one of the men remarked that those wires already on the house were more substantial and of better quality than the new ones they were being replaced with...says heaps to me! "Embracing the future" whilst incorporating the past I feel is is the wisest rule. Keep and preserve what is substantial, beautiful and has proven itself over the test of time, replace what has outlived its purpose....and I add..even if that means replacing it with a genuine treasure that some silly ' futurist' has discarded just because it is from the past....you'll find the best things! At least Rod Gaskins concedes that to handle a cast iron tub requires brains and a sense of elegance and finesse...and that's harder to find than the latest flimsy, curvaceous PVC tub! I suppose its all about what you want to achieve with the bathroom remodel. For me I thoroughly enjoy an up-to-the-neck fully stretched out relaxing soak... (I'm 5ft 7ins tall and do not have long feet) and being able to admire the workmanship and recall the satisfaction of all involved in giving me this experience. Its not ridiculous to love your cast iron tub and everything associated with it from its history combined with all the latest touches. A house might be an investment but its much more...its for living in...and I like to do a lot of my living in my 100 yr old cast iron beautifully restored tub...and remeniss nostalgically on the simple poverty striken washer woman bathing her six kids in this tub pre WWII before I was even born, carrying galvanised iron buckets of hot water from the kitchen wood burning cast iron stove to the bathroom....makes appreciating what I have so very dear!

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!

I digress, I mean no disrespect @ladyrob, my opinion in all its' superfluous grandor takes on a cynical character literally. Only when you take my view in a holistic manner will one grasp the breath and depth of its' command. I have love for all views and certainly any view is welcome on a forum specifically designed for views. All that being said I still find it relevant to argument against tuning a renovation into a restoration which professionally are two very different models. Arguments to keep cast iron tubs just don't materialize in a material way and become a matter of non-material in nature such as emotional or nostalgia. So if u desire such an non-material connection to a remodel perhaps u would be better off with a restoration. BTW good luck finding skilled craftsmen if u choose a restoration as ladyrob1 points out they are almost extinct due to the construction industry being saturated with a capitalistic model where craftsmanship is undervalued and conformity to modern construction standards has major financial gains; We seek the cheapest unskilled contractors over the high priced skilled craftsmanship. Good luck either way I watch Holmes on homes all the time which is a constant reminder there is a critical decision to make for any construction project and that is choosing a competent contractor.

I certainly agree that choosing your contractor and the craftspeople who will be doing the work is absolutely essential to a satisfactory job, whether using brand new materials or vintage. Just finding people who really care about doing excellent work can be a challenge.

In the end it really does all come down to a) what you want to achieve b) finding a contractor who "gets" it...and is willing to work with what you want to use, even better, if he becomes enthusiastic about the job on offer. Like sacapuntiozlapoz.(.hope that's spelt correctly) I collected old wares for years with a dream in my head to the consternation of my friends who began to think I'd "lost it". The day arrived when everything came together in the one place and they even wanted to be involved in their mad friend's project, some recommending skilled retired crafrsmen.

Amazing all the information found at the bottom of a cast iron tub! I really hope you keep it, get it restored to "as good as new" and get many years of relaxation and satisfaction from it!

ladyrob1- is the CLR "Clear" not corrosive? Also, would you mind mentioning the clear spray you used as a top coat---before choosing to resurface/deglaze? Thank you.

I gutted and updated my bathroom last year and was torn between acrylic and cast iron. In the end I went with my gut and splurged for the cast iron (against the input of everyone else). On a daily basis I am so happy with my cast iron tub. It is beautiful, solid and everything a bathtub should be. In addition it will last for years and years. I love, love, love my cast iron tub.

I wouldn't swap out my cast iron claw foot tub for ANYTHING!! I've even moved my tub across country...it was literally the FIRST thing on the truck! I was not leaving without it! My particular tub is over 100 years old. If you want to gut the old bathroom - do it....just consider refinishing, repaint & refresh your tub with new colors & hardware (if it's tired looking).

We are remodeling our bathroom and would like to keep our cast iron tub. It needs to be reglazed. My husband has been researching and he has found a lot of negative feedback about reglazing. The main issue is that it doesn't last. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

FYI, Never EVER use CLR on porcelain (in case that wasn't clear in an earlier comment). It will etch the porcelain irrevocably. (Read CLR's fine print.)

I have had my bathroom remodeled about five years ago. wanted everything new . bought a plastic tub. a mistake. it absorbed stains . it looks off white now . Its seems flimsy. its not the cheapest tub either. so now I'm remodeling another one of my bathrooms and I'm keepkeeping the old cast iron tub. I won't make that mistake

.

Never replace a cast iron tub! Acrylic and fiberglass only have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years but a cast iron tub is a lifetime product. It can be refinished and last another 20 years. If a contractor or plumber tells you, you have to replace it, get a second opinion!

this is old but i have a cast iron tub im getting rid of. some arguments were that if your bathroom is warm everything will be warm. no, the tub is very big and very cold. even the faucet on full blast hot..the water chills in minutes to less than lukewarm with pockets of chilled water around the sides and bottom. And before anyone says anything about my water heater, the water coming out of the tap is extremely hot so i have to be careful even with washing my hands. its set high BECAUSE of the tub. I mostly twkw showers now because baths are uncomfortable.

So what is the answer? To save or buy new. I really need to know. I have 50+ bathtub - glazed a few times. Do I get new???

Regarding the cast iron tubs installed in homes in 1970s - not the antique ones- I was going to remove and replace with modern walk in shower but after much thought, the cast irons are rare, they retain heat, not too deep , not too hard to step over to use shower, I decided to keep the 2 cast irons and replace dated fixtures and surrounding tile walls with new look. Thanks for discussion, 6 years ago!

I'm finally about to remodel my bathroom. A few years ago, I had to bust out one wall due to a slow leak in the plumbing -- tile, plaster, steel lath...a mess -- the wall on the right with plastic & a towel covering it.

My cast iron tub is not rounded like the pretty one above, but it's going to cost a bit to replace it. At 66, this tub isn't very high, so it's easy for me to get in & out of. And when I had a little dog, it was easy to lean over & bathe him in it.

It was reglazed sometime before I bought the house, 15 years ago, & has chipped in places (I put grip-stick-ons over those areas...several around the drain)...but I'm thinking I'll keep it & have it reglazed again. I like the look of the old tub, in this 1954 house, and the new tubs just don't appeal to me.

They glazed all the former-mint-green tile as well, right over the cracks & repairs, which doesn't look good. Will be very hard to remove the tile (found this out the hard way, as you can see at top left), as it's very stuck to the concrete-like plaster, & right to the outside brick on the back wall...but it needs to come down. I want to go back with a beadboard wainscoting, and I guess tile in the shower.

The 11.5 inch spread faucet is a cheap one I found online. It's been in about a year, & the hot faucet is already getting harder to turn. I don't know if I can find a quality item in this size, so not sure what I'll do with that.

Not sure what kind of tile to put around the shower...if anyone has ideas, I'm open to them. Will probably go waterproof luxury vinyl plank flooring. I'm on a slab, & don't want cold tiles under my feet.

This is an old thread, so I have no idea what the OP decided to do, but I for one would be happy to replace my modern jetted acrylic tub with a lovely cast iron tub if I could find one in the right size. Unfortunately my husband (who prefers showers) wants to keep it. I have no idea why, as he never uses it.

Although the thread is old, my comment was recent -- thank you for your response! Funny, I'd actually thought about a jetted tub, then decided I didn't want the upkeep of flushing the system periodically with vinegar or something. I'd love the jets, though! Then again, maybe I'd get it & hardly ever use it, lol. Maybe your hubby just doesn't want to go through the process of changing it out...?

I have decided to keep the tub & have it reglazed. Again. I think it's been reglazed several times. The downside to that, for me, is that I use a carbon-based shower filter, to filter out the chlorine. When I install a new filter, the water is pretty black for a bit. It goes into the glaze & I have to clean that area, though I hold it down to the drain area to keep that down. But, it's simpler & less expensive to leave it.

Week after next, they'll be taking the walls down to the studs (or to the outside brick, on the back wall -- that's how this house was built in 1954). I guess we'll put subway tile for the surround, then will go with beadboard wainscoting on the rest of the (small) bathroom. Here's a pic of what we've done so far, which is change out the shower valve & fixtures. I covered the holes from the 11 inch spread faucet with duct tape. Working great! Changed to brushed stainless, though have learned that Delta's brushed finish spots pretty badly. Moen has a spot-free brushed, but they have a lot of plastic. Delta's is metal, so I'll keep it & try to remember to wipe it off when I finish showering.

I hope your husband gives in & lets you have what you'd like to have. The one in my parents' home, that I almost moved into after losing our mother some months back, still looks like it did when we moved there in 1965. It was only 18 months old at that time, & still looks like new. But alas, mine doesn't, so we'll reglaze again.

As a side note, I LOVE the Delta single handle faucet I got. The "turn" type of today is so much better than the pull-out-&-turn type of the 80s & 90s. And so much simpler than having separate hot & cold knobs like I had before. I'm not going for a vintage look, so this works great for me. I bought a longer shower arm (8"), but haven't yet switched out the 6". The escutcheon plate on this Delta Victorian is thicker than normal. Also, the tub spout is LONG, like 8" long. Still not sure I like that, but for now it stays.

Take care! :)