ofuros can last 30 years or more but dryness or chemicals/soap can damage the wood in a very short span. stay away from airconditioners, dehumidifiers and directly sunlight exposure. Said that, if the tub is damaged, there are different ways to repair it.

Repairs

Warranty and Repairs

We offer full warranty in case of damage during transportation. (replacement)

For any other problem (cracking etc.) we cannot offer a warranty because of the environmental conditions for which we cannot be responsible.

To avoid cracking we recommend to:
1) use the tub often (everyday is ideal)
2) do not use air conditioning or heaters in the bathroom (may be used while the tub is full). Beware also of centralized air conditioning.
3) in case of the above conditions cannot be met, we recommend to keep a bucket full of water inside the tub. This avoids the insurgence of cracks in most cases.

Until today we have supplied over 750 tubs. (as of august 2021)
We had about 20 reports of cracks or leaks.
In 1 case we replaced the tub.
In 1 case we had the tub shipped back, repaired and have it reinstalled.
In some of the other cases we shipped a kit for repairing the tub (wood color epoxy putty). (Cost is about 3,000 JPY inclusive of shipping fee)
In most cases we supplied advice and the tub could be seamlessly repaired by the user.

With the assumption that all the customers who experienced a crack contacted us (but there may be some exceptions), about 10% of the tubs had crack problems (including tubs 10+ year old).
On the other hand, 90% of the tubs did not experience cracks.
I would say that in 90% of the cases the tubs are used as directed and the environmental conditions are met.

Can a cracked wooden tub be repaired?

To repair a cracked wooden tub (we often supply this advice to customers who own wooden tubs from other makers) use the following guidelines:

1) small crack, no leak: just fill the tub and let it rehydrate overnight. As the wood swells back the crack should be completely reabsorbed.

2) small crack with leak: place newspaper pages inside the tub spread over the crack area (be sure NOT to use a newspaper printed with petroleum-based ink). Then fill the tub. The newspaper does not let the water through but transfers the humidity to the wood. Proceed as 1) above.

3) medium crack with leak: fill the crack in its deepest area with clear silicon caulking and let dry for 24 hours. Then fill the tub and keep the water inside for 1-2 days, The wood should swell back and a part of the silicon will probably be squeezed out.
You can cut the excess of silicon with a cutter knife.

4) large crack or asymmetrical crack (triangular shaped): in this case the wood not only cracked but warped as well. Even if re-hydrated it will not return to its position completely. In this case, you should fill the crack with epoxy putty (we can supply it) + sand to make the surface even and make the repair invisible as much as possible.

This crack happens often when the client uses air-conditioning or heating equipment and as a countermeasure keeps some water inside the tub. This precaution is of course very important BUT please understand that it cannot guarantee 100% that also the external side of the wood planks will be sufficiently hydrated.

Natural repair for wood crack!

 I would like here to share a story with a happy ending. I hope it can be of help to others also.
PHASE 1) 12/20/2016
The client purchased two round footbaths in December 2016.

PHASE 2) 4/16/2017
We received the following email from the client:

Hi
One of my foot tubs is leak and unfortunately I don’t find the note which followed with advise how to fix it. Could you please send it to me by mail?
Thanks.

My answer:
I am sorry for the problem.
Can you send me a picture?
Is there a crack? How many mm wide?
 (more…)

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