Vikrell tub cracked today after 8 months

[supermattthehero]

My Vikrell tub that we started using last July cracked near the corner of the threshold area, close to where the door sits. Tub was set in piles of mortar and never made a peep while using it.

Anyone have experience with Kohler on warranty work? I am really kicking myself for not getting cast iron again. The one that came with the house lasted 55 years without damage.

[Todd Stull]

Ouch! I'm not sure how they are on tub warranties, check your paperwork. You may want to grab another cast iron for a redo...

[hj]

Usually they will give you a new tub, but you have to pay to get the old one out and the new one installed. Not sure if your homeowner's insurance policy has any coverage for the damage you will have to do to the walls. A plumbing fixture repair company can fix the crack, but cannot prevent it from happening again.

[Hackney plumbing]

I've seen cast iron tubs chipped from a metal shaving cream can hitting at the perfect angle.

I suspect the vikrell unit was under a strain and when the bottle hit it...well it broke. How big of a bottle was it? 5 gal?

[supermattthehero]

Welp, Kohler/Sterling sent someone to come and repair it. He cleaned and sanded the area, then used 2-part epoxy, and then spray-painted the area white with an official Kohler paint. Well, actually he screwed up the first time with the paint, so he had to wipe away all of the paint with acetone, and then he tried again. Said he had been doing this work for about 15 years. Well, he clearly never worked at a body shop, because the result was ugly. It wasn't very smooth, there was dust in the paint, and it was too glossy. I couldn't figure out why he was given a glossy white paint when the inner surface of the tub is relatively "flat." I asked him if he could see the dust in the repair, and he said he could not. He offered to redo it, but I could tell already that it would like giving a monkey a second chance at flying the space shuttle.

The next day after he left, I grabbed a piece of 1000-grit sandpaper and proceeded to wet sand over the area, thus smoothing it all out and dulling down the mismatched gloss. I am satisfied with it since it is mostly invisible now, but I think the people Kohler is employing to do this repair work is almost laughable. Then again, I've worked on cars for about 10 years, so maybe my standards are too high.

[Hackney plumbing]

Welp, Kohler/Sterling sent someone to come and repair it. He cleaned and sanded the area, then used 2-part epoxy, and then spray-painted the area white with an official Kohler paint. Well, actually he screwed up the first time with the paint, so he had to wipe away all of the paint with acetone, and then he tried again. Said he had been doing this work for about 15 years. Well, he clearly never worked at a body shop, because the result was ugly. It wasn't very smooth, there was dust in the paint, and it was too glossy. I couldn't figure out why he was given a glossy white paint when the inner surface of the tub is relatively "flat." I asked him if he could see the dust in the repair, and he said he could not. He offered to redo it, but I could tell already that it would like giving a monkey a second chance at flying the space shuttle.

The next day after he left, I grabbed a piece of 1000-grit sandpaper and proceeded to wet sand over the area, thus smoothing it all out and dulling down the mismatched gloss. I am satisfied with it since it is mostly invisible now, but I think the people Kohler is employing to do this repair work is almost laughable. Then again, I've worked on cars for about 10 years, so maybe my standards are too high.

Who dropped the shampoo bottle......was it the monkey repairing the tub? Your lucky Kohler sent anyone,consider it a favor.

[supermattthehero]

What shampoo bottle? I have no idea how it cracked. The man looked at it and said it was a stress crack, and Kohler agreed to cover it based on his diagnosis. I am curious why you would respond that way - as if you take offense to remarking on poor workmanship. Or maybe you support products which fail under normal use after 8 months? Whats your dog in the fight?

[Todd Stull]

Glad they fixed it for you I don't think that repairs of that nature ever match up perfectly so that is where the repair guy's standards are at. Its good that a little wet sanding blended it in and it will be livable.

[Hackney plumbing]

What shampoo bottle? I have no idea how it cracked. The man looked at it and said it was a stress crack, and Kohler agreed to cover it based on his diagnosis. I am curious why you would respond that way - as if you take offense to remarking on poor workmanship. Or maybe you support products which fail under normal use after 8 months? Whats your dog in the fight?

Before your 1st post was edited you said that your wife dropped a shampoo bottle and it cracked. Thats why in my first post I asked how big of a bottle it was.

Be happy you got more than you paid for.

No dog in the fight but expecting a perfect patch on a 150.00 tub is bit over the top.

I still think it was installed in a strain and the least amount of impact cracked it.

You feel the guy was a monkey who repaired the tub and I feel the tub wasn't installed properly. We all have an opinion.

[supermattthehero]

Hackney, youre a funny guy when you have no idea what i paid for the tub, no idea how it was installed or what the credentials of the installer were. Following your logic, merely adding water or standing in the tub causes cracks if something is dropped. Your opinion is not compelling, and this forum would be well served to discontinue your enrollment. Someone else interested in the longevity and durability of vikrell products will find value in this thread, to which youve added none with your baseless conclusory statements and sarcasm. Why dont you take lessons from
Terry or hj in how to be helpful rather than inflammatory?

[Hackney plumbing]

Hackney, youre a funny guy when you have no idea what i paid for the tub, no idea how it was installed or what the credentials of the installer were. Following your logic, merely adding water or standing in the tub causes cracks if something is dropped. Your opinion is not compelling, and this forum would be well served to discontinue your enrollment. Someone else interested in the longevity and durability of vikrell products will find value in this thread, to which youve added none with your baseless conclusory statements and sarcasm. Why dont you take lessons from
Terry or hj in how to be helpful rather than inflammatory?

I agree that filling a vikrell tub with water or standing in the tub can cause cracks if the unit is not installed properly. You seem hostile just over an opinion. Take a self inventory.

I've installed around 50 of those tubs and I know what they should have cost you but realize you could have paid too much.

P.S. It's probably going to crack again.

[hj]

quote; I don't think that repairs of that nature ever match up perfectly

The company I use makes a repair that is ABSOLUTELY not visible regardless of the color or finish.