Acceptable finish on Kohler Villager? (lumpy)

[Gslenk]

Hopefully y'all can put my mind at ease. The apron front seems a little bumpy/wavy. Is this typical/acceptable or should I play the exchange game until it is smooth? All the pictures I found online look smooth (perhaps not high enough resolution)

I think the pictures accurately capture what's going on.

 

[Terry]

The main thing is that it's a cast tub. Not perfectly smooth I can see, but they do last and last. I would rather have that then a smooth steel tub.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Gslenk]

I'm not completely appalled by the look. I suppose it gives it character, and it seems that under normal lighting in a house it isn't that bad.

Why do I ask? Well...

I went to several stores to check out what was ready in stock. The first one, I didn't pay attention to see if the finish was uneven, but it didn't stand out either. When I got to the checkout line, I realized it was the wrong side (left vs right hand) so I abandoned it. Then after several trips to other stores, all the in stock ones (whether right or left drain) all had very obvious uneven finishes. I was too far across town to go back and verify whether a perfect finish was even possible. I concluded that the in store offerings were all ordered/returns, so I ordered one.

Those are pictures the one I ordered. Even if a perfect finish is possible, I'd have to think if its worth the hassle. I figured y'all install many of these so if it looks typical, it would be wasted effort to exchange it. But if y'all have actually seen a perfect finish one....

 

[Dj2]

You are the one who will live with this tub. The last one I installed was smooth, but that was not yesterday.
Does it bother you? If yes, see if you can fine a smooth one. If you install it after all, will you be able to live with it? If not, return it and re-order.
Your call.

 

[Gslenk]

About how long ago was that? And when you say smooth, do you mean perfectly smooth? Or some lesser version of what I have?

 

[Dj2]

A while ago.
Let me recommend calling Kohler customer service.
Take some pictures with a light shining from the side in the dark, and show them, so they know exactly what you're talking about.
They will tell you if they are all like this or not.

 

[Gslenk]

That's next on the list. There is the possibility they might be lying if they it is normal. So I wanted some real world reference that when I go to call them, I can say "no, smooth ones do exist, send me one" should that situation/possibility arise.

Pending that outcome, I can determine whether the hassle is worth it.

 

[Terry]

I was in Kohler Wisconsin watching guys in shorts and T-shirts pouring hot molten iron from big pots into the molds to make these tubs. I wasn't allowed to take pictures. Fascinating to watch. When I was younger I installed of lot of the Villager tubs.

 

[Jadnashua]

If it was a big box store, rumor has it that to get their lower prices, they accept things without a final QA/QC check. Most factories produce pretty consistent stuff, so that isn't necessarily a big deal...but, stuff they wouldn't necessarily sell to a place pros or designers tend to shop wouldn't accept it, and that last QA/QC check would have caught it.

I have no direct knowledge if this is true. IF there are no chips, cracks, or pinholes in the finish, it should last. Sometimes, the bottom side where the drain attaches isn't all that smooth or parallel, and it can make it difficult to seal.

 

[Gslenk]

There are no other finish blemishes, does not appear to be warped, flanges are good on both sides. Overall, I am happy with it. I didn't get a straight answer from Kohler, they said "if you think something is wrong, exchange it at the place you bought it".

It was a big box store, and I skeptically believe that rumor, that is why I questioned if the finish is normal. It would be a lot of effort to exchange it, all for nothing if it turns out there is no better finish possible/likely.

 

[hj]

Personally, I consider myself a believer in the rumor, (in fact, I spread it around based on my experiences with the big box store quality conrol, or lack of it. I could tell you many, MANY stories about that).

 

[Gslenk]

Personally, I consider myself a believer in the rumor, (in fact, I spread it around based on my experiences with the big box store quality conrol, or lack of it. I could tell you many, MANY stories about that).

Gotcha. HJ, I know you have installed a million of these things, how does this finish compare to ones you have installed?

 

[hj]

rough

 

[Gslenk]

Bad enough you wouldn't put it in a clients home? I'll play the "order another one and return this if/when the ordered one is better" game then.

 

[hj]

let's put it this way, I wouldn't purchase a tub fr om HD. I have had many "quality control" issues with items customers have purchased from HD, and when I complained to Kohler, for example, they stated that the item, as I described it, would NEVER have left the factory, (but it did).

 

[DIYorBust]

I just installed a bellwether, and it has a smooth finish not like this, so I don't believe this is typical.

 

[Gslenk]

Thanks for the input. It appears recent world events are going to make this process interesting.

$400 seemed like a no-brainer for a cast iron tub. Starting to look like a "too good to be true" scenario, I hope that's not the case.

Was the bellwether purchased from a big box?

 

[DIYorBust]

I got it from a plumbing supply store for about 550, including curbside delivery. Might be possible to get it a little cheaper. I'm not sure why the villager is so much cheaper, they seem similar to manufacture. Villager probably could be had for 300-400. But I don't think the finish is supposed to be different.

 

[Gslenk]

I think it is because the villager is more mainstream, like a street 45 vs a regular 45 pretty much the same thing, but one costs a bit more.

I'll give HD a couple chances before I go somewhere else or get another tub. Previously, I ordered a different product and HD just couldn't get it right. After 3 attempts, the original company sent me the product for free, and a mug. Of course the item was $15 and ONLY delayed another bathroom remodel by 3 weeks...