There is no question that the old-world charm of the oil-rubbed bronze finish is what makes it one of the top three most popular finishes today when it comes to faucets or decorative hardware. It originally became popular during the early 1990’s, replacing Antique Brass as the finish de rigueur in traditional style décor.  Part of the charm and what made it so popular was its “Living Finish” characteristic.

A living finish is what occurs when you have any metal (except stainless steel) that is not lacquered or protected by any other process. The finish will continually evolve through exposure to the elements, also called an oxidation process, which varies in different metals. In Copper you may see a green patina, or verdi gris. In the case of Oil-Rubbed Bronze, a lightening effect occurs in the areas where it comes in contact with the human hand, such as the faucet handle or a door knob. This is precisely its charm, the fact that it will acquire a “broken in” appearance within a relatively short period of time.

In the mid 1990’s the PVD (physical vapor deposition) technology was developed. PVD is a high tech process where the finish is applied inside a vacuum chamber; a base solid material is introduced into the chamber and vaporized to an atomic level. It then attaches itself to target surface in a thin film and becomes a solid material again. The difference between regular electroplating and the PVD process is that once the substrate becomes solid it actually becomes a part of the target surface as opposed to just a coating. In other words, if the surface is scratched it would not break the surface but when examined microscopically it appears to be dented. This process allows some plumbing and door hardware manufacturers to be able to offer a lifetime warranty.

In the case of Oil-Rubbed Bronze the PVD process is very challenging. Its lack of consistency is an issue very prevalent in Oil-Rubbed Bronze, and certainly aggravated in the PVD process. Its color variations may go from a light grayish brown color to a dark brown (almost Black) tone. In a specific case, a Taiwanese manufacturer accidentally ended up with a gun-metal color when trying to develop a PVD Oil-Rubbed Bronze finish during the trial and error process. They actually decided introduced this finish for their line of products.

In closing, the question is do you prefer a Living Finish? With its ever changing tonality, or do you prefer the stable and everlasting look of the PVD Oil-Rubbed Bronze? If you ask me, I would choose the living finish, after all that’s where its charm lies.

Putting a faucet in its deserved place is no mean thing. In fact, there are many possibilities to consider when it comes to installing a good faucet. As if the designs were not enough, manufacturers have ensured that the buyer gets complete value and quality for his money, including convenience and facility of being versatile. Each one of you is aware that a faucet takes up certain amount of space. This means you cannot keep other things like soaps, scrubs, etc. on the top when using them. Again you need a faucet which can be cleaned easily. This applies not just to the faucet, it also applies to the space around the faucet which can catch fungus and dirt fast and start coloring. For this purpose you have two types of faucets which you can install according to the space available

1. Wall Mounted faucets: You need to install these not on the sink top, but the connection to the faucet will come through the wall. This means you will need the water pipeline connection to come through the wall. If you do not want to break up the wall, the pipeline will come along the wall. However, this would not look as impressive aesthetically. Wall mounted faucets should be installed after ensuring that there would be least leakages. It is difficult to repair any leakage, since it can be done only after breaking the wall or the panel open.

Though these seem to work against the wall mounted faucets, there are also some benefits to these. Firstly these save space. Another important point to consider is installing these in kitchen is excellent. If you are installing a specific versatile faucet inside the kitchen, you will find you can use this versatility to fullest extent. In fact there are very less limitations brought to it just because of the place of installation. These also tend to catch less dirt and grime basically because these are nowhere near the place where water flows maximum.

Some bathroom faucets like the lavatory faucet, the bathtub faucet, etc. too are wall mounted. This means you have more space on your bathtub top, here you can keep the essential oils, soap, scrub pads, etc. easily thus it helps you utilize space even better.

2. Top mounted faucet: This top could be the sink top, the bathtub top, etc. These are the most conventional and easier to install than the wall mounted ones. Here the pipeline can come from under the sink or the bathtub wherever it is installed. These types are also easier to install. In case of repairs, you will find repairing these easier than any other. Fixing leakages too is easier in these type of faucets.

Though these are easier to manage, there are some cons to these too. Firstly, you will find that these consume space on the top they are installed. Another point of problem is that there is accumulation of water, dirt and grime, wherever these are placed. So at the time of cleaning up you need to take some special effort before you can actually find the space cleaner. The versatility of these faucets is reduced when it comes to a kitchen sink. Of course, these are designed accordingly but you will find functioning of  wall mounted faucets easier than the sink mounted ones, in busy places like the kitchen.

Though each has its own benefits, it remains your choice to make when it comes to installation of a faucet in your home.

Online shopping is all about saving money, if so why not try and find places where you are most likely to find discounts on all types of products easily!

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Nothing evokes the feeling of relaxation like sitting in your whirlpool with some bubbles and soaking away the stresses of the day. But in reality, how often do we really have an opportunity to really enjoy our whirlpool? 

Most of us do it with some frequency when we first purchase our dream home, then it starts tapering off to once or twice a year. On the other hand, the enjoyment of standing underneath a rain showerhead is something we can enjoy on a daily basis. We can actually enhance that enjoyment by adding a few other components like body sprays and handheld showers.

That may explain why the master shower with all the bells and whistles has become a standard in most high end developments. Some custom home builders go as far as including a steam unit in the master shower for a complete spa feel.

In terms of investment, you can obtain the desired results on a very small budget by simply adding a large volume showerhead and a handheld shower, or you can go completely wild and do the full course which may include oversize ceiling mounted showerhead, wall mounted showerhead with multiple settings, two rows of  three or four body sprays on perpendicular walls, spaced in a way to provide an aggressive massage from your knees to your shoulders, if you are going the full course you also have to take into consideration your water usage and allow for the addition of an extra or an oversize water heater and ¾” piping as this kind of arrangement may put out as much as 25 gpm. And because the increased enjoyment of this type of arrangement, you may have a very hard time getting out of the shower.

Whether you are selecting a clawfoot faucet for a brand new jetted clawfoot tub or replacing an old one, here are some steps to making the selection. Decide what type of clawfoot faucet you would like.  If this will be going into a new bathtub, the clawfoot faucet installation holes will need to be drilled into your tub.  Most manufacturers will do this for you.  There are three main types of clawfoot faucet.  They are:

• Free standing clawfoot faucets are locating on the outside of the tub on a separate structure.

• Tub wall mounted are affixed to the inside wall of the tub.

• Deck/rim mounted faucets are placed upon the top lip or rim of the tub. 

If this will be a replacement clawfoot faucet, the type of existing clawfoot faucet will determine the type for you.  It is recommended you replace your clawfoot faucet with the same type.  If you do not, you will be left with holes from the old faucet to deal with.   The exception to this may be if your current claw foot faucet is freestanding one, you may be able to replace with one of the other two types and not be left with unsightly holes. You will require holes drilled in your tub for the new faucet.

If you have a jetted clawfoot tub, there is an additional consideration of jet placement.  Where you put the faucet will depend on where the jets are located in your jetted clawfoot tub.  Having a jetted clawfoot tub should not hinder you from purchasing a faucet. You still have plenty of selection possibilities.

There are several features available for clawfoot faucets. Claw foot faucets come with a separate spray feature that allows dispensing of water into the tub with an additional sprayer hose attached.  This is convenient for rinsing your hair or your body just before exiting the tub.

You can opt to add a shower feature.  This enables you to use your tub, including a jetted clawfoot tub, for a shower. You get the luxury of a soaking tub and the convenience of a shower.  A shower enclosure, usually a wrap around shower curtain, is required for this.

The most popular claw foot faucet is a classic version. It’s simple elegance only dispenses water into your tub.

The finish of your clawfoot faucet is up to you. Antique bronze and copper, brass, polished chrome, and nickel are some of the options on the market.  Check with individual manufacturers to see if the design you are interested in is offered in a finish you like.

The size of your claw foot faucet is a matter of personal choice as well.  Some people like a large swan necked claw foot faucet that gives a cascading water sound as it pours water into the bath.  Others opt for the smaller more conservative version.  Whatever the type, size, style, finish or features you select; your clawfoot faucet is sure to be the finishing touch for your tub.

Pieter West travels the world on a regular basis and have written about numerous subjects. He has an extensive knowledge about, finances, DIY, parenting advice and many more subjects.

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