Bath acrylic, steel or cast-iron? Choose a bath

Today the bathroom is available in every apartment. In it, people not only wash themselves, but also rest. Therefore, it is very important to correctly and responsibly approach the issue of choosing a bath. It is necessary to take into account many factors. For example, material, durability, hygiene and comfort. To know which bath is better to choose, we will tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of existing products.

Steel bath

Characteristics of a steel bath

If this option is considered, To buy more expensive products, because they tend to have thicker walls, which are much more difficult to deform. The minimum thickness of the walls of such a bath must be at least 3 millimeters. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the weight of the structure. A reliable bath should weigh from 35 to 50 kilograms. Lighter versions have thin walls, which is undesirable.

From the advantages of steel products, we can distinguish the following:

1. The enamel of high-quality steel baths does not exfoliate;is applied at high temperatures.
2. Easy transport and installation.
3. Relatively light weight.
4. Steel as a material has a high coefficient of ductility.
5. Large selection of products.

Steel bath has its drawbacks:

1. Cheap products can deform thin steel walls under high load.
2. Poorly retain heat, because the steel cools very quickly.
3. Noisiness, because of which when pouring water, you will hear a ringing.

Despite the existence of significant drawbacks of steel products, many of them can be eliminated on their own, using some tricks. Today, a special polymer coating is available for sale, which allows to reduce the noise of water when it is recruited. However, its price is quite high. In order to provide noise insulation it is recommended to immerse the bath in a container with sand by about 1/3.In addition, in some models of European production, the bottom is lined with rubber gaskets that eliminate noise.

Additional supports can be installed under the bottom of the bathroom. After that place between the floor and the bottom of the product fill with mounting foam. Only for this purpose it will be necessary to buy at least four standard cans of foam. In addition, you will have to hide this stand with ceramic tiles or a plastic panel. Please note, not everything depends on the type of bath, but also on the quality of its installation.

How to choose a product

1. If the question arose, how to choose a bath of steel, then you must pay attention to the thickness of its walls. It should be at least 3-4 millimeters. If the material is thinner, the product can be deformed under the weight of the person's weight.
2. In addition, a steel bath must have a weight of at least 30 kilograms. The product of smaller weight will bend under the weight, because of what the enamel can crack.
3. Also be sure to check the quality of the coating when buying. It should not have flaws and defects.
4. It is worth to look at the documents that should provide a warranty service life of at least ten years.
5. In order to make it more convenient in the bath, it is advisable to check the depth of the bath when selecting it. The optimum value is 500-600 millimeters.
6. In addition to depth, it is important to evaluate the length of the product. It usually depends, first of all, on your growth. The optimum value is 1600-1700 millimeters.
7. Modern steel baths have a high-quality enamel coating, which makes them very difficult to distinguish from cast iron variants. But it should be said that steel structures are stronger than acrylics.

Cast-iron bath

Characteristics of the cast-iron bath

The advantages of cast-iron baths can be identified as follows:

1. They are not subject to vibrations, almost noiseless. Due to this the sound of running water will be muted.
2. Easy to clean.
3. Relatively low price. Therefore, everyone can afford to buy it.
4. Durability and durability.
5. Resistance to corrosion.
6. Sufficiently high heat capacity and low thermal conductivity, so water does not cool down after heating for a long time.

Cast iron baths are also not devoid of drawbacks. Of these, the following should be highlighted:

1. Large mass, which can cause difficulties in installation and transportation.
2. The bathroom enamel is vulnerable to bumps.
3. All products are similar to each other.

Tips for choosing a cast-iron bath

1. Even choosing the most simple cast-iron bath, you have to take the necessary measurements even before going to the store. The dimensions of the product to be purchased must correspond to the dimensions of the bathroom.
2. With regard to the width of the structure, it should be slightly smaller than the dimensions of the doorway. Otherwise, it just will not go there. Otherwise, you have to remove the door.
3. No less important is the depth of the bath. This is especially true for old small apartments.
4. Be sure to pay attention to the enamel coating. It should be smooth and scratch-free. If they are present in the future, deformation of the protective layer may appear.
5. If the floor in the bathroom is uneven, then the product should have legs that are convenient to adjust.
6. It is desirable that the bath has an anti-slip coating. This is especially true if the product is purchased for an elderly person or an invalid. In this case, it is also important to have convenient handrails.
7. Choosing this or that product, it is best to give preference to designs from well-known manufacturers.

It is known that cast iron baths are made by casting. Because of this they are quite heavy. At the same time, this makes them one of the strongest. Due to this the shape and design of the product can be maintained even under high loads. As mentioned above, cast iron baths have a high resistance to corrosion. This fact is the main reason for their long service life. A bath of cast iron can last about half a century.

Acrylic bath

Characteristics of the acrylic bath

Advantages of these products are as follows:

1. Well retain heat, so the water does not cool for a long time.
2. When you type water, you can hardly hear the noise.
3. Smooth surface that does not slip.
4. The material allows you to make a bath of any shape. Due to this, there are many models on the market even for non-standard construction.
5. Minor damage can be restored.

From the shortcomings of the acrylic bath is the following:

1. You can not pour water into it after washing the colored things. Otherwise, the bath can permanently stain.
2. Over time, when using tap water, white acrylic products turn yellow. Therefore, it is desirable to choose color options.
3. Relatively high price.
4. The walls of acrylic products are scratched more strongly than other types of bathtubs.

How to inspect the acrylic bath

1. First of all, you need to determine the thickness of the acrylic and reinforced layer. You can do it with a flashlight. Although, this method will not give an exact value. You need to take a regular flashlight, turn it on and put it close to the bathroom wall. If the light is visible from the other side, then it means that it is too thin.
2. Another worth knocking in different places on the body. A dull sound indicates that this bath is strong.
3. In addition, if you feel a sharp chemical smell, then this model was made from cheap materials. Such a bath should not be bought.
4. Draw your palm over the surface. It should not be dented, rough or scratched. If, according to the seller, the "bumps" are a feature of the material, then one should not believe this. There should be no unevenness on the plastic material.
5. Another thing worth paying attention to the color of the design. It must be homogeneous. If there are divorces, then this indicates a poor quality of the product.
6. Be sure to inspect the bottom of the acrylic bath. It should be absolutely smooth. Sometimes the bottoms are specially made at the bottom, but often this is just another way to hide the low quality of the product.

How to choose the optimal size

The most important thing for a bathtub is that it is comfortable. This design is not so easy to pick up as it might seem at first glance. Let's find out how to determine the size of the bath:

1. Height. The optimal value of this indicator is 650-700 millimeters. This will easily get into the bathroom and get out of it.
2. Depth. The optimum value is 500-600 millimeters. In a bath of such depth you can easily keep your head above the water.
3. Length. The choice of this indicator, as a rule, is based on your growth. It should be enough to not sit with bent knees. The average length is from 1500 to 1800 millimeters.
4. The width of the bathroom can be any. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable.

Casting marble bath

This is one of the most expensive options, belonging to the luxury class. The product is obtained by combining marble chips and polyester resins. Of the merits is the following:

1. Their coloring can be different.
2. Production technology allows you to make the appearance of the material under any rock.
3. High degree of noise absorption.
4. Well withstand vibration, which is best suited for installation in them hydromassage systems.

Among the shortcomings can be identified as follows:

1. Large weight.
2. Complicated installation.
3. Chipping is possible.

Conclusion

1. If you have asked yourself what is the best acrylic bath, steel or cast iron, you should pay attention to their hygiene and strength. Then, we can say that hygienic is better than acrylic construction, but cast iron is still much stronger.
2. If the choice is between an acrylic or steel bath, then obviously the first one will have a lower price. However, it is easier to restore the surface when scratches appear on acrylic products.
3. If you need to choose a cast iron or steel bath, then it can be said that the lightweight construction is undoubtedly a steel construction, but in cast iron water it will cool longer.
4. If there is a choice between acrylic and cast iron products, it should be taken into account that the first of them due to greater elasticity is stronger. Cast iron, as is well known, is a rather brittle material.

How to choose a bath: video