Which bath is better: cast iron, steel or acrylic - comparison of characteristics

Buying a bath, I want it to last long enough to satisfy its owner and satisfy all his desires and needs. Therefore, the choice of this subject of the interior of the bathroom should be carefully considered and, first of all, take into account the material from which the bath itself is made. Which bathtub is better: cast iron, steel or acrylic? Compare their characteristics and help you choose the one that suits you.

For your convenience, we have prepared a comparative table and conducted market research. With user ratings for each criterion, you can see in our table. We hope that this information will help you to choose the bath.

Let us consider in detail each of these types of baths.

Cast-iron baths were in the trend many years ago, but with the development of technology interest in them has not fallen, and they are still in demand among the population.

A bath made of cast iron is undoubtedly a strong and durable product. Perhaps, these two criteria can not be better characterize the cast-iron bath. Another positive factor is the thermal conductivity. Cast iron is a material that is heated for a long time, but it also cools down for a long time. Therefore, be sure that the hot water in such a bath will not cool down for a long time. To cool to the temperature of your bathroom, this bath will take about an hour and a half. During this time you will have time to soak up the fluffy foam and completely relax.

Cast iron is a soundproof material. When collecting water, be calm: your family will not interfere with the sound of water being picked up.

The most important disadvantage of a cast iron bath is its weight. It is very heavy, with a length of one and a half meters, weighs a hundred kilograms. Therefore, if your apartment is not on the ground floor, then the delivery and installation of the product will cause corresponding difficulties. But weight is not only a disadvantage, this is an advantage. Oh, if you installed your iron bath, wherever you wanted, then be sure - it will not move anywhere. The stability of the product is guaranteed. Therefore it is convenient to put such a bath to the wall. To depart from it, she certainly will not.

The cast iron bath needs very careful care, as the covering layer, and this is water resistant enamel, can be damaged by inaccurate cleaning or maintenance. You can restore it yourself, but due to complex repair techniques it is better to contact specialists.

Cast-iron baths will not please you with a variety of their types and forms. Unfortunately, they can not be called original. The foreign producer, of course, brings in some interesting moments in the design. For example, beautiful legs with gold trim or additional pens and armrests that provide security. The legs can be adjusted and the height of the bath set in accordance with their own desires. Note that they weigh less such baths than domestic producers.

Many years have passed since the first cast-iron bath was made. Modern technologies allow to improve the quality and appearance and, naturally, the cast-iron bath of our time can not be compared with the one made a long time ago.

As before, the cast iron is first filled with the desired shape. Next, the surface is leveled, polished and smooth. All uneven places are deleted. Here, on this perfectly flat base, a coating of enamel is applied. Enamel is one of the most important parameters that determine the quality of the product. To ensure that such a product has served its owner for more than a decade, the manufacturer adds various admixtures to its composition - barium, cobalt. The bath turns out very beautiful: white and shiny.

Why are the baths of a domestic manufacturer heavier than imported ones? It's just that Russian baths have a thicker layer of cast iron. At foreign manufacturers on the contrary: the cast-iron layer is smaller, and the enamel coating is thicker. Manufacturers enrich enamel with silver ions. It's no secret that silver has antibacterial and disinfectant properties. Therefore, its application in this field is simply irreplaceable. This bath is not just beautiful, but also useful for health.

Another component of the enamel is titanium salt. It provides smoothness and makes such a bath more wear-resistant. On sale there are cast iron baths, in which the varnish coating consists of three layers. This bath resembles a bath made of acrylic.

Acrylic bathtubs are the result of scientific and technological progress. They are younger than cast-iron baths, but already have their fans. This product is not very heavy, so it is convenient to install it, move it. And with delivery problems are not special. Apparent at first glance fragility, deceptive. Acrylic bath is strong enough and reliable. This bath has a smooth, shiny surface that does not lose its original color over time. The acrylic bath retains heat for a long time. For half an hour the temperature of the water poured into it will be lower by only one degree.

Another plus is noise insulation. The water is almost silent. Acrylic bath is easy to operate and maintain. It is enough to wipe it with a sponge using an ordinary detergent. Strong chemical and abrasive agents are strictly prohibited. They can damage the acrylic surface.

Scratches that may appear during careless operation of the acrylic bath can be eliminated by applying polish or liquid acrylic if the scratch is very deep.

Acrylic baths amaze with their variety of shapes. Since the material is quite plastic, the manufacturer offers round, oval, corner baths. Therefore, their use can become a beautiful and unusual addition to the bathroom, and in some cases become a bold design decision.

Another, equally important advantage of acrylic baths is their hygiene .Acrylic is a material that inhibits the spread of bacteria in the humid microclimate of the bathroom.

First of all, what is the raw material for the manufacture of acrylic bathtubs. Acrylic is a polymer substance, essentially the same plastic. In order to make a bath, you need a sheet of acrylic, from which a vacuum is blown in the vacuum chambers. The sheet has a different thickness, but in general it should not be less than 5 millimeters.

There is a relationship between the thickness of the acrylic sheet and its plasticity. Thick acrylic sheet bends worse. Therefore, a quality acrylic bath will not have any complicated and intricate forms.

The bath made at the first stage is still far from its final form. In fact - it's just a plastic basin, which can easily deform. Then comes the process of reinforcement. Several layers of special resin are applied to the surface, which, when hardened, retains the shape of the bath. At some factories it's handmade. Strength and quality of the product depends on the number of such layers. They can be seen with the naked eye.

You can check the quality of the acrylic bath by the principle of checking the watermelon in the market, that is, knocking. If the sound is deaf, then you can easily buy such a bath. A ringing sound indicates a thin layer of reinforcement, and this is already a sign of poor quality. The thicker the layer, the more expensive the bath. Buying a cheap acrylic bath, you are at great risk.

Technologies do not stand still. Here and now there are baths made of quarrel ( quartz + acrylic).Quartz makes acrylic durable, so the reinforcement process simply disappears. Such baths no longer "blow out", but are cast. Kvaril baths are very durable. A heavy object that has fallen into such a bath will not leave any scratches or dents on it. Of course, such a bath is slightly heavier than usual acrylic, but in comparison with cast iron, it is easier.

Steel bath is a budget option. Are steel baths cheaper baths from other materials. There are, of course, expensive steel baths. They in appearance almost do not differ from cast-iron baths because of enamel coating. And you can determine the material of manufacture only by tapping on the edge of the product. To serve its owner such a bath can be about 15 years.

The steel bath is very light. Therefore installation and installation of special difficulties will not cause. In view of the plasticity of the material, manufacturers offer a variety of forms of steel baths. You can choose what your heart desires.

The biggest drawback is its thermal conductivity. The water in this bath cools down catastrophically quickly. It will not be able to soak up and relax after a hard working day. Otherwise, you have to constantly add hot water. And this is already uneconomical.

When you recruit water in a steel bath, all inhabitants of your apartment will know about it. The sound will be loud noisy. Foreign manufacturers try to make this sound muffled and use rubber gaskets. But this only mutes the sound of the water poured into it.

Which bath to choose? The solution of this issue, of course, is individual. If the funds are not so much, then you have to buy a steel bath. You'll have to put up with the rapid cooling of the water and noise when recruiting water. But thanks to different shapes, you can pick up a bathtub, which will be the perfect solution for your bathroom.

Advantages of acrylic in its thermal conductivity and noise insulation. Plus, the fact that all the scratches can be fixed at home. The process of restoration is quite simple. Any specialized store will offer you such a set at an affordable price. Acrylic baths can be additionally equipped with hydromassage and turned into a cozy corner for SPA procedures. The forms of such baths are also varied.

The cast iron bath is very heavy. Problems arise in the installation. If you accidentally split a piece of such a bath, then give the original appearance of the product does not work. Restoring cast-iron baths is very difficult, and in some cases impossible. But, despite this, the most important thing is strength. The water in the bath cools slower than in the acrylic. Modern manufacturers turn this bath into a real work of art, adding exquisite details. Cast-iron bath is a durable product.

In any case, before you buy a bath, it should be like "try it on".Many shops allow their customers to climb into the baths to understand whether the client will be comfortable and comfortable in it.