How to choose a bath?

A bathtub is one of the most important and obligatory attributes in any bathroom. Often, the main subject of plumbing performs not only a hygienic function, but also a wellness one. The very lying in a font with soapy water and a small amount of various additives and oils allows you to restore the overall tone of the body, relieve stress after a hard day, make the skin smoother. Since the bowl of the bathroom, due to its large dimensions, is directly involved in the formation of the overall interior of the bathroom, each owner needs to know how to choose a bathtub so that it meets all the requirements and lasts as long as possible. On the modern market there are many models of plumbing, which is made of various materials and has a huge spread in size, volume, shape. Today we decided to sort out all this diversity and help you determine which bathtubs are the best.

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Bath Materials

Modern fonts can be made of various materials. If a bathtub carved from wood or carved from natural stone (marble) is rarely found on sale, then other materials are quite widespread. They will be discussed further.

Cast iron bathtub - time-tested plumbing

Cast iron for many decades was the only material for the manufacture of bathtubs. Although this material cannot be called economical and convenient from the point of view of installation, still cast-iron plumbing is very popular due to the following advantages:

• High structural strength.
• Durability. The cast iron bath owes its durability to a strong metal alloy and surface coating.

Important! As a coating of the font, two-layer enamel is used, which is applied in the factory. The first layer ensures proper adhesion of the enamel to the metal, and the second (front layer) ensures the necessary smoothness of the surface. The duration of abrasion of the enamel of the cast-iron model is 10-30 years, depending on the intensity of operation.

• Perfectly retains heat for a long time.
• No noise during water intake.
• Unpretentious care. Smooth enamel practically does not trap dirt, grease, dust, rust, which greatly facilitates the care of such plumbing.

Important! Giving preference to such plumbing equipment, be sure to read how to properly care for it. All recommendations on this topic are detailed in our article. "How to wash a cast-iron bath?".

The disadvantages of cast-iron models:

1. Big weight (up to 150 kg). In some cases, the total mass of the bath with water can reach 500 kg, so when installing such plumbing, it is necessary to first calculate the load on the ceiling.
2. The laborious process of restoring enamel after damage. When a heavy object falls on enamel, chips can form, which are almost impossible to restore. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to clean the enamel coating with caustic abrasive substances, because the lower reddish-gray coating layer may be exposed due to their influence.
3. A small variety of shapes and sizes. Manufacturers offer only standard bathtubs of rectangular shape and strictly defined sizes.

Important! If we correlate all the advantages and disadvantages of a cast-iron bath, we can draw the following conclusion: this plumbing is ideal for installation on the ground floor of a country house. In order to install it in the apartment, there is not enough space, since the font is too bulky, and the installation of such plumbing will not be easy, since the fixtures will have to be carefully verified.

Steel bath

A steel font model is a cheaper option than a cast iron model. Steel products have an attractive appearance and are reliable in operation. Structural steel bathtubs look like cast-iron plumbing. The wall thickness of such a font is from 2.5 to 4.5 mm, and acrylic enamel is used as a coating.

Important! As for the stainless steel bath, this option is less common in the domestic market due to the high price. The stainless bath does not have an enamel coating, since food stainless steel is used for the production of the bowl, which is not subject to corrosion and oxidation. Since the price of such a metal is quite high, a stainless steel bathtub can be 2 times more expensive than plumbing fixtures made of cast iron.

Advantages of steel bathtubs:

• Strength.
• The ability to choose any color of enamel.
• A wide variety of shapes and sizes. A steel bath will allow you to implement any original design project.

Important! Modern steel bathtubs are made in a variety of forms and variations - from the usual classic oval to the most bizarre configuration with one or more seats, head restraints, shelves and bends. All these bizarre shapes are possible due to the fact that steel is much lighter and more ductile than cast iron.

• Light weight construction.
• Affordable price.
• Ease of installation and transportation.

Important! When installing such a font, use the detailed instructions to make steady bath legs.

The disadvantages of steel products:

• Increased background noise when recruiting water.
• Excessively high heat conductivity, due to which the water in the bathroom cools too quickly.
• The ability to bend under an overweight person. If there is an overweight person in the family, then a steel bath will not work for you, since the walls of plumbing under the influence of the weight of an obese person and the weight of water can be deformed.

Important! The problem of excess noise of the filled water into the steel font can be solved in the following ways:

• Stick Penofol, sheet rubber or rubber on the bottom of the plumbing. The plate thickness should be about 10 mm.
• Before installing the plumbing, apply a shapeless layer of polyurethane foam to the surface of the outer walls and the bottom, which, after hardening, will act as a sound insulator.

Also consider othersdo-it-yourself soundproofing ideas for a steel bath.

Acrylic bathtub - extravaganza of design idea

Which bath to choose, which is better? Acrylic bathtubs appeared relatively recently, but their popularity among users is constantly growing. Acrylic itself is a kind of strong, elastic and smooth plastic.

Important! In the plumbing shop you can buy both “cheap” and “expensive” acrylic models. It all depends on the technological method of font production:

• If the bathtub is made of 100% polymethylmethacrylate, then it has high strength, a glossy smooth surface and low water absorption. Such plumbing, with intensive use in a city apartment, can last 12 years or more, but the price for such a font will be 2-4 times higher than a bathtub made according to a two-component scheme (ABS / PMMA).
• ABS. Such bathtubs have a very thin outer glossy layer, which after 3-5 years can easily wear out due to operation. After that, the lower layer begins to intensively absorb moisture, as a result - plumbing becomes unusable.

Check out our other tips and tricks to help you sort out the range and choose a good quality acrylic bathtub.

The advantages of acrylic products:

• Minimum light weight.
• Stores heat for a long time.
• Ease of care. Any scratches and stains are easily removed with special paint.
• Aesthetic appeal.
• A huge variety of shapes and sizes.
• A large number of models with additional features.
• Strength. To give acrylic more strength, it is additionally reinforced with fiberglass (in cheaper cases), polymer resin or metal mesh (in high-quality products).
• Huge price range.

Disadvantages of acrylic products:

• Instability to deformation. The walls of a poor-quality bath can sag strongly with a large amount of water.
• The ability to stain, which does not allow colored laundry to be washed in the bathrooms.
• The surface is quickly scratched.
• Vulnerability of acrylic to heat.
• The need to carefully select detergents and cleaners. Read more about them in our article. "How to wash an acrylic bath?".
• The price of some models can reach “space heights”.

Important! Acrylic bathtubs from renowned manufacturers are of high quality. Their walls do not bend or deform at high temperature. Therefore, when choosing an acrylic model, pay attention to the technological scheme of its manufacture:

• If the bathtub is solid, then when tapped it should “sound” muffledly and quietly.
• Pay attention to the number of layers on the edge of the side: the more there are, the better.

Remember that an acrylic bathtub costs more than a steel and cast-iron bathtub, so be suspicious of cheap models. Most likely, this is a fake made of plastic with an acrylic coating.

Important! Depending on the size of the bathroom, you can also consider installing a shower as a replacement for a full font or as an addition to it. In this case, information from the following articles will come in handy:

• DIY shower in the bathroom.
• How to choose a shower cabin?
• Bathroom with shower - design.

Kvarilny baths

Which bath is better? Consider another option. Kvaril consists of acrylic and fine quartz sand. When this composition hardens, each quartz grit will be enclosed in an acrylic shell. In fact, quartz replaces reinforcement, and in practice, a material is obtained that is visually similar to acrylic in smoothness, but superior in strength and wear resistance.

Important! The wall thickness of the quaril bath is 9-10 mm. Such plumbing does not need to be specially reinforced on the outside with several layers of fiberglass. Another feature of the Quaril model is the ability to operate without a power metal frame.

Advantages of baths from quaril:

• The walls do not bend when the cup is full.
• A huge number of shapes and sizes.
• Long term of operation.
• Resistance to mechanical damage.
• Good thermal insulation.

Cons of quaril models:

• Relatively heavy weight.
• High price.

Ceramic bathtubs - a choice of aesthetes

According to the method of manufacture and materials, ceramic bathtubs are divided into faience and cermet:

1. At cost, earthenware plumbing is the most expensive, since it is made from noble varieties of white clay. And since chamotte faience after high-temperature firing becomes a very hygroscopic material with water absorption of up to 16%, then after the formation of the font and temperature hardening, a layer of acrylic glaze is applied to the surface of the sanitary ware.
2. Ceramic-metal models differ significantly from faience in the manufacturing method. Initially, a metal frame is assembled - the base, which is then enveloped with alumina and subjected to high-temperature firing, followed by glazing.The main difference between cermets and ceramics is less weight and a smaller wall thickness of the bath. The price for cermet models is lower than for pure ceramics. This is due to the lower consumption of expensive white clay.

Important! As for the shapes of the fonts, the most often on the market are bathtubs with classic oval shapes. The color can be either white or blue, beige, turquoise, even coffee. Significantly less common are plumbing models with unusual shapes in the form of a round saucer or a font in the form of a figure eight.

Advantages of ceramic models:

• Durability (with careful use).
• Flawless glossy finish.
• Long-term preservation of water temperature.
• A wide variety of models.
• A wide range of colors for glaze.
• No noise when filling the font with water.

Disadvantages of ceramic models:

• A lot of weight.
• High price.
• Predisposition to chips and cracks.

Of course, it is very important, before buying to decide which material to choose a bath from, since its durability, hygiene, aesthetic appearance and, of course, price depend on it. But since plumbing has a huge variation in shape, volume and size, in order to choose a good bath, it is necessary to determine its optimal size.

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How to choose the optimal size for the bath?

After you have decided which material the bath is best from, having weighed all the pros and cons, proceed to choosing the optimal size of the plumbing. To find out which bath is best to choose, pay attention to four main parameters:

• Bowl depth. This is the distance from the bottom of the font to the top edge of the side or overflow siphon. On average, the optimal depth should be 50-60 cm.

Important! Determining the depth of the bowl, one should take into account the moment that in a filled state, the water in the font should completely cover the person lying down.

• Font length. The average font length is 150-180 cm. These data are calculated for a person who is 170-180 cm tall.
• The width of the bowl. This parameter is selected based on the individual characteristics of family members. The average width is 70-80 cm, but these data are calculated for a person not inclined to fullness.
• The height of the side above the floor. The font height is determined based on the average height of family members, including the growth of children. For an adult, the optimal height of the plumbing is 65-70 cm, however, if the family has small children, then a lower model should be chosen.

Important! When planning the design of the bathroom, it is necessary to consider previously various ideas of color scheme and space organization. You can get the most relevant for design and practicality from the following publications on our website:

• Bathroom design with corner bath.
• Wood bathroom design.
• Loft style bathroom design.

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How to choose a bath shape and installation type?

To determine the type of font, you must select the type of installation. By the type of bath installation there are:

1. Wall. Such models are mounted flush against one of the walls. Some models can be installed remotely from the walls in the room.
2. Corner Models are installed in one of the corners of the bathroom.

Depending on the type of installation, the shape of the font is also selected:

1. The wall type suggests more different forms. The most popular is the oval, however, there are models with the shape of a circle, ellipse, figure eight or with asymmetric curved lines.
2. A bathtub in the shape of a quarter circle with the correct geometry is suitable for the angular type of installation. You can find corner models with an asymmetric, intentionally irregular shape. Such a model can be either right-handed or left-handed.

If you do not know how to choose a good bathtub for a city apartment, then, first of all, you must take into account the available area of ​​the room. The following is taken into account:

1. The area of ​​the room.
2. Installed household appliances.
3. Minimal set of furniture.

Advice:

1. Installation of a corner bath will significantly save space and furnish the remaining area with functional furniture, necessary household appliances, and install a convenient washbasin.
2. When choosing a rectangular bath, one should take into account the fact that, with the same external dimensions, cast-iron and acrylic fonts most often have different volumes. This is due to the fact that acrylic models are equipped with internal armrests and a headrest. And what you need - additional bath options or an extra few liters of water - is a matter of taste.

Important! We recommend choosing asymmetric models for small rooms, and bright, colored fonts for original interiors.

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Additional bath functionality

Cast iron and steel fonts most often do not have additional options. But baths made of acrylic or kvaril, depending on the model, may have the following additional features:

• Hydromassage. This option is implemented due to the operation of a specially installed pump. As a result of the fact that the pump pumps water into the nozzles provided in the walls of the sanitary ware, the effect of the flow of water is produced in the filled bath.

Important! Hydromassage favorably affects the human body, relaxes and improves the overall tone.

• Air massage. This option is implemented due to the operation of a low-power electric pump. The difference between air massage and hydromassage is that from the nozzles located on the walls of the font, not a jet of water is supplied, but oxygen bubbles.

Important! Very often plumbing, which combines hydromassage and air massage, is called a jacuzzi.

• Chromotherapy The principle of chromotherapy is the work of built-in violet lamps during the adoption of water procedures. The system is designed to improve the functioning of blood vessels, increase the overall tone of the body.
• Self cleaning. Many models of modern plumbing are equipped with an auto disinfection system. An additional option allows, after taking a bath and draining the water, to apply a disinfectant to the font walls through special holes. After disinfection, the system automatically rinses off the applied substance.
• Water level correction. Another additional option is a water level sensor. The main task of the sensor is to determine how full the bath bowl is with water.

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Stock footage

Additional functionality increases the price of plumbing, so decide for yourself whether you need additional options or not. We hope that thanks to our advice, you can choose the most unique and necessary attribute of the bathroom. Take water treatments with pleasure!