It is unlikely that there will be such a person who would not like water procedures. It is very difficult to underestimate the effectiveness of their effects on the body. They are especially good for relieving fatigue after a hard day and for toning the muscles of the bath, which are done with salt, oils or herbs. That is why when arranging an apartment or just during the planning of repairs, the owners pay attention to the equipment for making water procedures.
What kind of bath should it be for it to be durable, reliable and convenient in use and during installation? This choice is quite complicated. After all, a modern manufacturer offers a lot of options that differ from each other in the material used in the manufacture, in shapes and sizes. Modern bathtubs are made of steel, acrylic, cast iron, and ceramics. There are specimens of natural stone. Despite the saturation of the modern market and the appearance of all new materials on it, the most popular among consumers are acrylic and cast-iron bathtubs. Steel products are also popular. It is these products that the bulk of buyers acquire for their apartments. Let's try to figure out which bathtub is better to install - cast iron or acrylic. Compare their main characteristics.
The history and variety of cast-iron bathtubs
Products made of this material are not only durable and reliable, but also well retaining heat. Cast iron, which is an alloy of iron and carbon, has been used for a very long time to produce bathtubs. The first products from this material appeared in 1925 near Barcelona in Spain. The Rock brothers, owners of a cast iron radiator plant, decided to expand the range offered by their company. They began to release a new product - cast-iron bathtubs. And so far, Roca is one of the leading world leaders in this market segment. The products of this brand are distinguished by high quality, durability and a variety of colors.
It is worth noting that today in Europe there is a noticeable decrease in the total number of cast-iron plumbing products. They gradually began to be replaced by cheaper in cost, environmentally friendly in production and also easy to transport bathtubs.
Cast iron products are produced by only a few companies. The most famous of them, except Roca, are Porcher and Jacob Delafon. Such baths are produced in large quantities in Russia, as well as in other CIS countries. However, here they are presented with a small selection of shades and in only two sizes.
I would like to note that cast-iron bathtubs of European manufacturers are distinguished by a more diverse and beautiful design. It can be side handles, as well as armrests. In addition, it is possible to increase the bottom area due to the changed angle of inclination of one of the backs. Imported products are possible in any design. It can be either a classic that provides the ability to embed, or a luxurious English style.
Features of cast iron bathtubs
A properly manufactured product has walls, the thickness of which should not be less than 0.5 centimeters. At the same time, a high-quality cast-iron bath is distinguished by strong enamel, which is applied twice in the factory. The material from which the product is made contains a certain amount of sulfur, silicon or manganese, which give it additional strength. The enamel coating of cast-iron baths can last a long period (10-30 years). The specific period depends on the load and may even be longer.
Positive aspects of cast iron bathtubs
This classic version of the sanitary ware, which was previously used by almost all representatives of the older generation, many people like. Such bathtubs are especially appreciated for their durability. That is why such plumbing, which can last up to half a century, will certainly attract the attention of practical people. In addition, these durable bathtubs are highly resistant to corrosion and aggressive chemicals. They delight their owners with a pleasant to the touch smooth enamel, made even in the factory.
Cast iron bathtubs attract the attention of buyers:
- the ability to save heat;
- the absence of pores on the surface of the enamel, which does not allow particles of dirt and water to penetrate into the internal structure of cast iron;
- silent, which is a remarkable ability of the material;
- color depth, which, with proper handling of enamel, pleases for many years;
- easy cleaning with the possibility of using any detergents (acids and abrasives are still better to avoid).
Modern manufacturers of cast-iron bathtubs give us additional comfort and safety. They equip their products with armrests, head restraints, as well as anti-slip coating.
The negative sides of the cast-iron bathtubs
The negative aspects that are present in these products include:
- The large weight of the bath, due to which it is difficult to transport, carry and assemble. How much does a cast-iron bath weigh? Depending on the dimensions of the product, this indicator can range from 80 to 135 kg.
- Danger of damage to furniture during installation, as any collision with cast iron can damage the surface of cabinets, doors, etc.
- Lack of variety in shapes and configurations (companies offer only oval or rectangular products due to the complexity of the manufacturing process).
As you can see, cast-iron baths have a large list of advantages than disadvantages. However, it should be borne in mind that quality products are produced only by well-known manufacturers. Anyone who decided to save on a purchase may soon find out that his purchase has managed to lose its most important characteristics for a short time.
Plumbing products made of steel
The world does not stand still. Mankind is constantly coming up with more and more perfect products that are distinguished by attractive characteristics. The same thing happened with the bathtubs. Steel products began to replace iron products. They were not inferior to them in strength, but they were cheaper. The price sometimes differed by 2-3 times. Most often, this served as a weighty argument when choosing a plumbing product. In addition, many consumers were attracted to the fact that almost any shape was given to the steel product. In addition to oval and rectangular, like cast iron, it could be asymmetric, polygonal or compact angular.
The execution of such products is carried out from sheets of steel, the thickness of which ranges from 0.23 to 0.35 cm. Enamel made on the basis of acrylic, which covers the surface of the bath, is not as thick as that of cast iron. Nevertheless, thanks to modern application technologies, this layer is quite durable and reliable.
The weight of steel baths ranges from 25 to 30 kg. They are quite elegant in appearance and have a lifespan of thirty years.
Acrylic bathtubs
Modern production capabilities and the ever-increasing needs of people have led to the creation of improved personal care products. It was a person’s desire to see beautiful and durable bathtubs with a wide variety of shapes and colors in his home that became the impetus for the creation of acrylic bathtubs. These products were developed 30 years ago and quickly gained popularity among consumers.
The full name of the material used in their manufacture is methyl acrylate. It is a synthetic polymer derived from acrylic acid. The substance is highly resistant to abrasion, oxygen and ultraviolet. In addition, the surface of this material is warm, smooth and very pleasant to the touch.
Acrylic bathtubs are produced in one of two ways. At the first of them, a sheet of starting material suitable in size is taken, which bends to the desired shape in the vacuum chamber. The resulting container is not strong and can be easily bent. To give the surface of the bath stiffness, it is strengthened with several layers of epoxy resin, between which fiberglass is laid.
In the second injection technology, a fiberglass frame is used. It is on it that acrylic is applied. The product at the same time turns out to be strong enough, which distinguishes it from bathtubs made according to the first method.
A well-made acrylic bath has walls with a thickness of at least 4-6 mm. If you tap on its sides, the sound should not be too loud. Otherwise, we can conclude that the manufacturer decided to reduce costs by saving on reinforcement.
Often the landlord, equipping his bathroom, asks himself the question “Which is better - an acrylic or cast-iron bathtub?” Moreover, most often he makes his choice in favor of a more modern product. The explanation for this lies in the variety of shapes, lightness and beauty of acrylic bathtubs.
Positive aspects of polymer products
This plumbing, despite the fact that it appeared on the domestic market relatively recently, has already managed to gain great popularity.
Among the positive qualities of acrylic bathtubs are:
- ability to perfectly retain heat;
- An abundance of models of functionality (for example, hydromassage);
- A huge selection of sizes and shapes;
- light weight.
The negative sides of acrylic products
Among the minuses of such baths are noted:
- difficulty in leaving;
- the ability to bend at the time of use;
- insignificant service life;
- the inability of acrylic to withstand too high temperatures.
Easy installation
Acrylic or cast-iron bathtub - which is better when arranging a plumbing unit? Let's try to compare these products for ease of installation.
Which bath to choose - acrylic or cast iron? This question is often asked by the owners of apartments during the preliminary planning of repairs. Those who decide to install the bathtub on their own should remember that it is impossible for one person to bring cast-iron products into the house. In connection with their impressive mass, difficulties arise during installation. After all, a cast-iron bath, which is placed on four molded legs, will need to be firmly fixed on a flat surface.
Some difficulties arise when installing an acrylic product. Its installation and connection to the sewage system are impossible without the preliminary assembly of the metal frame. The need to perform such actions makes installation somewhat difficult, but due to the low weight of all the parts, one person can handle such work. For example, an acrylic bathtub 150x70 has a mass of 15 to 20 kg. A model with a length of 170 cm, depending on the width, weighs 20-25 kg.
The easiest is to install a steel bath. One person can also handle it. But sometimes, to improve the sound insulation of the product, a layer of penofol is glued to its bottom or polyurethane foam is applied. This complicates the work somewhat.
Comparison of cast iron and acrylic and steel bathtubs for ease of installation allows you to make your choice in favor of the latter. In second place are acrylic bathtubs. The most difficult installation is characterized by cast-iron products.
Easy care
Acrylic or cast-iron bath - which is better for this parameter? As mentioned above, high-quality cast iron bathtubs have a fairly thick coating layer, which is characterized by high strength. Even when the stain penetrates deep into the enamel, you can remove it using any of the available methods. In this case, chemical reagents can be used and mechanical action applied.
Acrylic bathtubs need to be cleaned carefully. Tools needed to care for them should not include aggressive “chemistry” and strong abrasives. Only in this case it will be possible to prevent the formation of cracks, and the product will retain its original appearance for a long time.
Almost as carefully as acrylic, you need to clean steel baths. After all, the layer of enamel applied to them is much thinner than that of cast-iron products. In this case, abrasive cleaners can be used, but this must be done with care so as not to damage the surface.
For ease of care, an acrylic or cast-iron bath - which is better? The most unpretentious are products made of cast iron. If a steel bath is included in the comparative analysis, then it will occupy an average position. Acrylic care product is the most difficult of them.
Life time
What is the difference between a cast-iron bathtub and an acrylic bathtub? Of course, its service life. No wonder cast iron products still do not lose their popularity. After all, they are able to serve the owners for at least fifty years. Agree, the term is quite decent. As for injection molded acrylic products, they can be operated on average for 15 years. If we consider steel baths, then in their service life they are in second place, delighting consumers for at least 20-30 years.
Coating Security
Have an acrylic and cast-iron bathtub pros and cons. And when choosing a variant of a sanitary product, it is necessary to carefully consider their positive and negative sides. As for the degree of protection of coatings, this characteristic is closely related to the care of them. The enamel applied on cast iron is most resistant. This process occurs in stages using firing technology. Thus, the bathtub receives maximum protection.
As for acrylic, it is fragile. This material does not stand up if they throw something heavy on it. After that, cracks may appear on the bath.
When considering this parameter, the steel bath is again in the middle positions. It is covered with good quality enamel, but the layer of this coating is thinner than that of cast iron products.
Variety of shapes
In this regard, the advantages of an acrylic bathtub over a cast iron bath are obvious. If manufacturers of cast-iron products offer only two options for forms, then those owners who dream of original design will use the option of a more modern material.
On the same level with acrylic products are steel bathtubs.
Variety of sizes
Bathtubs are cast-iron deep. A European manufacturer produces them with a length of 150 to 180 cm. The width of the product is in the range of 60-90 cm. The standard length of the inner (lower) part is 110-120 cm.
Domestic cast-iron bathtubs are 70 cm wide with a length ranging from 120 to 150 cm.
Acrylic products, as well as steel, have a variety of both shapes and sizes. They can be small and large, narrow and wide, deep and not. Different sizes of sides and diameters are provided in round and corner options. If we talk about oval and rectangular models, then they are most often produced with a width of 70-170 cm and a length of 120-190 cm. For example, there is an acrylic bathtub 150x70 cm, 140x90 cm, etc.
Surface restoration
Unfortunately, over time, even the most seemingly durable things wear out. An cast iron bathtub is no exception. However, it does not deteriorate. Wear affects the enamel applied at the factory.
How to restore a cast-iron bath? You can do this yourself by applying one of three methods:
1. At the first of them, the restoration of the cast-iron bathtub is carried out by treating its inner surface with a special coloring compound. This method is one of the oldest and has long been tested by time. The restoration of the cast-iron bath in this case is carried out with a brush. In addition, special restoration kits should be involved, including enamel, hardener and, if desired, tinting that changes the color of the bath. Enamel is applied on a previously cleaned surface in several layers, each of which must be well dried before applying the next one.
2. The second method involves placing an acrylic liner in the bathroom. Otherwise, this technique is called "bath to bath." What is she like? A pre-made acrylic liner is inserted into the old product into the bathroom. Inside it is attached with foam or special mastic.
3. In the third method, acrylic is applied to cast iron. In another way, this method is called a "bulk bath". In this case, liquid acrylic is used, which is applied to an old, previously prepared surface.
Acrylic restoration
Bathtubs made of modern material are hygienic, comfortable and practical. However, over time or due to careless operation, cracks or chips may form on their surface. Repairing an acrylic bath in the first case is quite simple. , .
. .