Bathroom is not only the cleanest premise, but sometimes it’s a place of our rest. There are not so many people who live without a bath. They may of course have a shower, but it’s another topic.
Bath’s term of life is minimum 15 years, so the choice of bath is very important. Here you are trying to select a bath - cast-iron, acryl or maybe, to save money and to buy steel one. But it’s not only the durability that is important, but also its hygienic condition and comfort.
That’s why it is useful to know beforehand all the advantages and disadvantages of bath types. Otherwise you may have unpleasant surprises, after the purchase.
Cast-iron bath
Cast-iron bathes are still very popular. People choose cast-iron bathes not only because they are used to them. They have advantages as well as disadvantages. Their main advantage is durability. But it’s very unlikely that you’ll choose a cast-iron bath if you live overstroy. Cast-iron is very heavy. Even though modern technologies allow making thin bathes, they still weigh about 120 kg. Its heaviness guarantee the steadiness after proper mounting. Cast-iron bath won’t come off the wall, so the tile can be put close to it.
Enamel covering of the cast-iron bath is more shining then on the acryl one, but needs a proper care. If you drop any heavy object in the bath, it will be difficult to renew the enamel. When you are selecting a cast-iron bath, pay attention on its enamel, there should be no chips. Enamel should have an even color without stains. With proper care, enamel won’t become yellow or rough for many years.
Heat maintenance is also very important. Heat capacity is quite high – bath is heated for a long time, but the water temperature remains the same for a long time too (cooling down to room temperature takes about 1,5 hour).
Cast-iron bathes have only rectangular shape. Cast-iron is a material, which is hardly shaped. So if you want to have a triangular or round shaped bath, you’ll have to select among acryl or steel bathes.
Acryl bath
Acryl bathes appeared recently, but they have already become very popular. Acryl is a plastic, for bath production it is strengthened (reinforced), otherwise it would bent under the water column. Bath quality and price depend on the acryl quality and on the number of reinforcement layers.
A lot of people select acryl bath because its low weight. It simplifies its delivery and installation. Besides acryl bath can have any shape. But don’t try to make an exotic shape, qualitative acryl is hardly shaped, so the variety of winding lines should alarm you. Elbow rests are quite enough, all the rest is unnecessary. The colors are also very different, so you can easily choose an acryl bath of desired color. Acryl bath is painted in the beginning of the production, so you shouldn’t be afraid that the bath will lose its glitter.
The advantage of acryl bathes is their heat capacity, even compared to cast-iron ones. The water in acryl bath cools down on one degree in 30 minutes, in cast-iron bath – in 5-10 minutes. It’s another plus for acryl bathes, especially if you are looking for a bath in which you can have a rest.
The most durable are the bathes that have a metal net inside. Though majority of acryl bathes are strengthened with few layers of glass fiber. All the variants will be durable. The choice of the bath will depend on your finances.
Acryl bath surface can be easily damaged, but it is also easy to remove small scratches with a help of emery paper. The positive side of acryl bathes is easy care and their hygienic condition. It is important not to use cleaning powders that maintain dissolvent.
Steel bath
Steel bathes are the cheapest. Often it is the main reason for the choice of such bath. Though steel bathes have their advantages.
If the side width is 3mm, steel bath weigh 30 kg, that is much lighter then cast-iron. Besides they are more durable then acryl ones and have more shapes. Enamel covering looks as good as on the cast-iron bath. Sometimes they are hardly distinguished. The main point before choosing a steel bath is the width of sides. It is important that the bath won’t bend under your weight or it will negatively affect the enamel covering.
The price of steel bath is very low, and it seems that you can save money on it, but there are some minuses. First of all, high heat emission of the steel (water cools down very quickly). The process of water pouring is very noisy. So if you still want to buy a steel bath, there should at least be rubber strips for noise absorption.
Bath dimensions
When you have chosen the material, there still is a question of bath dimensions. Standard dimensions are: length 150, 170 and 180sm, width – 70, 80 and 85sm, height – 65sm.
First of all, the choice of bath dimensions is restricted to the size of the bathroom. Because beside bath, there should also be a place for a washing machine and some free space. Second, you should choose such size that you’ll fell comfortable in the bath. With same external dimensions, bathes have different capacities. That’s why it is better to choose such bath in which you could recline with stretched legs, so that your knees won’t be above the water. The width of the bath: there should be 5sm on every side from your body to sides. Normal depth is 50-60sm. The bath should have such depth because of two reasons. When you recline in the bath, your head will be above the water and it will be easy to get out of the bath.
Bath capacity depends on the side angles, the presence of elbow rests, different curves. If you choose a bath of bigger capacity, you’ll need more time to pour in the water. So before the purchase, you should consider your real physical size.
Hydromassage bathes
Hydromassage is directed sheets of water, mixed with air. It is based on the system of pump, compressor, nipples, sprayers (from 6 and over) and control console. Majority of hydramassage bathes are acryl. It is almost impossible to find a cast-iron one, besides they are very expensive.
Selecting a hydromassage bath, consider its pump power. Bath of 250litres acquires the pump of 1KWt. If you are going to buy a bath with additional sprayers for back massage, it is advised to have a more powerful pump. Or you can buy a bath with separate pump for back sprayers. It won’t only divide the work, but also will allow to use back sprayers only if necessary.
Compressor is used to mix water sheets from the sprayers with air. Some models have a function to set the proportion of air and water in the flow.
The number of sprayers is also important in the choice of the hydromassage bath. The bath should massage the main parts of the body: legs, waist, trunk. Additional sprayers for back (up to 60) equally distribute the work. It means that it is better to choose a bath with 12-30 sprayers, or their effectiveness will decrease.
Control console can be pneumatic as well as electronic. The hydromassage intensiveness is regulated with a help of control console. If you choose a bath with electronic control console, you’ll get additional massage tunings. For example, alternate sprayers work with different intensiveness.
But don’t forget that hydramassage is not recommended to children and people with heart diseases.
This information will help you to choose an appropriate bath. A shop-assistant can’t choose a better bath for you, then yourself. Only you know in which position you’ll fell absolutely comfortable. It is better to choose not only durable bath, but the one which will become a real place for your rest.