Steel or "plastic" bath?

Tahiti

A couple of years back, we fitted a new cheap white suite to our house. It came with a steel bath that the wife complains loses the heat too quickly.

Now we're moving and the new place needs a bathroom and she has requested a plastic/acrylic bath instead. We are not going to go seriously cheap this time (I think the last suite was under £230 with taps, wastes and everything else) but do want to keep costs down a bit.

Personally, I like the idea of a metal bath over a plastic one because they're harder to damage (they also appear to be cheaper)!

I'd appreciate your thoughts though.

vansboy

Plastic everytime!! Warmer & lighter & juast as strong!!

But what you can do (with either), to keep the water warmer, longer, is stuff some loft insulation around it, behind the bath panel.

& check Focus, they have complete with taps prices & both ours came from there.

Next option, Homebase & 10% discount day coming along soon!!

Vb

calmgirl

(CG' S Hubby Here) Handy man.

Palstic baths are actually vacum formed then sprayed with fibre glass backing to streghnthen them. They will hold the heat longer as heat does not conduct easily through the plastic as it does metal. Once the meatal has reached the same temp as the water then the two will cool down at the same rate and you as your touching the bath with your wet naked body.

The main reason for heat loss in a bath is convection ie the heat escaping out of the top of the bath. You can stop this by:

A: lot's and lot's of bubbles
B: making sure that the room's temp is the same as the bath ( not practical)
C: insuring there is no draft in the room as this aid's convection. (try licking your hand then blowing on it)
Having a shower instead (usless bit of advice)

I pesonally would go for a plastic bath as vansboy has said Its warmer cheaper and lighter ( although when full of water and the average adult that is negligable)

Also metal baths need enamelling which chips and discoulers quicker than plastic. Also modern cleaning products actually remove a layer of enamel.

in short give into your wife as she will only complain for the next XX number of years if you don't

Tahiti

Good tips from you both. Thanks for that!

I hadn't even considered "insulating" the bath - quality.

As for the wife, let's be honest, she always gets her way! I just wanted to make sure that we're getting the right thing straight off. I am not brilliant at fitting things, and rely on family and friends to help me out!

corduroy-boy

there's no real price difference between steel and plastic baths at all. I personally went for Plastic because of the reasons already mentioned (heat loss, no re-enamelling) and also because of the ease of installation.

An acrylic (plastic) bath obviously isn't as solid, and if you're used to a steel bath you'll notice the difference with acrylic, especially if you use the bath to have showers in.

It is possible to get thicker acyrlic baths which are more solid, or ones which have an extra coating for more strength - there's a make called Carron who do a "Super Carronite" bath which supposedly has the strength of cast iron.

I think you'll be able to find it if you look up "eastbrook" on the internet as they're the distributor. Can be bought from all main plumbers merchants.

save123

I have both. Oooh!!

Not showing off at all, just giving my personal advise.

Give me shiney white enamel anyday.

Go to any decent show flat/home or hotel room and there will always be the bright shiney white enamel bathroom suite.

Go for chrome taps too. Lovely :T :T

unsure

We've just redone the bathroom and went for steel. This is basically because it feels much more solid and is therefore more aesthetically pleasing to use. I find plastic ones feel flimsier. We went throught the heat loss discussison with builder and plumber who both said the difference was marginal as the main heat loss is from the surface of the water which is obviosuly same for both.
The builders words of wisdom were:
"It doesn't matter if you get steel or plastic what matters is that you get a decent quality bath whatever it's made from. Do that and it'll last for ages".

I understand lower quality plastic baths may crack over time (happened to my brother's) and a cheap steel one may chip and even rust much more easily than a decent one.

Obviously a plastic one is easier to lug about for installation but to me they just don't look or feel the same.

coolagarry

I also prefer steel. Another point to consider is that plastic bath's come with a frame underneath them... I had an old iron bath taken out at my previous house intending to replace it with plastic bath. When the old bath was removed we found that the 'stench pipe' went behind it and we had a helluva job putting in the plastic bath with the frame - steel baths tend to be self supporting.

Tahiti

Interesting. I was beginning to think this was a clear cut decision!

Wife's adamant she wants a plastic bath though so that's what she'll get. I love to save money, but I will definitely go for a quality one this time. We plan to live there for at least 10 years so I guess it's a false economy to do anything else.

George_Bray

I bought a steel bath about 10 years ago because I noticed that 5 star hotels used them, so they can't be bad, I thought. They seemed more solid and looked better, for my taste. I haven't regretted the decision. The steel bath was low cost too. I think plastic baths tend to look cheap and simply not as luxurious.

Regards
George

crankup

We removed an old 60s cast-iron bath last year. Replaced it with plastic. I dunno where this flimsy claim comes from, ours certainly doesnt move at all - (12 stone, does that come into it)?!?! We have a shower over ours too. Ours is 5mm, no probs, consider an 8mm for belt and braces.

What I do notice is how much hotter the water stays in the new one. You can lie there for an age, top!

Grab a catalogue from a plumbers merchants - they will have loads to choose from, steel, plastic, carronite etc. - many more than diy chains, probably better prices. Also, if it hasnt got tap holes pre-drilled, you may have to do that or pay extra to have them drilled.