acrylic or steel bath and why?

bwatt00

i am thinking of getting a new bathroom suite and need to know what is the difference from acrylic and steel baths,yes i know its steel but why does most baths come in acrylic these days is there a reason and if so what,i thought they did away with steel baths years ago

HugoSP

bwatt00 wrote: »

.......i thought they did away with steel baths years ago

They did away with cast iron baths years ago. Reason - the avarage cast iron bath weighs around 150 kilos. If you've ever had to take one out you will know why this can be an issue .

Steel baths are enamelled in the same way that cast iron baths are, but they are much lighter and can easily be carried by one person. The advantage with steel over acrylic (fibreglass) is that they are sturdier and don't flex as much if at all. They also last longer. I always prefer to fit them in our rented properties, that way I can 'fit and forget'.

Acrylic baths usually come in more styles and they are much warmer that steel baths. Steel baths can be cold when you first get in, despite the water being hot.

Personally I would go for steel over the cheap acrylic if you are after a basic style. However there are some well made acrylic baths out there, but you do have to pay through the nose for them.

ormus

agree with all of the above. ive just put a steel bath in a rented house today. much better with student tenants!
ive no problem with grp baths in my own home though. i usually put some extra support under them. they can/do flex a bit.

Liz1966

I've had an acrylic bath for a number of years & am just replacing it with a steel bath. The 'flexing' of the bath puts extra strain on the tap joints. I have had a few leaks behind the bath over the years & am looking forward to having a bath that doesn't creak when I get into it! (& I'm less than 9 stone).

HugoSP

Liz1966 wrote: »

I've had an acrylic bath for a number of years & am just replacing it with a steel bath. The 'flexing' of the bath puts extra strain on the tap joints. I have had a few leaks behind the bath over the years & am looking forward to having a bath that doesn't creak when I get into it! (& I'm less than 9 stone).

The tap/pumbing joints should not leak due to the bath flexing. The copper is flexable enough to take movements like this.

Having said that you can get flexable tap connectors that makes fitting it easier. I fit bathrooms and do other jobs for a living, and even I use them because I save myself more than the cost of them by not having to form the pipe when taps positions change.

Canucklehead

Good morning: Take a look at my recent post for lots of info on this subject
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=5090400&postcount=1

HTH

Canucklehead