perksy
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| posted on 5/9/15 at 07:33 PM |
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New Bath - Steel or Acrylic ?
Planning the new bathroom and its all sorted apart from the choice of Bath material
Its either an Enamelled steel one or an Acrylic one
We have a shower above the bath and need to stand in it so we're erring towards a steel one at the moment as it will be sturdier
Any thoughts welcome 
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Slimy38
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| posted on 5/9/15 at 07:56 PM |
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No reason why a properly installed acrylic bath can't be sturdy. Just don't use those pathetic metal legs that often come in the
'fitting kit'!!
We've had an acrylic bath in place for ten years now and it hasn't budged. A good wooden frame around the walls, properly secured with a
good stable base for the bottom and it's perfect. Compare that to the previous owners fitted attempt that actually split apart on the bottom,
pretty much exactly where we stand for showers.
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mds167
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| posted on 5/9/15 at 08:03 PM |
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Hi, I think there are pros and cons to each.
Steel takes a while to warm up if you're taking a bath and the water cools quicker.
If you have a shower curtain younger use magnets to keep it from blowing around.
Acrylic does need mounting well to avoid lots of creaking or splits.
"No, you can't lick the system; but you can give it a damn good fondling."
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mark chandler
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| posted on 5/9/15 at 08:36 PM |
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For the acrylic one I fitted it seemed a bit weak standing in it, big corner one so put some cling film on the floor below it then blasted a couple of
tubes of expanding foam under it, lovely and solid after that and if it ever needs to come out it will just lift.
Problem with them is scratches, if you have dogs that need to go for a bath in times of need get a steel/enamel one.
Regards Mark
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Daf
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| posted on 5/9/15 at 08:55 PM |
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I've just put one in myself and it would appear there are varying qualities of acrylic ones. When I did a bit of research I came across some
cheaper baths that were wafer thin and very wibbly (technical plumbing tem there!) but the one I eventually went for from the bathstore was rock
solid. Fitted it to a treated wooden frame and mounted on unistrut - it's going nowhere. We went for the acrylic because the wife likes baths
and the metal ones lose the heat quicker.
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geoff shep
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| posted on 5/9/15 at 09:00 PM |
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Have a good look at steel baths - they are nothing like the old enamelled cast iron ones. Often they appear to be less rigid than acrylic.
A proper shower bath will be fairly sturdy but there are some that have a thickened option too. Get a decent leg kit, preferably one that fits under
the base of the bath rather than one that supports the bath around the rim.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 6/9/15 at 08:40 AM |
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An acrylic bath we used to have in our house had a thick strip of rigid material bonded underneath - no movement whatsoever when you stood under the
shower, even though it was mounted on the stands it came with.
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snapper
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| posted on 6/9/15 at 09:38 AM |
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If you go acrylic go for the much thicker ones, I have both types the thicker stronger one in family bathroom and thin one in on suite, the thin one
is rubbish
Also put a wood frame screwed to the walls and a frame on the outside, blocks under the base and you will have a ridged structure
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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lsdweb
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| posted on 6/9/15 at 02:05 PM |
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I recently fitted a steel one from
Screwfix in a rental property -
it's a shower over bath.
The bath was really cheap but a decent quality - the leg kit was a bit of a fiddle to fit but all worked out in the end.
The side and end panels were awful though!
wyn
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Slimy38
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| posted on 6/9/15 at 02:40 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by lsdweb
The side and end panels were awful though!
wyn
Same on ours, they were so flimsy I accidentally threw them out as packaging! A quick double check and they stayed in the bin.
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SJ
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| posted on 6/9/15 at 03:38 PM |
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We went for steel but a decent one isn't cheap. Ours was about £350.
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perksy
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| posted on 6/9/15 at 07:14 PM |
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Thanks for all the comments
We've looked at a few and jumped in them and we've decided to order an Acrylic one and I'll make sure its well supported.
We had a steel one previously and it chipped a couple of times and I don't fancy the chances on that happening again 
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