Carronite Baths - opinions?

[Jon Nicoll]

Hi all as the next step in my Bathroom re-fit I'm looking at baths, and am wondering about the choice between arylic and steel. I have a mild preference for 'modern' steel types, for stability, wear resistance etc. However, acrylic baths come in a wider range of shapes, and some of these are more suitable for our purpose.

There are at least a couple of 'reinforced' acrylic baths constructions advertised - Carronite seems to be the most popular - and at first glance they appear to combine the best of both worlds; the 'warmth' and range of acrylic with high strength.

Has anyone any experience/ opinions on this sort of construction? I was astonished to find not a single reference to Carronite in searching uk.d-i-y via Google ;-o ...

Thanks & Regards Jon N

[The Natural Philosopher]

Dunno. I have a couple of realy THICK 'acrylic' baths and they are to my mind the best of all possible worlds - sturdy, thick gell coat that doesn't scratch easily, and doesn't show when it does, warm and much stiffer than a pressed steel cheapo. Also nicer shapes.

[Grunff]

They come from where? I've been looking for exactly that for ages, seems very difficult to find. Most suppliers seem to bracket their baths into cheapo (acrylic) and more expensive (pressed steel), completely missing out on the possibility of high quality acrylic.

[Brian]

I fitted a Carronite bath about 2 years ago and am very pleased with it. It is very stiff, absolutely no noticeable deflection (we stand in it to shower). It feels warm and looks really good. Regards

[IMM]

For once our snotty uni man speak some sense.

[Grunff]

Did your mother never tell you "if you don't have anything nice to say it's better not to say anything at all"?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not sure. Ideal? google thick acrylic bath maybe?

>

[Dave Plowman]

Don't see how they can be acrylic if they are hard and have a gel coat. Sure they're not fibreglass? It's more scratch resistant, but also more expensive.

[IMM]

I said nice things. Duh. I said he "speaks some sense.". that is nice. Or did you mean it is not nice?

[IMM]

I'm pretty sure Twyfords do one. I think mine is a Twyfords.

[Owain]

"Grunff" wrote | IMM wrote: | > For once our snotty uni man speak some sense. | Did your mother never tell you "if you don't have anything nice | to say it's better not to say anything at all"?

IMM didn't know his mother, he was brought up in a yurt by an eco-commune who made him the man he is today.

Owain

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well I dunno what they are made of gov. I thought 'acrylic' meant 'fiberglass with acrylic resing gel coat in marketing spik' but there ya go.

Right. Since I haven'tyt got around to putting a side on it yet, I can stick a mirror underneath and Alice like, read teh reverse writing ion teh bootom

IDEALCAST - THE ACRYLIC BATH THAT THINKS ITS CAST IRON.

About 8mm thick at its thinnest. I THINK it was about 400 squids, before (substantial) discount.

I'd say that it was a cold cast resin with gel coat, and then resin and filler (chpped strand) slapped on the back and a less good mould applied to the back. A couple of stiffening braces appear to be molded in as well. Its definitely not 'laid up' with glass cloth tho.

I got it from Ridgeons who are big east anglian builders mercahnts.

>

[The Natural Philosopher]

here we go

"What are your baths made from?

Carron, Aquarius, Ideal Standard and Showerlux baths are made from acrylic reinforced with GRP. Bette baths are made from Steel. Many baths are available in an extra strong variation, such as Carronite or Idealcast, these baths are finished with additional reinforcement that usually give them the strength of a steel bath. "

... Good link to tell you about what is what etc.

So there ya go. Carronite and idealcast are the same thing. Extra thick acrylics.

There is a VERY slight movement in mine if you jump up and down on the bottom center. less tahn 1/2mm I would say. If its an issue use a block of wood and car body filler after installation :-)

When I went looking, it seemed that there were

(i) ultra cheap acrylics - B & Q finest, flimsy as shit, but < £200 (ii) Ditto pressed steel. Boring shapes. (iii) better acrylics in 200-300 range, also thicker pressed steel. Not bad bit still flimsy or tinny. (iv) Super thick acrylics at 400 level, (v) ditzy stuff - usually super thick acrylics but seriously 'designed' in 600-1200 mark (vi) genuine cast iron stuff totally new or refurbed in excess ofd 1000 squids.

I picked the super thick acrylics. Thye natched my 'price performance' targets.

SWMBBO ofcoyrse lusetd after the 1500 quid overstyled crap, till I threatened no curtains in the living room :-)

[John Laird]

OP: see if you have a local stockist of Harold Moore baths. Big range, good quality, all made in 8mm acrylic.

[Dave Plowman]

Right - thanks for clarifying that. Does this mean 'conventional' fibreglass is out now? It used to be the material of choice for the fancy shapes.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I think the ulta cheapos are fiber glass still.

Haven't crawled under a B & Q special in a while tho.

The acrylics ARE fiber glass tooo - just not wet laid polyestrer...

[David Fisher]

I don't know too much about construction processes, etc, but I do know that our Carronite bath has been great. We got it 2 years from a company called Texturas in Caversham, Reading (0118 947 8222), and found it to be well priced and extremely solid. We've even managed to smash glass fittings (don't ask) in it, and not so much as a smal scratch. It's extremely rigid - I couldn't tell the difference between it and steel, except it's nowhere near as cold on your back when you get in it.

[Paula]

I concur; I have had a Carronite bath for a little over a year, and it's brilliant. Solid as a rock, survived the abuse of lots of bath toys being flung at it (high-speed pre-bath loading of tub by toddler) with nary a scratch, and feels very warm and almost "soft". I would highly recommend one.

[Dave Plowman]

When I last looked at baths - some time ago, because I bought a large cast iron one which will see me out - the order of cost went roughly:-

Pressed steel Acrylic Fibreglass Cast iron

If I have time for a bath, the 'cold' cast iron isn't a problem - simply half fill it and leave it for a while. Then top it up to the required temperature - it will keep the heat for that nice long soak better than any of the others.

When I were a nipper, bath times were torture. The bathroom was freezing and the couple of inches of warm water never heated up the cast iron bath. Should have burnt the coal we kept in it. ;-)

[IMM]

LOL, very funny Caledonian humour.