Hello all
Quick one. I am fitting a new bathroom suite in my house this Spring and am currently looking at different types of bath. These either fall into plastic/fibreglass or metal, as far as I can see. I'm thinking metal, but are there good reasons for choosing plastic, other than weight/cost ?
what does the team think?
cheers dave P London
Plastic's warmer (ie. it doesn't suck the heat out of the water as quickly), steel's stronger. Take your pick! If yours is a family of Teletubbies, I'd chose steel. YMMV
In message , Dave Phillips writes
I used to think I'd never get a plastic bath as they were horrible flimsy things, the last bath I fitted ended up being a (good quality) fibreglass one as I couldn't get a steel one that fitted, it's nice and sturdy, doesn't flex and is much nicer to get into in the winter, you can use limescale remover on it which (I don't think) you can do on enamel baths. I'd go fibreglass again.
A good quality one of either type costs similar.
Cheap ones of both are flexible and need more care to support.
Pressed steel is robust, and if thick enough gauge, fairly solid, but pulls heat out of the bath water faster.
Acrylics are more easy to mould in complex shapes, and a bit warmer.
Enamelled steel chips when things are dropped in it, whereas the gel coat on acrylics - if thick- is less noticeable when this happens.
I ended up spending a fair bit on some very thick acrylics, because they were warmer, and very stiff.
At the absolute bottom end, I think I'd probably prefer a cheapo tin one to a cheapo fibreglass one - as being a tad more robust.
You can use scale remover on both, unless and until you chip through the enamel.
Your experience is consistent with mine. Both are pretty good value, and it may be a detail that forces the choice.
I have vivid childhood memories of ice inside the bathroom window, and a teaspoon of hot water in a cast iron bath, and maybe a paraffin heater to dry yourself by and set light to the towel on.
I hate all victoriana stuuf. If only people had to experience the environments in which these bathrooms actually were used, they would hate them as I do. Its a complete mockery to have a huge iromn tub brimful of water and central heating all around set in a victorain setting.
Modern bathing experiences are one of the reasons I am glad I grew up and ended up more affluent.
I seem to recall an episode of TT where they had a sponge-bath, I don't think the Tubby Villa has any bathing facilities. I wouldn't mind one of the sentient vacuum cleaners though.
In message , The Natural Philosopher writes
I remember exactly the same things, can still smell the paraffin heater thinking about it . . . and of course there was the putting of salt in the toilet to unfreeze it.
We never stooped that low fortunately.
Steel baths are much stronger. I hate wobbly plastic. Perhaps spending serious money would get you a nice plastic bath, but I'm usually looking in the 100 quid bracket, which gets you a nice steel bath, or a pathetic plastic one.
Plastic does, however, allow you to get lovely shell shaped mouldings that would look excessively twee in a five year old girl's ensuite.
Christian.
The message from "Christian McArdle" contains these words:
I can no longer see the actual message but not so long ago someone suggested packing the underside of a steel bath with insulation. That was immediately rubbished by someone else who suggested as an alternative a spray-on layer of insulation. How thick a layer would be needed to mimic a plastic bath and how easy would it to be to achieve a reasonably uniform layer?
and of course there was the putting of
Not a problem with an earth closet, and a toilet shed which you move once a week!
Regards Capitol
I have fitted 4 steel baths and wouldn't use anything else now. They have squarer corners and don't wobble around like plastic so it easier to tile up to them and seal the edges.
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