Bath, which today stands in every apartment,has more than one millennium in its history. Archaeologists have discovered on the island of Crete ceramic baths 2500 years old, and found in the ruins of one of the ancient Indian cities a copy, lay there for more than 5000 years. They found a bath and during the excavation of Pompeii - this is one of the first bronze baths. The procedure for taking baths, having survived the centuries, remains even today a favorite. The bathroom in our house is fenced off from the whole area, where cleanliness and comfort reign. Almost everyone, arranging their home water area, starts with the main thing - from the bath. Here we will talk about their design, varieties and manufacturers, as well as help you figure out which bath to choose: cast iron or acrylic. Choose a bath, according to the size of the room and guided by what is required for you. Do you want to have a small dwelling in your own dwelling, but your own beauty salon? Then deciding which bath to choose, install a whirlpool bath. Or maybe you like to luxuriate for hours in fragrant foam? So, you need a more traditional bath. Thinking about which bath to choose, determine in advance the role of the bath in the interior of the room, its shape and location. In addition, the safety of water procedures, the choice of a mixer, a shower set, etc. are important. Experts advise that when choosing baths to objectively evaluate their composition, mentally, so to speak, try on a bath for themselves. You should understand that the bath should be comfortable. The most important thing in the design of the bath is its ergonomics. We have touched upon only the most basic aspects. For a more detailed discussion of which bathtub is best to choose, we will start by reviewing the materials, because they determine the technical equipment of the bath, its design features, design, shape, dimensions and installation. Baths are made of cast marble, natural stone and other composite materials: from solid wood, copper bronze, steel, cast iron, acrylic and even glass. But products made of glass, wood and copper are included in the category of special design frills, and of cast marble and composite materials they are generally little known, and they are made, mainly, to order. In mass production, priority is given to steel, cast iron and plumbing acrylic. Therefore, it is among them that we consider which bathtub to choose.
Cast-iron practicality
In the table of ranks of baths the first step by rightoccupy cast-iron baths, the production of which was started already in the century before last. The casting process is very complex, and cast iron especially. Therefore, the factories that produce cast-iron baths are not so many. Appearance and life of the product determines the enamel. Baths are covered with homogeneous solid matt or glossy enamels, white or colored. Apply the enamel in several layers: to start liquid, and then, for fixing, powder. One of the most important components used by European manufacturers are titanium salts, which make the surface less susceptible to wear and smoother. Some manufacturers, including Russian ones, add silver ions to the enamel, with which not only the surface of the bath itself becomes hygienic, but water is also purified. And if there is a question, which bath to choose from cast-iron ones, then it is better to give preference to such a bath. Pros of Baths made of cast iron enjoy an impeccable reputation, because the enamel coating on them is reliable and durable. It is characterized by an impeccable radiance of a silky smooth texture. Glossy surface and the absence of pores on it prevents accumulation of dirt. Due to damping properties of cast iron, such baths are the most "quiet", because they are not subject to vibration due to the graphite elements entering the iron structure. Cast-iron baths not only do not resonate when the water hits the wall, but also muffles this sound. Another undoubted advantage of cast iron is its low thermal conductivity. Minuses The disadvantage of a cast iron bath can be considered its massiveness. Transportation, climbing floors and descent, especially in the absence of an elevator, installation and dismantling - all this can be a problem. European manufacturers reduce the weight of the baths to about 130kg by reducing the thickness of the walls. In domestic cast-iron baths, the thickness of the walls is 7-10 mm, while in European baths with a bottom thickness of 8 mm the thickness of the walls is 5-6 mm. Another disadvantage is that the cast-iron bath heats up long enough. But the most vulnerable component of the cast-iron bath is enamel. Whatever they are, solid, mechanical damage, she is afraid. Enamel in the bathroom to split is not difficult, especially if it drops a heavy metal object. But it is impossible to restore the bath at home. Therefore, when choosing a cast-iron bath, pay, first of all, attention to the surface of the bowl. It should be perfect. A bath with caverns and black dots should not be bought. On cast-iron baths, an easy tuberosity is inevitable, which is called "cast-iron cellulite". It can be seen if we consider the walls at an angle. But if "cast-iron cellulite" is determined by touch, then the product is substandard.
Steel lady
The consumers who decide which bath to choose,there is some prejudice against the steel baths: they are very thundering, they can deform under load and the water in them quickly cools because of the high thermal conductivity of the steel. These claims are valid, but only in relation to baths with thin walls. Steel baths appeared in the early twentieth century and then they were welded from several thin segments. In the fifties, a whole bath was made in Germany, stamped from one sheet. The enamel for steel baths includes natural glass-forming materials, for example, quartz. Enamelling is carried out in special furnaces at a very high temperature, resulting in a thin coating, baked into the steel, which not only does not exfoliate, but also does not lose its original brilliance and whiteness during the whole service life. Benefits Baths made of steel in care are not burdensome. And now they also produce baths with the effect of self-cleaning. The water in them, gathering in drops, captures almost all the dirt. It also attracts the weight of steel baths - it is four to five times less than that of cast-iron ones. These bathtubs are characterized by ergonomic design, featuring wide sides, comfortable chrome handles, armrests, anti-skid system, towel bars, surrounding the bathtub, etc. And if for you these elements are crucial, then do not think about which bath to choose. Cons They exist only in baths with thin walls, a thickness of 1.5-2.3 mm. Such a bath can deform, which inevitably leads to the cracking of the enamel. In the short term, chips and dents may form. In thin-walled bathrooms, the water cools fairly quickly, and they "thunder" when filling.
Acrylic Top Models
Baths made of acrylic appeared on the domestic marketin the mid-nineties of the last century and were perceived at first as a kind of curiosity. But recently they have actively entered our life, and many, deciding which bath to choose, give them preference. Real acrylic baths are made of polymethylmethacrylate. In a special thermo-cabinet, the sheets from this material are heated to 130-180 ° and the sheet is pressed into the mold by atmospheric pressure, where it assumes the desired configuration. To strengthen the bath used reinforcement. And make it in several layers, and the more of them, the stiffer and more reliable the product. It is clear that the biggest load in the bath falls on the bottom, so it is strengthened with a frame made of metal rods or a chipboard mold. More reliable among acrylics are considered to be tough, but it is better to use a plastic, so, less rigid acrylic for creating baths of complex shapes. The high cost of acrylic and the complexity of implementing various forms have put before the need to find alternative solutions. And it became a combined plumbing plastic ABS / PMMA, which is obtained by coextrusion. Baths from this material are also called acrylic. Formed baths from coextrusion plastic in the same way as from cast acrylic, but it allows you to carry out more complex geometrically design intentions. Pros Acrylic baths are warm to the touch, they keep the water temperature well and have good soundproofing properties. Their surface, being smooth, does not slip and has antibacterial properties. Baths made of acrylic are characterized by magnificent shine, depth and color purity. Moreover, the choice of colors is unlimited - only white shades are offered more than ten. Acrylic bathtubs are beautiful, easy to care for and meet all the requirements of modern design. There is no such geometric form that would not be embodied in this material: ellipse, circle, triangle, rectangle, hexahedron, heart, trefoil, trapezoid, etc. One of the advantages of such baths is the possibility of their restoration at home. Scratches on its surface can be gently wiped with a thin skin, and then refresh the shine with polishing paste. There is also an easier way: wipe with a soft napkin and toothpaste. The acrylic bathtub is not adapted to life prose. In it, you can not soak laundry and wash it. Its glossy glossy surface is worth nothing to scratch or melt if a lighted cigarette falls into it. And, of course, a high-quality acrylic bath is more expensive than cast iron and steel baths. We tried to tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of bathtubs from various materials. Now you can, in accordance with your own preferences and requirements, as well as the design of your bathroom, decide which bath to choose, and choose the model that suits you best in all parameters. We advise you to read: