Baths

Baths are usually manufactured from one of three different materials -

• acrylic
• pressed steel
• cast iron

Acrylic bath

Acrylic baths or PVC are light weight and durable, this makes installation relatively easy.

Pressed steel bath

These baths are formed out of a steel sheet that is pressed into shape then enamel coated. This gives a hard wearing, quality finish. Pressed steel baths are heavier than acrylic but present no problems for installation.

Cast iron bath

Think of the old claw foot bath, these are made from a die using molten iron before being enamel coated. These are often preferred when a traditional look is desired, but tend to be expensive and heavy to work with. Some older style baths are now available in acrylic thus avoiding the expense and weight of cast iron.

Custom made

Top of the range baths are available in a variety of other materials. For example a mixture of quartz and acrylic, ‘stonefeel’, stone, marble, even crushed almond shells. Often used as a freestanding bath in the centre of the room

Installation

Baths and Spas can be installed in a variety of ways

Wall set- the bath has walls on up to 3 sides and is set in a tiled hob

Island set- The bath is not against a wall but is set into a tiled hob

Freestanding- The bath stands alone in the room with no framing or support (ie a claw foot bath) (remember you still need tapwear attached to a wall or up from the floor)

Helpful Hints

Overflow outlets are a fabulous idea. An outlet is situated below the lip of the bath. If the bath is left running, the excess water runs out the outlet and down the drain thus avoiding flooding the bathroom.

The size of your bathroom will dictate to some degree what you can put in it. A freestanding bath in a closet sized bathroom would be a waste of space.

Related Topics

Tapware

Spa Baths

Benchtops and Cabinetry