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Pros and Cons of an Acrylic Bathtub

Acrylic bathtubs offer a great range of features and advantages, making them a popular choice for homes. They are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, making it easy to find the perfect acrylic bathtub for your bathroom. They are more lightweight, durable and resistant to staining or warping than other materials, making them a great choice for both contemporary and traditional households. Additionally, they are easy to maintain, can withstand extreme hot temperatures and are an economical option when remodeling your bathroom. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, including the cost of installation and the fact that they are prone to scratches.

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In recent decades, plumbing is made of new materials that are not inferior to traditional ones – stone, cast iron, iron and steel. Knowing the pros and cons of acrylic bathtubs makes it easier to choose a reliable product. This will protect against unscrupulous sellers..

What is acrylic

The material is a polymer plastic, which is often called “organic glass.” For baths use special material – plumbing, without harmful additives and odor.

Types of acrylic by production technology:

Design features of acrylic bathtubs

  • Injection acrylic. For its manufacture, a sheet of material is heated to the required temperature. Then the press squeezes the desired shape of the bowl. The service life of a quality molded product is 20-25 years, and they are expensive. In terms of hardness and strength, these bathtubs are comparable to cast-iron, but lighter in weight..
  • Extrusion. Fiber is added to the heated acrylic, which is coated with an epoxy resin. They make such bathtubs faster, they are cheaper, but not at the expense of quality. The shapes of the products are not very diverse. The service life of such bathtubs is 5-10 years.

Varieties of acrylic materials for the manufacture of bathtubs:

Extrusion and cast acrylic

  • PMMA – In another way it is called plexiglass. Cast sheet, clean, covered with a reinforcing layer below.
  • ABS / PMMA – one-piece plastic, coated on both sides, like a sandwich. Acrylic reinforced with a metal mesh, fiberglass, epoxy resin. The more layers, the more reliable the product..
  • Cooked – German composite of cementitious resin (35%) and quartz sand (65%), the rest – improving mineral additives (5%). In fact, it is an artificial stone. The compound of resin and quartz is poured into the mold to obtain a bath bowl. This is the difference from pure acrylic..

Benefits of Acrylic Bath

Additional options

  • Light weight – A standard bath weighs 30 kg. It is easy to transport, install alone.
  • Simple mounting on an adjustable frame. It is included.
  • Large selection of models. Acrylic is a plastic material, it takes the desired shape: corner bath, oval, any other.
  • Easy repair and maintenance. For washing use liquid soap and special products. When a scratch appears, it is removed with sandpaper. Cracks are covered with liquid acrylic.
  • Ability to keep temperature. Water cools slowly and walls remain warm.
  • Acrylic bathtub coating does not slip.
  • Hygiene. The material is protected from rot, fungus, not rust.
  • Soundproofing. The noise of the jet and the pressure of the water is almost inaudible.
  • Low porosity. Dirt and grease do not penetrate the surface and do not form a persistent coating.
  • Additional devices. The owner can purchase different nozzles, hydromassage.

Cast two-layer (PMMA)

The main advantages:

  • The thickness of the acrylic bath is more than 2 mm.
  • Light weight – easy to transport, install alone.
  • Many colors. Variety of textures.
  • Homogeneity – the material does not delaminate.
  • Easy to repair.
  • The kit has a frame, so there is no risk of tipping over. The product is attached to the wall for stability..
  • Strength – maintains the weight of the owner, does not bend.
  • The cost is slightly more than iron casting and steel bowls.

Plastic Acrylic Coated (ABS / PMMA)

Advantages of ABS / PMMA

Main advantages:

  • Budget plumbing option.
  • Increased strength – a fragile sheet of acrylic reinforced with a lower layer of plastic.
  • Cheap repair.
  • Reliability and stability due to the frame, which is included in the kit.

Kvarilova

Quille bath Villeroy Boch

Main advantages:

  • Easy to repair.
  • No structural reinforcement required.
  • Tiled.
  • Coating does not wear off, permanent gloss on the surface.
  • Isolates noise.
  • The design is relatively light and stable, mounted on legs.
  • The material is durable, it can not be scratched, cracked with a blow.
  • The drain hole is cut in the right place, the mixer is placed where the owner wishes.

disadvantages

Cons of acrylic bathtubs

  • Relative fragility – damaged by a strong blow.
  • Frame need – for sustainability.
  • Ban on boiling water – case deformation is possible.
  • Cleansing Problems – does not tolerate powders, alcohol-containing detergents.
  • High price.

PMMA

Cons of the material:

  • Fragility – a heavy object is capable of breaking through the bowl.
  • Inhomogeneous layer – scratches are cleaned, but this has to be done constantly.
  • For installation, you need a frame and fixing to the wall – capsizing, the bath can flood the neighbors, break through the sewer.
  • Boiling water restrictions.
  • Rapid loss of appearance.

ABS / PMMA

Material disadvantages:

  • Acrylic peels off plastic.
  • Bath leaking at the side of the drain.
  • Repair is difficult.
  • Need to mount the board to the wall.
  • Small resource – 10-15 years.
  • Is deformed.
  • Loses decorativeness.
  • Restoration is expensive.

Quaryl

Cons of the material:

  • High cost – at least 25 thousand rubles.
  • Little choice – the only Villeroy & Boch brand.
  • Not suitable for bathrooms of a budget interior.
  • Expensive restoration of the decoration layer.

How to choose an acrylic bathtub

When buying a product, look at the density of its walls by lighting them with a flashlight. Good material does not shine through. If not, the product is poor quality.

Comparative table of bath properties from different materials:

Characteristics Acrylic PMMA + ABS Cooked
Weight low average average
Cost average low high
Design any, rounded corners any, with sharp corners
Colour wide choose limited choice
Noise isolation high
Possible functions hydromassage jacuzzi
Board stiffness average low high
Wall stiffness high average absolute
Range straight, angular angular, straight
  • separate;
  • direct;
  • angular;
  • different configuration
Installation on frame on legs
Sustainability high average high
Wall mount necessarily not necessary
Maintainability high low high
Decorative layer thickness 2–4 mm 1 mm 10 mm
Guarantee 10-15 years 5-10 years 15–20 years old
Strength low average high
Loss of properties dark web missing

Comparison of cast iron, acrylic and steel bathtubs

Characteristic Cast iron bathtub Steel bath Acrylic bath
Weight very heavy heavy light
Soundproofing noisy very noisy almost silent
Design solution variety of models unattractive appearance a large assortment
Cost average low average
Enamel reliability small high average
Thermal insulation average low high
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Comments: 1
  1. Chloe Carter

    What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using an acrylic bathtub? How durable is it compared to other materials? Is it prone to scratches or fading? Can it withstand high temperatures? And how easy is it to clean and maintain?

    Reply
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