All about acrylic bath

Acrylic baths are increasingly replacing steel and cast iron baths in the market of sanitary ware.

They are lightweight, perfectly retain heat, easy to maintain. In short, acrylic baths have many advantages, which makes this material increasingly popular in the production of baths of various shapes and sizes. However, not everyone likes the modern polymer. Therefore, in matters of advantages and disadvantages of acrylic baths is worth to understand in more detail.

The traditional material for the production of bathtubs is considered steel and cast iron. They have a huge margin of strength and, for example, a cast iron bath will serve literally for centuries. But today more and more sanitary ware stores offer baths made of acrylic - material that is modern, popular and, according to sellers, is not inferior to baths made of cast iron. But is it really so?

According to the method of production, acrylic baths are divided into 2 types: cast and extruded.

Often, baths are made from a sheet of acrylic, which is heated and given the desired shape by pressing on a template. The walls of the tub are then reinforced with epoxy resins and fiberglass and sanded.

So, let's consider the advantages of an acrylic bathtub:

1. Variety of shapes and sizes. For those who want to implement an unusual design in the bathroom and, first of all, get away from standard sizes and shapes, but cannot afford to order an exclusive cast iron bathtub, buying an asymmetric acrylic bathtub is probably the only solution. Another plus for the designer is the variety of colors.
2. Low weight. Perhaps this is the main advantage of acrylic baths. If a standard cast-iron bath weighs around 120 kg, then Weight of acrylic is within 25 (!) kg..
3. Low thermal conductivity and low noise. Bathtub of acrylic keeps heat no worse than cast-iron fonts and does not ring when you set the water.

But you should know that acrylic is plastic. No matter how much the sellers praise baths made of this material, they have a number of drawbacks, of which you should be aware.

Of the disadvantages it is worth noting:

• Fragility and flexibility. To begin with, budget acrylic bathtubs are not suitable for heavyweights. A bathtub made of cheap acrylic and if the rules of installation are violated, it can sag under great weight, which will not only lead to deformation of the product, but also to the appearance of cracks. Also, the bathtub can form a crack or breach as a result of the fall of a heavy object. Of course, there are reinforced types of acrylic - Quarryl and methacrylic, which can compete in strength with cast ironBut in any case, do not be in a hurry to buy.
• Acrylic is not resistant to high temperatures. The melting point of acrylic is in the range of 150 degrees. Of course, no one will pour such water into the tub, even if it is made of acrylic, even if it is made of cast iron. But there are precedents when the acrylic bathtub deformed at the set of hot water. Especially relevant this problem may be for the budget font of low-grade acrylic with thin walls.
• Difficulties in maintenance. The main difficulty is that acrylic is quite sensitive to household chemicals and abrasives. With improper care, scratches and dark spots appear on the surface. You can clean an acrylic bathtub only with special non-aggressive means.
• Difficulties in installation. Installation of an acrylic bath requires a special frame, which will not allow the product to "play" and sag during water procedures. About acrylic bath installation we told in another article.

After studying the positive and negative properties of acrylic bathtubs, it is also worth knowing a few nuances of choosing the right acrylic bathtub:

• Don't buy an acrylic bathtub from a small store. If possible, be sure to visit a large construction market or market. There, the prices will be lower, and the selection of bathtubs is much larger than that of a small seller.
• If you want to buy an asymmetric bathtub of complex shape, do not admire the abundance of small elements in the bathtub casting - in most cases it is a sign of poor quality material. Although acrylic is plastic, but the production of bathtubs with complex relief from quality acrylic is quite a complicated process.
• Examine the inner surface of the tub - there should be no irregularities, roughnesses, bumps. Any such defect does not speak in favor of the quality of the product. Another point - the color, quality acrylic has a homogeneous color without stains and blemishes.
• When choosing an acrylic bath, carefully examine the 2 thickness parameters. The first is the thickness of the acrylic (it is the acrylic, not the whole bath). The best are considered to be baths, made of acrylic sheet thickness of not less than 5-6 mm. The second parameter is the thickness of reinforcing layer. It can be seen by looking into the end edge. The thicker the reinforcing layer, the better. To assess the reliability of the walls on the tub, you can knock, the sound should be muffled, without vibration.
• Smell the tub. Low-grade acrylic or fake acrylic can give off an unpleasant chemical smell. Using such a bathtub is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous to your health. In addition, the smell can be amplified by the operation of the bath under the influence of temperature.
• In matters of bath size, you should be guided only by your own preferences.

As for the manufacturers of acrylic baths, then on the Russian market the following companies have proven themselves:

• IDO (Finland)
• Hoesch (Germany)
• Akvatek (Russia)
• Appollo (China)
• Akrllan (Russia)
• Senoplast (Austria)

Let's say right away that installing an acrylic bathtub only seems like an easy task. И If there is the slightest doubt in your own abilities, it is best to entrust the installation of acrylic bathtub to professionals.

The acrylic bath is installed either on a metal supporting frame, or on a pedestal made of bricks. It is also possible to combine the frame and brickwork under the center of the bath to strengthen the structure.

The work will require:

• A set of wrenches
• Drill (manual or mechanical) with drilling depth limiter is obligatory
• Construction level and ruler
• Ruler about 50 cm long and a simple pencil.
• Sealant For the places of contact with the wall. This can be liquid silicone or silicone tape.

If a base of bricks will be used to install an acrylic bath, you will also need:

• Bricks and sand-cement mixture
• Trowel and a container for mortar
• Assembly foam (it may be necessary to eliminate gaps and strengthen the "fit" of the tub on the brick base)

The easiest way to install - on the legs is suitable for small baths, which are set against the wall. Installation on the frame-frame is a little more complicated, but not much different from the installation on the legs, so let's look in detail installation of the bath on the frame.

Support frame is assembled according to the manufacturer's instructions, attached to the bottom of the inverted bathtub and mark the mounting points (there will be drilled holes for screws). To avoid accidentally damaging the coating, under the bath is worth laying cardboard, cellophane or linoleum.

According to the markings are drilled holes with a diameter of 3 mm and a depth of 6-10 mm. The required depth must be specified in the technical passport of the product (!). Also, not to drill through the bathtub elementary, it is obligatory to use a drilling depth limiter. For this purpose, you can simply wrap the drill bit with electrical tape at the required distance. According to the instructions, the frame is attached to the bottom of the font.

The next step is to install the adjustable legs on the frame. Assemble the legs as follows: on the support studs screw the fastening nut, then the adjustment nut and plastic protection. The assembled legs are fixed in the frame by means of locknuts at the same height.

We suggest watching a video on how to mount the frame on an acrylic bathtub.

The bathtub, mounted into a frame, is pushed closely to the wall, and with the help of legs and a construction level, it is aligned strictly horizontally. On the wall, make a mark of the bottom edge of the rims and move the tub.

At the marks on the wall with the necessary indentation fix the mounting strips, which will help prevent toppling over the baptismal font. After that, finally set the baptismal font in place.

If the acrylic bathtub is installed on the legs made of bricks or a combination of fixed legs and brick base for mounting, you must follow the main rule: leave a gap of 1 cm between the tub and the brick, which is filled with assembly foam. To prevent the bath from "hanging" from the expansion of the foam, put buckets of water in it (if the drainage system is already connected, you can pour water directly into the bathtub).

After installing the bathtub, it is connected to the sewer and water supply, connections are checked for leaks, leaks are eliminated.

The final stage of the work - sealing the places of contact of the baptismal font to the wall and install a decorative screen.

Installation of angular and asymmetric acrylic bathtubs is made only with the use of the support frame.

Keeping the surface of an acrylic bathtub in perfect condition requires knowing and following a number of simple rules.

First. Forget traditional bath care products. Only special products for cleaning acrylic bathtubs. No strong corrosive household chemicals and abrasives! Otherwise, from such "care" the surface will quickly become dark and covered with small scratches.

Second. It is desirable to rinse the font with hot water after every bath. This way, the plastic will not lose its shine, and the bath will not need major "cleaning" from accumulated dirt. Periodic cleaning with a soft sponge and ordinary soap will be sufficient.

Third. To fight germs, you should immediately refuse to use your grandmother's bleach. Only special products for acrylic sanitary ware. For example, Ravak offers an extensive line of products for keeping acrylic bathtubs clean and hygienic, including for dealing with difficult stains.

The versatility of acrylic bathtubs is that their surface can be restored at home without the help of specialistsFor example, small scratches can be perfectly polished with ordinary felt without adding any special tools. To fight deeper scratches and even cracks, you can use liquid acrylic repair kits, which you can find in construction stores.

Of course, acrylic bathtub on durability and strength is inferior to products made of cast iron. But by following the simple rules of choosing an acrylic bathtub and taking care of it, you can get a reliable plumbing for many years. Moreover, with the help of acrylic bathtub you can get a Jacuzzi in your own apartment.