How to choose a steel bath: what to look for when choosing + overview of manufacturers

Key advantages and major disadvantages

If you are stuck on choosing the best bath and have not decided which one to choose, then it is better to weigh all the "pros" and "cons". Because the cases are all individual and each buyer has his own requirements, wishes, preferences and financial capabilities.

The main advantages of a cast iron bath

Products made from cast iron:

• They are the most “silent”, and with a normal impact they do not give an echo. The flowing water is barely audible, sometimes even silent.
• Bathtubs made of this material have low thermal conductivity, which allows the water to cool less quickly.
• Ease of maintenance is very characteristic of cast iron. The product with glossy enamel is easy to clean. Dirt does not accumulate on the surface of the bath.
• Durability and durability are the main factors that make cast iron bathtubs so popular. And it's not a habit at all.

The product with enamel coating has a pleasant shine. What acrylic doesn't.

Disadvantages of a cast iron bath

Impressive weight. A bathtub made of such material is almost unbearable. This will provide additional hassle associated with the transportation and installation of the product.

The dimensions and weight of cast iron plumbing are not the last factor of choice. Before buying, you must take into account the size of the room, choose the best option for transportation, installation and connection. Another very important landmark is the build of future users.

Enamel is vulnerable, can suffer impressively from an unexpected fall of a foreign object

No matter how high quality it is, if you drop a metal part or just a heavy thing inside, a piece of enamel may break off or cracks may appear. But such an object must also be either very massive or have a strange shape in order to damage the surface. One way or another, restoring a cast-iron bath is a common practice.

One way or another, the restoration of a cast-iron bath is a common practice.

The form. The choice is quite small. The bulk of cast iron bathtubs are made in the shape of a rectangle and there are practically no alternatives to this.

The price of cast iron bathtubs varies greatly depending on the manufacturer, the availability of additional features and, of course, the size.

The most significant advantages of an acrylic bath

One of the very first advantages of an acrylic bathtub is the ease of installation. When compared with a cast-iron bathtub, the weight of our product will be much less. This means that it will be less problematic to transport and install an acrylic bathtub.

Acrylic bathtubs can be of absolutely any shape, as well as a variety of colors. You can choose for yourself only the color you like. The interesting thing is that all colors are very persistent. Even after many years of constant operation, the color will remain the same, since it is set at the stage of formation of the shape of the product.

Acrylic bathtubs are characterized by low thermal conductivity, which allows the water to cool only 1 degree for every 30 minutes.

Any minor damage can be easily hidden. To do this, you just need to use one of the repair kits that hardware stores offer in assortment.

Cracks, chips and scratches can also be repaired using polish and other repair compounds directly upon damage.

This type of product, although smooth to the touch, is not at all slippery.

Most acrylic bathtubs have multiple layers of fiberglass reinforcement. If, after much deliberation, the choice fell on an acrylic product, be sure that the option will last a long time.

Cons of acrylic baths

An acrylic product has a set of disadvantages, like other bathtubs, even though this type is very common and convenient:

• However, there is a possibility that acrylic can change color. It is better to try not to drain water into the bath after washing, especially from colored laundry. Using bad tap water will most likely cause the tub material to turn yellow. Not immediately, but gradually.
• The walls of the bath are constantly scratched inside. Damage to the surface of an acrylic bath appears much faster than, for example, cast iron. As mentioned above, such scratches can be easily repaired.

High-quality acrylic bathtubs cost several times more than cast iron products, but acrylic sanitary ware manufacturers guarantee an average of 10-12 years of operation.

Cast iron bath: how to choose the right one

The choice of a bath should be taken no less responsibly than the selection of tiles and other interior items. Having settled on a quality cast iron product, you can safely expect that it will last 20 years or more.

To choose the right plumbing, you need, firstly, to clearly define where it will be installed. In addition to the place, it is immediately worth deciding what size of the product is needed. Here it is necessary to take into account the measurements of the allocated space for installation and the dimensions of all family members. After all, bathing in a too shallow or cramped bath is a dubious pleasure.

If a large hot tub is firmly established in dreams, and wooden floors are in the house, the idea should be abandoned. It is dangerous for the life and health of family members and neighbors from below

Secondly, you need to decide on a budget. Based on the allocated amount for the purchase of a bath, you can choose the appropriate option from a particular manufacturer. Here it is necessary to decide what additional components will be needed - headrests, handles on the sides, decorative legs and fasteners. Not all models are immediately supplied with these details.

Thirdly, if the budget is not minimal, you can consider the option of a hot tub. After all, in addition to huge containers for several people, manufacturers offer nice and compact options.

Fourth, you should decide on the desired color - not all factories can offer an abundance of colors and shades for a cast-iron bath. If white is required or it is planned that all plumbing will be in the same color scheme, then it is better to buy all products from one manufacturer.

Otherwise, there may be a dissonance in color design, which will lead to unpleasant sensations during your stay in the bathroom.

Harmoniously combined colors make it possible to feel the lightness and airiness of the interior. It is pleasant to be in such a room and it is easy to breathe.

Fifthly, it remains to be decided where exactly the drain and overflow holes should be located. There are models in which the drain is located in the center of the bowl. Sometimes this option is needed.

Sixth, you need to buy a product of a well-known factory. Be sure to ask the seller to provide documents confirming the quality. Here you need to immediately check the package. If the desired parts are missing, you can immediately buy them, for example, a bath siphon or a headrest.

Seventh, having chosen the appropriate option, you need to carefully examine the bath from all sides. The finish should be perfectly smooth and shiny. There should not be depressions and hills on the surface of a quality product. You can see cracks, chips or damaged enamel - this is an unusable product.

If the damage to the coating is minor, then it is worth negotiating with the seller to provide a significant discount and restore the enamel using self-leveling acrylic or epoxy.

After the purchase, it will be difficult to prove something to the seller if cracks or broken enamel are found at home

Also, you immediately need to estimate the weight of the product - the bath should be almost impossible to lift. The average cast iron bath weighs, on average, about 100-120 kg.

Having chosen the most suitable and high-quality cast iron plumbing for yourself, you can deal with delivery and proper installation.

Overview of leading European manufacturers

The main suppliers of steel baths in the global sanitary ware market are European manufacturers. The cost of their products depends on the thickness of the stamping sheet, the complexity of the shape and design.

German company Kaldewei

The company produces sanitary ware in accordance with the latest innovative methods. A distinctive feature of the products of this manufacturer is the combination of steel with enameled sheathing, which acquires a strong chemical bond during firing in furnaces.

German bathtubs are almost impossible to scratch. They do not lose the brightness of the light, being under the sun, and do not deteriorate when accidentally hit with a cigarette coal or burning with a candle flame.

Most Kaldewei models have a “Perl-Effekt” anti-dirt coating, thanks to which moisture rolls off the enamel itself, taking limescale and dirt accumulations with it. For the safe use of plumbing, anti-slip enamel lining "Antislip" is provided.

Italian company Guzzini

The company, founded about half a century ago, today produces a huge amount of ergonomic and functional plumbing.

Safety, comfort and beauty are the main characteristics of the Italian brand products.

During its activity, the company does not cease to improve technologies in order to introduce innovations into mass production.A special pride of its developers is the creation of the Hydrosilence and Hydrosonic systems, as well as the Hydroline hydromassage jets, which, after installation, do not protrude above the surface of the bowl.

Even the simplest models of this manufacturer have more than thirty color options.

Spanish holding Roca

The company, founded in 1917 by the Roca brothers, has expanded so much over a hundred years that today it has offices in 135 countries.

The range of steel bathtubs presented to her on the market is quite wide: starting with "Contesa", which has the usual standard dimensions, and ending with "Princess", equipped with wavy protrusions at the bottom and having a concave wall shape. The most popular models are Akira, Haiti, Malibu, Continental.

In the process of manufacturing its products, the manufacturer uses pigmented enamel to cover the external and internal surfaces of sanitary ware. Durable coating resists impact and corrosion.

If we consider lesser-known brands, then the plumbing market has also proven itself well: the Slovak company Estap, which produces up to 80 models of steel bathtubs, the Portuguese company BLB, the French manufacturer Jacob Delafon

Bath recommendations

So, consider which is better to buy a bath: acrylic or steel. The first rule is don't go cheap.

Today in the markets you can find many offers with very attractive prices, but they hide a lot of tricks:

1. A cheap acrylic bathtub will probably be too flimsy due to the small wall thickness (less than 4 mm). Moreover, it is necessary to take into account the thickness of both the acrylic itself and the substrate.In quality products, it has a thickness of 9 - 13 mm and is reinforced with fiberglass. A less robust design can be accidentally crushed by a user weighing more than 90 kg. So those who prefer a low price will have to constantly think about the strength of the structure.
2. Acrylic is not very good at “friends” with high temperatures: there are cases when such baths were deformed when filled with very hot water. And this is a very serious shortcoming.

The surprises do not end there: low-quality acrylic can become cloudy or turn yellow very soon. True, there is no way to determine its quality by eye. You should be guided by indirect signs - again, the thickness, as well as the method of attaching the frame to the bowl. The bars used for this must be soldered into the body, and not glued to it, and their fixation on the frame must be strong enough.

Very cheap steel baths also have a very thin wall (for steel, a thickness of 3 mm is considered optimal). Of course, you are not able to push it through, but during operation the bath will deform, which will lead to peeling of the enamel. It will also be impossible to fill the gap between the constantly changing shape of the product and the wall with a sealant.

A cheap acrylic bath can turn yellow over time

A good criterion for a steel bath is weight. If it is lighter than 30 kg, it means that they obviously saved money on metal.

In the production of cheap steel and cast iron baths, they also save on enamel. Thin enamel is very fragile, when even relatively light objects fall, chips can form on it.

When choosing a cast-iron bath, you should inspect both surfaces - front and back. If the latter has sinks, look for another option.

Stages and difficulties of installing bathtubs

The first thing to do when starting to install a bathtub is to consult with a specialist in this field. High-quality installation depends on many factors and strictly phased installation work. For different models - their installation nuances, but there are general recommendations that need to be taken into account when getting started.

• Foundation preparation. It must be perfectly flat so that the bath takes a strictly horizontal position in terms of level. Violation will lead to stagnation of water in the pipe.
• Installing the frame or legs on the font, depending on the design and material of the bathroom. Screw the legs carefully so as not to damage the structure.
• Bath attachment. There are special hooks on the font for connection with the wall, and the legs are attached to the floor with self-tapping screws.

Attention! Fixing the legs to the floor for the safety of the structure is carried out using self-tapping screws - many craftsmen ignore this moment!

• Sealing all joints and cracks with silicone sealant or special tape.
• Assembling the siphon and connecting the structure to the sewerage system.
• Checking the tightness of connections. To do this, fill the font with water up to half, which can be left for another day, so that the design shrinks.
• Installation of a decorative screen that comes with the kit or is made independently. The main conditions are that the materials must be resistant to moisture, the formation of fungus and mold, the panel must be installed in such a way as to easily provide access to communications if necessary.

Each type of bath has its own characteristics that must be considered in order to avoid installation difficulties.

• Cast iron.It is better to refuse installation on legs (this is too weak a mount for a heavy bath), install cast iron fonts on brickwork. And another tip: cast-iron models are not attached to the wall: before “immuring” such a bath into the wall (as many people like to do), think that it will be possible to dismantle it later if desired only during a major overhaul of the bathroom.

Advice. It is impossible to install a cast-iron bath on your own: it is too bulky and heavy. Get an assistant!

Acrylic. When attaching the legs to the font, you should use only self-tapping screws from the kit, in no case longer than necessary: ​​if the screw breaks the acrylic layer, even slightly, the bath can be thrown away. And one more thing: if the person who will use the acrylic bath weighs a lot, it is better to install the font on a brick pillow. The gap between the pillow and the bath should be at least 10 cm - for sealing with mounting foam.

And the main advice: if there is any doubt that you can handle it, contact an installation specialist who will guarantee the quality of work - this will save you from worrying about installation and provide confidence that any shortcomings will be eliminated.

Is it worth buying?

If ease of installation, durability of the sanitary ware and low price are important for the consumer, he should purchase a steel bath. A wide choice of design solutions and low cost of manufacturing materials allow you to quickly replace a boring font with a new one.

In terms of ergonomics, modern steel bathtubs are in no way inferior to fonts made of other materials.

Many consumers believe that steel bowls have long outlived their usefulness, and they are bought only by those who did not have money for something better.

But in vain, now manufacturers produce very high-quality models, and if there is at least one condition from the list below, a steel font will be quite expensive:

• has a color other than white;
• the size is larger than the standard;
• the shape is different from rectangular and takes into account the anatomy of the human body;
• the design is equipped with additional elements, such as headrests or lighting.

The key factors pushing a person to make a choice in favor of purchasing a steel bath can be:

• number of storeys of the house - no need to pay loaders for lifting to the apartment;
• satisfaction of aesthetic tastes - a specific bath model is made only of steel;
• ease of installation - the owner does not bear additional costs for calling a plumber.

Steel bath rating 2020

Based on the opinions of customers, the editors of the steel website have compiled a rating of high-quality steel bathtubs. All buyers noted the advantages and disadvantages, expressed their opinion, gave advice on the operation of models. Mistakes in choosing can be avoided - just study all the tips for choosing bathtubs and get acquainted with the rating.

European countries are the main suppliers of steel bathtubs to the Russian market. Prices are made up of materials: the amount of metal sheet, enamel and design. There are budget options and exclusive, made to order. The cost of the latter is calculated individually and does not participate in the rating.

What strength is right?

Acrylic bowls have low strength as they are made of flexible and ductile plastic.For strengthening, a reinforcing layer with epoxy is applied to the outside. The more layers during reinforcement, the stronger the acrylic bath becomes.

Polyester resins reinforce the acrylic sheet. In order to make the structure even more durable, it is appropriate to use a reinforcing metal frame and a bottom or reinforced chipboard. Due to its low weight, this plumbing provides simplified transportation, installation and dismantling during repairs. The weight of the bath is thirty kilograms, and the cast-iron product weighs 80-150 kg.

No. 6. Wall thickness of steel bath

From wall thickness depends on the strength of the bath, its ability to withstand constant loads of water and bathers, and not be deformed. In addition, the thicker the walls, the higher the heat and sound insulation. It is better not to take products with a wall thickness of less than 2.5-3 mm. Even better - stop at a product with a wall thickness of 4 mm.

Some manufacturers and sellers deliberately go for the trick, and overestimate the wall thickness in the documents. Particularly cunning manufacturers on the sides of the bath, where the cut of the product is visible, make the walls thicker. If the buyer even guesses to look at the end, he will see that everything is in order. The best way to make sure you are not being scammed is to check the weight of the product. A full-sized bath with walls of at least 3 mm weighs about 30-40 kg, miniature baths cannot weigh less than 20 kg.

How to choose a bath: useful tips

To purchase a comfortable and high-quality bath, you need to approach the choice very carefully, taking into account everything to the smallest detail. Not only its dimensions, equipment and price matter, but also the installation method, manufacturer, appearance and other characteristics. Let's consider them in more detail.

Step 1. Decide on the size.The most convenient height of the bath is 65-70 cm, and the depth of the bowl is 50-60 cm. When choosing the width, the build of the largest family member should be taken into account: for a person of average build, the width is 80 cm, for a larger one - from 90 cm and above. The choice of length depends not only on the height of the tallest person, but also on the way of taking a bath - sitting, half-sitting, lying down. Accordingly, the length will vary between 120-180 cm.

The dimensions of acrylic bathtubs are indicated in the product passport

Step 2. We decide on the form. A lot here depends on the size of the room: absolutely any model can be installed in a large bathroom, including a free-standing one, for a small one a corner one is more suitable. It is advisable to draw a bathroom plan and indicate the location of plumbing and furniture on it. Be sure to take measurements of the area under the bath, consider which side is better to make the connection. If you plan to buy an asymmetric model, determine in advance its orientation - left-hand or right-hand.

Acrylic bathtubs of different shapes. Skeleton scheme

Step 3. Choose a manufacturer. To buy a really high-quality bath, choose well-known, proven brands whose products have been on the market for more than a year. Of course, everyone wants to save money, and bathtubs from world manufacturers are quite expensive, but when buying a cheap fake, get ready to change it in a year or two. As a result, such a purchase will cost several times more than a certified high-quality model. Choose large stores or specialized stores, where all products have relevant documentation.

Carefully inspect the bath from all sides and from below

Step 4. Check the quality of the bath.Carefully inspect the sections of the sides: the cast acrylic bowl consists of two layers, the extruded one has three or more layers. A molding bowl is considered better, but a lot still depends on the quality of workmanship. If you see a layer of acrylic that is too thin (up to 2 mm), do not take such a bath - it will not last long.

Pay attention to the color: a high-quality bathtub should be snow-white, with a glossy sheen, flawlessly smooth surface. But various spots, sagging, roughness or tubercles indicate a fake

Be sure to press your hand on the bottom of the bowl - if the material gives way noticeably, the bath is of poor quality. Also, do not buy a model that has a strong chemical smell or is translucent.

Check the quality of the acrylic bath

Step 5. Accessories. Most bathtubs come with a metal frame. It also needs to be inspected and checked for quality. The welded structure must be neat, the joints cleaned and polished. The same applies to the prefabricated frame - neatly drilled holes, even threads, all elements are proportional. The metal must have an anti-corrosion coating, galvanized fasteners.

Frame-frame Cersanit Santana 140

If the kit includes handrails, armrests, a drain-overflow system, they must also be inspected. If the bath itself quality, then the components for it should be the same - in a single style, without visible defects.

Related video: Rating of acrylic bathtubs by quality

Additional Criteria

As additional criteria, as a rule, there are functions that your future bath may have. For example, various types of massages with water or air, chromotherapy, water level sensors and disinfection systems.

Any of the above options further increase the comfort of spending time in the bathroom, however, this leads to several things at once.

1. The bath becomes more expensive, sometimes quite significantly.
2. More electricity and water is wasted.
3. Difficult to install and maintain.

It is necessary to check the bath of interest for the presence of all kinds of functions

Let's move on to the additional criteria themselves.

1. Hydromassage. With it, it is quite realistic to improve, and in a very positive way, both muscle tone and blood microcirculation. This becomes possible due to the jets of water, which, being in a special pump, are pumped in and out through nozzles in the walls. As a rule, about 8 jets are responsible for hydromassage, but sometimes there are more.
2. Air massage. Massage produced by an electric pump is not water, but oxygen. It relaxes quite well and the person feels better. According to the principle of action, it is very similar to air massage.
3. Chromotherapy. This procedure, when spending time in the bathroom, not only helps to increase the overall tone of the body, but also improves the functioning of the circulatory system. This is made possible by installing violet lamps in the walls of the bath, which are located inside special reflectors. The reflectors themselves illuminate the human body lying in the water.
4. Autodisinfection. Self-cleaning can greatly facilitate your bathroom care. It is enough to press one button and a disinfectant will be applied to the surface of the bath, with which it will be washed. After that, it remains only to remove it, but this will happen automatically, which is convenient.
5. Water level sensor. With it, it becomes much easier to control how much the bathtub is filled with water.It is rare when it goes separately - more often it can be seen as an integral part of aero and hydromassage.

Additional features are always interesting, but they are quite expensive

How to choose a steel bath?

Consider how to choose the right bathtub made of steel.

Choice of bath design

You should start by choosing the appearance of the bath, deciding on the size and shape:

• In practice, the dimensions of the bath, most often, are determined by the size of the bathroom, since not every apartment has a spacious bath. If there is not much space, it is recommended to abandon the traditional rectangular models. Corner or asymmetric bath models take up less space, but at the same time, they are no less convenient to use.
• If the bathroom allows, you can install a large bath, 2 meters long. However, you should first make sure that it will be convenient to use such plumbing, since many experience discomfort if, lying in the bath, they do not feel its “shores”.
• As for the color of the enamel, it is chosen depending on the overall design of the interior.

Selection of qualitative indicators

Having decided on the appearance of the bath, you can begin to determine the quality indicators. Of course, an ordinary buyer is not an expert in the field of plumbing, however, any person will surely be able to appreciate the most significant points:

First of all, it is worth evaluating the thickness of the walls of the steel bath, you should choose a model for the manufacture of which steel sheets with a thickness of at least 3.5 mm are used. If the wall thickness is less, it is better to refrain from purchasing plumbing.But how can this figure be assessed? After all, even a measurement with a caliper will not allow you to correctly evaluate this parameter, since the thickness of the enamel layer is unknown. The approximate weight of the baths will help to make an assessment. A high-quality model will weigh no less than 20 kilograms (we are talking about a traditional bathtub 170 cm long). If the weight of the bath is less, then the manufacturer has clearly saved money by using thin sheets of steel in production, so you should choose a different model.

• Next, you should check such an important point as the geometry of the bath. Steel, unlike cast iron, is a plastic material, therefore, subject to the production technology, products are obtained with perfectly even geometry. Therefore, the buyer needs to check how smooth the walls and bottom of the bath are.
• The next quality assessment point is the condition of the enamel. It depends on this indicator how long the bath will last. Of course, the buyer will not be able to conduct serious tests of the quality of enamel, however, he is quite capable of evaluating its appearance. The enamel should be smooth, uniform, there should be no noticeable smudges, cracks, chips and other noticeable defects on the surface of the bath. If the model is colored, then the color should be uniform over the entire surface, no streaks or uneven coloring should be noticeable.

So, if you need to choose a steel bath, you should first decide on the design of the model, and then check its quality characteristics. Anyone can conduct simple tests to assess the quality of a bath.

Mistakes when choosing a bath

So that the purchase of a cast iron bath does not disappoint, you should pay attention to the main mistakes made in this case:

• lack of warranty and accompanying documents from the manufacturer;
• the buyer forgets to conduct a visual inspection of the enamel surface and the reverse side for the uniformity of the coating and the presence of scratches, chips and cracks;
• the bathroom, doorways, landing and freight elevator were not measured before purchase.

Before paying, you should check the complete set - so that everything that is listed by the manufacturer is in stock. These can be handles on the sides, headrests, legs, mounts and other details.

If the selected model is not equipped, for example, with legs or a headrest, and the presence of this part is a priority, you will have to take care of their purchase in a timely manner

The choice of manufacturers: what the market offers

An example of a standard domestic metal bath

An iron bath is not a relic of the past and not an accessory that has become obsolete. Many manufacturers offer excellent accessories that meet all the requirements of the modern user. For example, the best steel baths have brands such as:

Once again, the cost of steel bowls should be noted. Russian manufacturers offer a price bar of up to 10 thousand rubles, foreign ones are slightly higher, but even such a cost of a metal bath puts the product in the line of the most affordable products. Of course, manufacturers of a good steel bath are not limited to this list; if desired, you can find a lot of other companies where there will be a product that meets all the requirements of the buyer.

Results

We have tabulated the criteria given earlier, for each first place the material receives 2 points, for the second - 1 point, for the third - 0 points.

Criterion	Cast iron bathtubs	Steel baths	Acrylic bathtubs
Ease of installation	2	1
The weight	1	2
Care	2	1
Damage resistance	2	1
Variety of forms	1	2
Variety of sizes	1	2
Life time	2	1
maintainability	1	1	2
Ease of use	2	1	2
Price	2	1
Outcome	9	12	12

Although cast iron bathtubs were the last in our ranking, they were the first in such important performance qualities as resistance to damage, service life, ease of maintenance and ease of use. Therefore, if price, weight and ease of installation do not matter to you, you are an adherent of classical forms, then you should choose cast-iron bathtubs, otherwise it is better to take acrylic bowls. Steel bathtubs are somewhat of a cheap compromise, with average performance in almost all evaluation criteria. Set your priorities wisely and choose the best option for you.

conclusions

When the question arises of buying a bath, you need to immediately decide how much you are willing to spend - it will be much easier to start from this. In addition, you need to analyze all the criteria, consider the pros and cons of each material and a particular model.

Today, it is easiest to buy a bathtub made on the basis of acrylic, or rather, pure plexiglass. It is this option that has an almost ideal ratio of adequate price and high quality. But if you're willing to spend more, look for cast iron options that will last you for years and are unlikely to ever get damaged if handled carefully. Without a doubt, you can purchase any model from our rating: it presents only the highest quality bathtubs with pleasant prices, the quality of which is confirmed by both specialists and real buyers.