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HOMEPAGE
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Acrylic, Steel or Cast Iron Bath ?Baths are usually made from enamelled steel, enamelled cast iron or fibreglass-reinforced acrylic sheet (there are also a few baths on the market made from ABS - an extremely strong plastic, stone resin and one or two luxury baths made from wood!) All these materials have their faults - if something heavy is dropped in a cast iron bath or steel bath they are liable to chip, whereas acrylic baths are liable to scratch. The advantage of the plastic baths is that scratches can be polished out, if not too deep (follow manufacturers instructions) but chips in a cast iron or steel enamel bath are very difficult to hide and can lead to the bath rusting. There are re-touching kits available and these should be used as soon as possible after any damage has occurred. Cast iron baths, stone resin baths and steel baths are more rigid than most acrylic or ABS baths but they are colder to the touch. Although acrylic baths are available in different thicknesses (5mm 8mm 10mm) the quality of the fibreglass reinforcing and the thickness of the baseboard will have just as much bearing on the rigidity of the bath in-situ. You should be aware that many budget baths have little reinforcing and are relatively flimsy as a consequence. Overall, there is not much to choose between the different materials as they all have their strengths and weaknesses, but whatever you decide, correct installation is vital. |
