How to choose an acrylic bath?

Acrylic baths appeared only recently in the domestic market, but immediately took their rightful place next to the long-usual baths of cast iron. This is explained by the huge number of advantages that acrylic plumbing has, for example, significantly less weight, the original shape and, of course, the price. However, as is known, the more choices, the more difficult it is to do. Today we will tell you how to choose an acrylic bath so that it is quality and durable.

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Acrylic bathtubs - what are they?

To ensure that the plumbing you have chosen has served for many years, it is necessary to learn about existing production technologies, installation methods and proper care of it. Let's start in order.

Acrylic bath technology

The following materials are used for the production of acrylic baths:

• Cast acrylic.
• Extruded acrylic.

Important! Unlike strong cast acrylic, extruded - has a much lower mechanical strength and lower heat resistance. In addition, extruded acrylic is prone to spontaneous cracking over time.

The technology for producing acrylic bathtubs is as follows:

1. The acrylic sheet is heated to the material's flow temperature.
2. When heated, acrylic is placed under the press.
3. A special mold extrudes a bath from the material.
4. After cooling, the extruded acrylic bath is reinforced externally with a mixture of epoxy resins. The thicker the layer of reinforcement - the stronger the font.

As you can see, acrylic baths have different properties, depending on the material. The main thing is, decide for what purposes you choose the plumbing:

1. Baths made of extruded acrylic are good where their operation occurs from time to time, for example, in the country. Under such conditions, a bath of extruded acrylic, will last for ten years, which means that it does not make sense to overpay.
2. If you are talking about buying plumbing for a city apartment or a country house, where you live permanently, then you should not save and it is better to buy a bath made of cast acrylic.

Important! To correctly determine the plumbing material, when you visit the store, independently visually estimate the number of layers of the bath. This can be done by examining the edge of the plumbing of the plumbing:

• if you counted 3 layers, this bath is made of extruded acrylic;
• if 2 layers - then the bath is made of pure cast material.

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Advantages and disadvantages of acrylic bathtubs

These genuine models are quite expensive, justifying the price by their quality. What attracts us in this plumbing? The answer is simple, of course, the positive characteristics:

• Acrylic baths perfectly retain heat. Due to the thermal insulation properties of the material, the water in such a bathroom cools down much more slowly than in cast iron and even more so - steel.
• Plumbing has sufficient strength and resistance to damage, thanks to the plasticity of acrylic. You can not worry that the fallen in the plumbing item will damage the enamel.
• Easy to care for a font. Acrylic baths are easy to clean, just rinse it with water and wipe dry. In case of more serious pollution, use special detergents for acrylic.
• Light weight( up to 40 kg), which makes it easy to transport and install a bath.
• Excellent sound absorption, which allows water to be recruited almost noiselessly.
• Designer variety of fonts. Due to the ductility and viscosity of the material, the baths are produced in various shapes and colors.
• Additional functions, such as hydromassage, make staying in a font unforgettable.

Before choosing an acrylic bath, it is necessary to take into account the disadvantages of this option.

"Weak" acrylic places:

• Sensitivity to detergents. Pick up care products for plumbing should be carefully so as not to damage the inner coating of the bath.
• Plasticity. A person with a lot of weight will not be very comfortable, as the bath sometimes flexes under the weight.
• Scratch resistant. A font from acrylic should never be cleaned with abrasive products, as the internal surface is instantly damaged.
• Insufficient static strength. The bath, filled with water to the brim, keeps its shape worse than a cast-iron or steel font. Most acrylic baths require the installation of a special frame. If the bath of cast material can still do without the frame, then for the baths of extruded acrylic it is mandatory. Exposure to high temperatures. The font can become softer and deformed due to very hot water.

Important! To prevent the bath from deforming from hot water, first fill it with cold water.

• High cost. Quality acrylic baths are expensive, and together with a limited service life( for cast acrylic - 20 years, for extruded - 10 years), the price can become a serious drawback.

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How to choose an acrylic bath: expert advice

For the sake of such an important purchase, please visit the building supermarket where you can see the variety of sanitary ware at different prices. In a small store you can hardly find exactly the model that will suit you in all parameters.

Before you make a purchase, listen to the following expert recommendations.

Step 1: Determine the parameters based on the individual characteristics of the household( height, weight) and space of the room

Pay special attention to your own convenience. Bath is not just a hygiene item, it's a place where you can relax and unwind. According to experts, the choice of acrylic bathtub is as follows:

• Length: 150-180 cm. If the model has a headrest, then a person with a height of 180 cm is suitable for a bath length of 165-170 cm. If the headrest is missing, then, for a person with a height of 180cm, choose a bath directly by its growth.
• Width: 75-80 cm. This parameter also depends on the growth and composition of family members. For example, a fat person with a width of 75 cm will not be comfortable, take a closer look at other models with a width of 100-120 cm and even more.
• Depth: 50-60 cm. The parameter is calculated from the bottom plane of the bowl to the level of the overflow hole. In a shallower font, the water level will not completely cover the human body, but in the deeper font, the head of the person taking the bath will be in a not quite comfortable upright position.
• Height: 65-70 cm from the floor. This value equals all members of the family, since the bathroom should be used not only by adults, but also by children.

All plumbing can be divided into 2 types:

• Longitudinal, which is installed along one wall.
• Corner - installed directly in the corner of the bathroom.

Important! Among these species there are models of acrylic fonts with the most incredible and diverse design. Select the style and shape of the bathroom to your liking. The only thing that should be noted: the choice of plumbing( rectangular, oval, angular, round) depends on the size and layout of the room in which it is supposed to be installed.

Step 2: Inspect the structure of the bath

To choose the right acrylic bath, pay attention not only to the plumbing material, but also the number of reinforcing layers and acrylic width. You can determine this by the edge of the rim: it looks like a puff cake.

Important! The total number of reinforcing layers can be from 1 to 5. The thicker the acrylic layer, the longer the bath will last.

The average trend is as follows:

• if the acrylic layer is 2-3 mm, then the bath will last 3-4 years;
• if the layer is 4 mm - service life up to 7 years;
• if the acrylic layer is 5-6.5 mm - the font will last 10-12 years.

However, it should be remembered that this method of verification is well known to unscrupulous producers and, often, they reinforce the rim better than the bowl itself. Therefore, do not be content with a quick survey, but push on the walls and the bottom. If the product is of good quality, then it should remain elastic and not bend.

Important! To more carefully check the thickness of acrylic, take a small flashlight with you to the store. Attach a pocket flashlight to the bottom of the bath and examine this area on the other side( cover it with palms to darken it).If you see a distinct light and the bath is visible from the outside, it means that the bottom is thin and will not last long.

Step 3: Examine the inner surface of the

font In a quality acrylic bath, the surface should not have cracks, damage, bumps and roughness. The surface must be perfectly smooth and even. Smoothness should be of such a degree that if you apply a palm to the surface, the hand should not slide, but slightly stick. For example, if you hold a tightly pressed palm on the pane, the effect with a good acrylic coating should be about the same.

Important! The color of acrylic should be uniform and homogeneous. Darkening and yellowing indicates that the plumbing has problems.

Step 4: Check the strength of the

structure Regardless of the acrylic used, all fonts are mounted on a special welded or prefabricated metal frame. It is the frame that serves as the basis and the retainer of the bath from excessive deformation at full filling. The simplest design can only withstand water pressure and human weight, and more complex frames are an additional support to the side walls. This design can extend the life of plumbing.

Important! To determine the quality of the bath and its strength, pay attention to the legs and legs of the frame. If the bath is of good quality, then the frame has supports only in the corners. Conversely, the more racks, the less strong is the font.

Step 5: Check the health of the optional plumbing options, if they are provided in the

The most popular and healthy option is the optional option of the acrylic bath - Jacuzzi. In contrast to the usual bath, the Jacuzzi is characterized by the fact that the human body is affected by the whirlpool. In some models, chromotherapy is also provided, that is, exposure to the surface of the skin with UV rays.

There are some nuances that you need to know about choosing an acrylic bath of good quality:

1. Hydromassage is produced by the continuous bubbles entering the water, through bronze or chrome nozzles in the side walls of the font.
2. Chromotherapy takes place through the LED backlights built in the side walls of the bath with prismatic reflectors. The maximum effect of chromotherapy depends on the power of the lamps and the properly focused reflectors.

Important! Qualitative hydromassage and chromotherapy can only be for plumbing of famous and serious manufacturers.

In addition to the jacuzzi, a modern acrylic bath can please the owner and other useful options:

1. Models with a built-in special shelf for placing a laptop or a plasma TV model are very popular.
2. Another interesting option is direct connection( or via wi-fi) to the central module in the smart house system.

As you can see, there is no limit to engineering thought.

Step 6: Decide on the manufacturer

The assortment of similar products on the market is very large, so you need to understand what is really the difference between manufacturers to choose the acrylic bath that is optimal for your budget and at home:

1. Of foreign manufacturers, Germany and Italy hold the first place in terms of quality and prices. The quality of the baths of these manufacturers is very high, but the price is also not low.
2. With more adequate prices and good quality products, plumbing from the Czech Republic, Poland and Spain is represented.
3. Choose an acrylic bath is very simple and cheap you can from manufacturers from Turkey and China.
4. From the Russian manufacturers of acrylic bathtubs we can distinguish products Bell Rado, Radomir, Doctor Jet, Aquatek. Here you can also include the products of the Russian-German company Aquatika. All manufacturers try to produce only high-quality plumbing.

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Care

acrylic bath If you choose acrylic bathtub on the advice of an expert or to his personal opinion, then take care of it, and listen to the advice of care for bath Acrylic:

• Only use liquid cleaners.
• After using the bath, close the tap tightly so that rust does not form on the surface.
• Do not place any heavy metal objects on the surface of the tub.
• If you are going to bathe a pet in a font, take care of the rubber litter.
• Do not wash the dishes in the bathroom and do not soak things with steel elements.

We hope that thanks to the information given in our article, you were able to choose the right acrylic bath and enjoy the water procedures. Pleasant shopping and sensations!