How to choose a cast iron bath?

Cast iron baths have been on sale since the XIX century. At first it was not an accessory of first necessity, but rather, a luxury item. Gradually, the cast iron baths became more widespread. Today, despite the abundance of materials of manufacture, they do not lose their relevance and enjoy success with buyers.

This article is a complete answer to the question: how to choose a cast-iron bath. Expert tips will help you with this. Consider the various options, their pros and cons that will make the right choice.

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Advantages of cast iron plumbing:

• Strength.
• Durability.
• Resistance to temperature changes.
• Ability to maintain water temperature for a relatively long time.
• The bath retains the original configuration well, it does not deform.
• Cast iron is resistant to rust.
• The product does not need additional supports. In the complete set with a product there are stable strong legs.
• Durable beautiful enamel coating.
• Convenience and ease of care.
• Cast iron has good sound insulation properties. It is almost not noticeable as water drips or is drawn.
• Compared with other materials, cast iron is one of the most durable. Theoretically, the product can last for 100 years or more.
• Possibility to equip with additional modern accessories( whirlpool device, handles, etc.).

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Cons

There are some drawbacks, but they are much smaller than the advantages:

• Large mass. The average weight of such a bath is 120 kg. Due to the large size and weight of the bath requires at least 2 people for delivery.
• Standard form.
• Relatively high cost. Products made of cast iron - pleasure is not cheap, but they are worth this money.

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Form and dimensions

The choice of forms is not rich. There are 2 variants of baths made of cast iron: rectangular and oval. Of course, these are the most popular varieties, but if you want to buy a bowl for bathing a square form or acquire a corner bath, you will have to give preference to another material.

Important! Like other types of similar products, the cast iron bath can be built-in or detached.

Now - about the dimensions. There are options that need to be considered before choosing a cast-iron bath suitable model:

• Width - 700, 750 and 800 mm.
• The length of the seated baths is 1200-1400 mm, standard products - 1500-1800 mm.
• The most common depth is 400-460 mm.

Important! The existing small deviations depend on the manufacturer.

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How to choose a cast iron bath by the manufacturers?

The leaders of the market, of course, are European companies. Here is the TOP-three leaders:

• ROCA( Italy).The company makes about 30 different models with different prices: from the class "economy" to "premium".Staying on the market for more than a hundred years, the company specializes in the production of various types of sanitary ware for the bathroom.
• Jacob Delafon( France).The firm offers a large number of sanitary products of different price segments. This is one of the world leaders in the production of sanitary ware. In addition to standard dimensions, there are bathtubs with a width of 900 mm.
• Novial( Spain).Compared with the two previous companies, the market is slightly smaller. The company uses infrared firing technology that guarantees high-quality enamel coating. The products produced by this company belong to different price segments. Elite models are equipped with functions of air and hydro massage, as well as a number of other modern devices for convenience and comfort.

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Selection criteria

Here are some tips on how to choose a cast iron bath, what factors should be taken into account:

• Pay attention to certified products from world manufacturers. With cheap products from China you need to be careful. The availability of a certificate is mandatory, although this does not save you from purchasing a poor-quality product.
• When buying a bath make a preliminary measurement of the room. It is better to leave a gap than to buy a product that is longer in length than necessary.

Important! A bath that is longer than necessary, by 10-20 cm, you can still cut into the walls, and more - in any way.

• Take into account the existing communications, if you do not want to build new ones. The simplest option is to buy a bath of the same size as before.
• The width of the doorway. If you do not take into account this and the opening is too narrow, the bath will be difficult to bring into the room.
• Before you buy a product for a long time, please note that there are no chips or other defects. Pay close attention to the state of the enamel.
• Bath completeness.
• Thickness of enamel. It is desirable that it is not less than 1.0-1.2 mm.
• If there are children and( or) elderly people in the family, it is necessary that there should be an anti-slip covering, a headboard and special pens.

Extras:

• Feet.
• Handles. Armrests.
• Rollers for the head.
• Anti-slip coating.
• Aero and hydro massage.

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The best baths

If the question of how to choose a cast iron bath is still relevant for you, check out our rating. When ranking the best cast-iron products were taken into account:

• User Reviews.
• Product prices.
• Equipped with additional functions.
• Dimensions.
• Shape and design.
• The complexity of the installation.
• Ergonomic, safe use.
• Bath quality.

Rectangular

Rectangular bathtubs are not an interior decoration, but a convenient, functional and extremely simple product with a relatively low price. The cost of products is comparable to baths made of steel and acrylic. Variational dimensions are very wide, which allows you to choose a bath for a person of any size and any kind of room.

According to consumers, the leader in this segment was the Roca Continental bathtub 170x70 - a single, rather roomy structure.

Advantages:

• Presence of anti-skid coating on the bottom.
• Ability to adjust the height of the legs.
• Large dimensions, allowing you to comfortably take a bath full of people.
• Enamel - smooth and beautiful.
• Bead, comfortable for the back.

Cons:

• The enamel is sensitive to damage.
• In the field of anti-slip coating enamel darkens.
• Low height.

Important! Of the complaints expressed by buyers, not enough quality legs. It is very difficult to set the bath perfectly smoothly. Because of the small height, it is problematic to place all available pipes.

Quality-price ratio

In this respect, the Timo Tarmo 180 model won the palm of the championship - a spacious stand-alone bathtub with handles measuring 1800x800 mm.

Advantages:

• Enamel of good quality.
• Handles available.
• Flat non-slip bottom.
• The bath keeps the water temperature well.
• High capacity.

Disadvantages:

• Large mass.
• Too large head restraint that "eats" usable space.

Important! According to consumers, this model is very ergonomic. Handles are convenient to use and when washing the bath, and bathing. Use the construction safely, even if there is no anti-slip coating.

Best oval shaped bath

Embedded oval models of cast iron are not found very often. Most of the models are detached. This means that the bath can be used not only as an accessory for bathing, but also as an interior decoration. Design models can boast of such details as massive, beautifully executed legs, fancy sides, shower stand, headrest, etc. The cost of such products is much higher than the rectangular ones.

The most popular model in this group is the Elegansa Nadia bath - a white, roomy single bath.

Advantages:

• Dimensions 1800x800 mm, which allows you to comfortably accommodate even the complete person.
• Quality execution of all structural elements.
• Beautiful design.
• The design of the walls, convenient for taking baths in a lying position.

The drawback of this product is only one: high cost.

Important! Despite its large size, the bathtub does not look visually cumbersome. Elegant legs and white make it seem to be airy and soaring. The price, of course, is not very pleasing, but it is fully justified by the excellent quality and aesthetic design of the bowl.

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So, we make the final choice of

Finally, we can decide how to choose a cast-iron bath, and useful tips will help you:

• If the bathroom is not too spacious, then there is no sense in buying a large round bath of pretentious shape, Square it will look too cumbersome and ridiculous. The same is true if the bath is used in the shower mode. In both cases, a simple rectangular model is suitable.

Important! Rectangular bath will be the only solution in case you decide to build in it massage functions. In other models, it can not be embedded.

• In a spacious bathroom, a detached oval or non-standard shaped product will look great. Near the bathroom you can place flowerpots with flowers, a table for cosmetics.
• Spacious double bath is recommended for couples who like to take water treatments together. A large bowl is also suitable for families with children.

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Care

Enamel coating requires careful handling. In this case, the bath will last a long time:

• Be careful with sharp and massive objects. Even a small cleavage of the enamel or crack can turn into a significant problem.
• For washing cast iron baths, it is best to use special detergents or soap foam.
• Do not use hard brushes or cleaners with aggressive particles.
• After washing, a clean bowl is wiped dry.

We hope our review was useful for you, and you could decide which cast-iron bath to choose for your house. So - now the bathing will be pleasant, safe, delivering only good emotions.