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Discussion Forum

Acrylic bathtubs

Beebs | Posted in General Discussion on February 17, 2007 07:28am

Hi, I spend most of my time at Cook’s Talk, but will probably be picking your brains a lot over the next year or two, because DH and I are planning to build a house.

But my current question has to do with the house we are in now. It’s old (built around 1875). When we moved in 20 years ago, the previous owners had turned a bedroom into a master bath and closet, and the master bath has a fiberglass tub with surround that I I have grown to hate. I’d like to replace it with a new tub and ceramic tile on the walls, in order to improve the re-sale value. My question is, how do acrylic tubs compare to cast iron? I think acrylic would be a whole lot easier to install, but I’m worried that it will look cheap and not wear well.

Sandy

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  1. User avater
    IMERC | Feb 17, 2007 08:02pm | #1

    yur right about the acrylic IMO...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!! What a Ride!
    Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

  2. plumbbill | Feb 17, 2007 08:06pm | #2

    Well let's not get acrylic mixed up with vinyl or plain fiberglass.

    I have seen some cheap ones, but also seen the opposite end of the spectrum too.

    I just completed a 42 story hotel/condo---- 350 hotel rooms & 145 condo's.

    Hotel was all cast iron, needs to be there cause of the traffic & abuse.

    I only put in 9 cast iron tubs out of the 145 condo's prices ranged from 550K for a 1000 square foot 1 bed 1 bath, to 7.2 million for a 6500 square foot penthouse.

    A couple of my customers were Nordstrom ( the clothing store people)& they had acrylic tubs.

    So if you get a nice acrylic it doesn't diminish the value.

    “A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts.” —James Madison

    1. Beebs | Feb 17, 2007 11:54pm | #5

      Could you give me an example of a "nice" acrylic?Sandy

      1. plumbbill | Feb 18, 2007 03:12am | #6

        Lasco¯ & Whirlpool¯ are a couple of good manufactures of acrylic tubs.

        Things you want to look for.

        How much flex does it have----- too much is bad.

        Really sharp bends are thinner cause of the thermo stretch in the forming process----- not good.

        If the bottom has deflection that can be resolved by setting in a bed of mortar or plaster.

        Repairing has to be done by a pro & not always fixable.

        You might want to consider Gelcoat fiberglass--- repairs can be made a lot easier.

         I have a gelcoat fiberglass jetted tub in my basement, it sat out in the "bone yard" of the supply house for 2 yrs, I paid an auto detailer 50 bucks to buff out the yellowing---- looked showroom perfect after he was done. It has held up to me, my 2 boys & a heater over temp steam meltdown it's now 8yrs old & in really good shape.“A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts.” —James Madison

  3. BobKovacs | Feb 17, 2007 08:08pm | #3

    It's not going to be any "easier to install", other than dragging it through the house to get it into position- other than the weight, a cast iron tub installs the same as an acrylic.  The real difference is in the "feel" of the tub- a cast iron tub "feels" more substantial, doesn't sound tinny like a steel tub, and doesn't deflect when you step in it.    The coatings on cast iron are more durable than steel or acrylic tubs, but unless you're really abusing the tub (like getting into it with muddy, gritty boots...lol), either one should last just fine.

    Bob

    1. yojimbo2 | Feb 18, 2007 03:21am | #7

      It is not going to be any easier to install?You are kidding, right?Last time I checked cast iron tubs weigh in at 250-300 lbs. Acrylics must be about 50-75 lbs.

      1. plumbbill | Feb 18, 2007 05:06am | #8

        250 to 300--- yeah for shelf stock ones.

        This one tips the scale at about 520lbs

        View Image“A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts.” —James Madison

  4. User avater
    shelternerd | Feb 17, 2007 08:59pm | #4

    If you are going to the trouble to tile the wall surround you should go ahead and use a cast iron tub (Kohler Villager has nice wide shoulder area) They are not that expensive, they hold up well to the abuse of the tile job and they are just palin nicer than plastic.

    We do sell a lot of those MTI Osiris tubs these days and if you are going to go plastic it is definately the one to use. Takes up a lot of room though and can't be easily used as a shower. But man is it classy.

    1. Beebs | Feb 18, 2007 05:54am | #9

      I never heard of MTI, but somehow going to their website turned me on to a totally different idea. I think I've decided to replace the tub with a shower! Not sure why I didn't think of it before, but when I mentioned it to DH, his reaction was "I'm so glad to hear you say that!" I think the plumbers will be glad too - bringing a shower base up our steep staircase will be a lot easier than a cast iron tub.Sandy

      1. User avater
        shelternerd | Feb 18, 2007 06:03am | #10

        SandyJacuzzi makes a very nice and economical 42" x 60" shower base. Remember to set it in mortar though so it doesn't squeek. And run a piece of 6 mil poly behind your tile board over the flange out into the base to direct any moisture that makes it past the tile and backerboard into the shower pan and thus to the drain rather than into the wall. Glad to make the husband smile.

        1. Beebs | Feb 19, 2007 01:06am | #12

          Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately 42" is too wide for the space we have, but I'll keep it in mind for the new house.
          I assume "poly" is short for something, and idiot that I am, you'll have to give me the whole word.

          1. User avater
            shelternerd | Feb 19, 2007 07:09am | #14

            Poly is short for polyethelyne. (big help there) It's the plastic sheeting vapor barrier that goes between the wood studs and the tile backer board to prevent moisture from wicking through the tile grout and the backer board and into the wood structure of the house causing mold and mildew. It's important to detail it right at the transition between the top of the shower pan and the bottom of the backer board so the moisure that collects on it will be channelled out into the shower pan and not back into the wall. It's a common ommision and difficult to repair after the fact (I've had to do it twice, long story)

          2. jay100 | Feb 19, 2007 07:56am | #15

            Plastic sheeting behind a shower? It sounds like a very icky moldy mess. Why is there water "wicking" thru the backer board. Sounds like you need a Kerdi (Schluter), Mapei, anti-fracture or similar membrane between tile and backer. Once H2O is thru the backer - yer hooped, no?

          3. User avater
            shelternerd | Feb 19, 2007 08:05am | #16

            That would undoubtedly be a better solution. Just still doing it the way I was taught back in the late 70's. I'll check with my tile supplyer about the availability and cost of these new fangled membranes.

          4. jay100 | Feb 19, 2007 08:12am | #17

            The Schluter Kerdi system is quality industry standard in Vancouver BC.
            Schluter you'll find it a breeze to install and you'll sleep great at night. It has 5 yr warranty I believe and your customers should be happy to pay a premium to you for bringing such a reliable system to their job. Materials are pricey but it is the best. The roll on membranes are less expensive and cheap and easy to install. Hardi backer board is great, also a silicone impregnated gypsum like Dense Shield. This is all from the land of peace order and good government, so you may not have some of these brands

      2. plumbbill | Feb 18, 2007 10:27am | #11

        If your replacing a tub with a shower there could be one small problem.

        Tubs only need a 1.5" drain & showers need a 2" drain.“A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts.” —James Madison

        1. Beebs | Feb 19, 2007 01:06am | #13

          Good to know. I'll check that out with the plumber. Thanks.

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