We need to purchase two bathtubs for a home addition, one for the master bath and one for a children’s shared bathroom. Our architect recommneds Kohler’s Tea for Two, an enameled cast iron tub, for the master bathroom. I went to our home supply store to check it out & they recommend an acrylic tub instead. Any suggestions?
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There are completely different aesthetics and price points associated with the two. If you can reasonably afford the cast iron, do it. I've never had one, but because they are cast iron, they hold their heat really really well, as opposed to an acrylic one which does not. Cast iron tubs are supposed to be the best. They last a really long time. They are expensive to install, I am sure mainly from their weight. Have you ever seen a 20 year old acrylic tub? not so great.
If by 'home supply store' you are talking about Home Depot or Lowes, then I'd take their advice with a grain of salt. Not just because many of the people who work there have no training or experience in the field they are advising about. But also because they don't like doing special orders. If they don't have cast iron tubs on the shelf, they are going to recommend an acrylic one, regardless of the quality differences. The person on the floor doesn't make any kind of commission by selling you a special tub, they just see more work.
I'd go with cast iron if you can afford it.
A porcelain cast iron tub is the best choice, for all the reasons mentioned by other posters.
Eight years ago I let my plumbing contractor talk me into installing an American Standard hybrid model called "Americast" in my own house. It is some sort of steel frame, so it doesn't have the objectionable "give" that you get with most acrylics. But it is covered with a hard plastic material that cannot be scrubbed with Comet-type products. And it was fairly cheap at the time ($220 at HD). I think he liked it entirely because it was half the weight of a cast iron tub, and thus a whole lot easier to carry up to the second floor.
It has held up fairly well, but has never been subjected to nightly baths from a family of kids. In that situation, there is no question that a a more expensive cast iron tub would be a way better choice.
You need to remember too, if the tub is built in, it cannot be easily replaced -- unless you are willing to rip out a bunch of tile.
thoughts about acrylic vs cast iron.
I agree with the previous comments on cast iron.
And also on acrylic.
However, some years ago our mother moved out of
her house of nearly 50 years and into an assisted living
complex. The complex , a bit pricy and very nicely turned out
had the full acryic one-piece tub, tub-surround with
grip bars , etc. At first glance I thought "why put
that cheesy tub in an upscale appartment. But then is occured
to me that if I were destined to fall in a bathtub (the
most hazardous place in the house) I would rather fall
on the acrylic with its give than on hard cast iron.
However, unsupported acrylic tubs tend to split after a few
years and so intallers often put in a support (concret down the
middle or a wooden frame) thus negating the give that might
mitigate the injury in a fall. The only option that I have come
up with would be to use a support that would also give a bit.
And, the only thing that I have seen that would work is a closed
foam polyethylene that is used in packing crates to cushion
fairly heavy items (1000-2000 #), although I have never seen
it proposed for this purpose.
So, I guess if you are young, go for caast iron.
If you are around retirement age, consider acrylic with
an appropriate support under it.
Also, the real cost of changing a bath tub in existing
housing is the removal and implacement. It often
requires tearing out the wall at the faucett end of
the tub and, of course, replacing it.
Steve
It's possible to purchase padded bathtubs. Unfortunately, like most products designed for people with some disability (including age), they are priced too high for the people who need them.
Cast Iron, for sure. 20 years from now, the cast iron will look great - the acrylic will be scratched, dull, and ugly.
Life is good....
Just spent a night last weekend at a B&B that had a cast iron tub. I was in heaven. The BEST soak I have ever had. Someday I will own one. I was amazed that I wanted to get out of the tub _before_ the water had cooled. I was in there 30 mins and the water was still hot! Usually, I am pushed out of the tub when the water gets cool after 15 mins. The roll of the tub fit my neck just perfectly. I was in love. There is no contest between cast iron and acrylic to me.
Cast Iron is soooo much better then acrylic. I have acrylic, but grew up with cast iron. My 7 year old acrylic looks worse then the 30+ year old cast iron I grew up with. The other issue is that it is really hard to get a squeaky clean acrylic tub and they stain easily. The heat retention is an excellent point. I never put 2 and 2 together, but now I know why my tub water gets so much colder then when I was a kid. Here I was thinking it was an age thing!