Guide to Choices of Tubs and Tub/Shower Units
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Bathtub & shower design & product choices: this article discusses the types of bath tubs and tub/shower units, giving the pros and cons of each, including porcelain-enameled cast iron bath tubs, porcelain enameled steel bathtubs, fiberglass bath tubs and fiberglass shower enclosures, and acrylic bathtub and shower enclosures. Our page top photo shows the website editor bathing in a rustic bath tub [in 1944]. More modern, comfortable bathtub choices are available and are described here.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Guide to Choices of Tubs and Tub/Shower Units
 This article series discusses current best design practices for kitchens and bathrooms, including layout, clearances, work space, and accessible kitchen and bathroom layout, clearances, turning space, grab bars, controls, etc. We include advice on choosing and installing kitchen countertops, cabinets, and kitchen or bathroom flooring, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures and fixture controls such as faucets. A list of kitchen and bath product manufactures and sources is included. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons.
Our photo (left) illustrates a Japanese style bathing tub installed in a Minneapolis home.
The classic tub for many homeowners is still the rock solid,
cast-iron model with a porcelain enamel finish. Driven
by cost savings on both materials and installation, manufactures
have introduced lighter-weight alternatives using
molded plastics (Table 6-10).
While not as hard as the
original iron tubs, the plastic alternatives have improved
over the years and provide great flexibility for designers
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Table 6-10
[Click any image or table to see an enlarged version with additional detail, commentary & source citation.] |
Most units include integral soap dishes, ledges, grab bars,
and other molded features that help bathers and also provide
rigidity to the unit. For new construction, most units
are one-piece, creating a seamless, leak-free bathing enclosure
(see Figure 6-51).
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Figure 6-51
Retrofit tub/shower units typically
have four or five pieces that fit together with sealant.
The fewer pieces, the better, as fewer seams means less risk of leakage, less seams that an installer may caulk (a potential site for fungal growth), and a more attractive surface. |
Porcelain-Enameled Cast Iron Tub Properties
The classic tub material
is very solid, very quiet, and resists scratches, chips,
and stains.
On the other hand it is very heavy, cold to the
touch, and available only in pretty basic shapes.
It does not
easily mold into the body-hugging contours found on
many of the plastic units.
Although the surface is the most
durable for molded tubs, it is not indestructible. If homeowners
use abrasive cleansers and pads, over time the finish
will dull.
Our photo (left) illustrates an 1880's cast iron claw-foot tub installed by the editor (DF) during a renovation in Wappingers Falls, NY.
Porcelain-Enameled Steel Bathtub Properties
Porcelain enamed steel used to build a bath tub weighs less than
cast-iron and feels less substantial, as the material has
some give under the weight of water and bathers. It is also
more prone to chip than cast iron.
Our photo (left) shows a porcelain enameled steel bath tub still in good condition in a 1960's home. [However some older porcelain on teel bath tubs we have inspected were prone to chip and then rust damage - Ed.]
A hybrid alternative is
American Standard’s Americast, which is a porcelain enameled
steel reinforced on the back with a cast polymer.
The material is stiffer and quieter than regular enameled
steel, but it is half the weight of cast iron. The company
literature claims that the surface is more durable and slip
resistant than standard porcelain enamel and that the composite
layer helps retain heat.
Fiberglass Bath & Shower Enclosure Properties & Recommendations
Bath Tub Replacement / Re-Liner Options
Our photo (left) illustrates the renovation of a badly-worn cast-iron porcelain lined bath tub in a 1920's home restored by the editor. The tub was re-lined using a modern plastic-type material that matches the profile and appearance of the original tub that was left in place beneath the liner.
New Fiberglass Shower or Bath Tub Properties
Also called FRP (fiberglass-reinforced
plastic), or gel coat, this material is manufactured by
spraying a thin coat of gel coat into a mold followed by
several layers of polyester resin mixed with chopped fiberglass.
Between coats, fabricators typically reinforce
tub and shower walls and floors with blocks of wood or
corrugated cardboard.
One of the premium manufacturers
of fiberglass tubs, Aqua Glass, uses a layer of rigid
polyurethane foam between fiberglass coats, creating a
stiffer assembly that helps the tub retain heat and deadens
sound.
The company also adds an antimicrobial compound
to the gel coat to inhibit the growth of bacteria and mold.
With any FRP tub, the thickness of the gel coat and thickness
of the overall lay-up affect its strength and durability.
Our corner shower enclosure (photo at left) with a round gliding door provides ample bathing space in a small bathroom. Photo courtesy Galow Homes.
One way to assess quality is to look for tubs that conform
to the voluntary standard ANSI Z-124, which requires that
a random sampling of acrylic and gel-coat tubs undergo a
variety of durability tests.
The thin gel coat can be damaged, but it is relatively
easy to repair with gel-coat repair kits sold in marine and
automotive stores. Color matching, however, can be difficult.
Also if a chip is not repaired quickly, water can penetrate
to the backing and cause the damage to spread.
Overall,
a gel-coat surface is less scratch- and stain-resistant than
acrylic. Abrasive cleansers must not be used. Many manufacturers
recommend an auto wax or special fiberglass bath
wax available from tub suppliers.
A proprietary FRP composite called Vikrell™ (Sterling/
Kohler), makes tubs from a mix of resin, color, and chopped
fiberglass molded under compression.
The material has no
gel coat or layers to chip or crack and has color all the way
through. The manufacturer claims that the high gloss finish
has the durability of acrylic and the ease of repair of fiberglass
at roughly 40% less than the cost of acrylic.
Acrylic Bathtub & Shower Properties
See description (above), under sink materials.
One interesting high-end product called Armacryl
(Kallista/Kohler) uses a thick clear layer of acrylic over a
second color layer.
Like other acrylic fixtures, it is reinforced
with a fiberglass backing. The result is a lustrous
and thick acrylic finish with excellent durability.
Jetted and Soaking Tubs Manufacturers
American Standard
www.americanstandard-us.com
Aqua Glass Corp.
www.aquaglass.com
Aquatic Industries
www.aquaticwhirlpools.com
Bains Oceana Baths
www.bainsoceaniabaths.com
Eljer Plumbingware
www.eljer.com
Hydro Systems
www.hydrosystem.com
Jacuzzi Whirlpool Baths
www.jacuzzi.com
Kohler Co.
www.kohler.com
Lasco Bathware
www.lascobathware.com
Maax
www.maax.com
MTI Whirlpools
www.mtiwhirlpools.com
-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Technical Reviewers & References
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
BATH & KITCHEN DESIGN GUIDE - see detailed links at page top & left
- Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
- Eric Galow, Galow Homes, Lagrangeville, NY. Mr. Galow can be reached by email: ericgalow@gmail.com or by telephone: 914-474-6613. Mr. Galow specializes in residential construction including both new homes and repairs, renovations, and additions.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
- Building Research Council, BRC, nee Small Homes Council, SHC, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, brc.arch.uiuc.edu. "The Small Homes Council (our original name) was organized in 1944 during the war at the request of the President of the University of Illinois to consider the role of the university in meeting the demand for housing in the United States. Soldiers would be coming home after the war and would be needing good low-cost housing. ... In 1993, the Council became part of the School of Architecture, and since then has been known as the School of Architecture-Building Research Council. ... The Council's researchers answered many critical questions that would affect the quality of the nation's housing stock.
- How could homes be designed and built more efficiently?
- What kinds of construction and production techniques worked well and which did not?
- How did people use different kinds of spaces in their homes?
- What roles did community planning, zoning, and interior design play in how neighborhoods worked
- Gypsum
Construction Handbook [purchase at Amazon.com] H17, Technical
Folder SA920 and PM2, PM3 and PM4, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin ST., PO Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124,
- What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture, Rev., John C. Poppeliers, S. Allen Chambers, Wiley; Rev Sub edition (October 6, 2003), ISBN-10: 0471250368, ISBN-13: 978-0471250364
- ...
