9 tips, what a cast iron bath to choose: advantages, disadvantages, size

Content

1. №1. Peculiarities of production of cast iron baths
2. №2. Cast-iron baths: advantages and disadvantages
3. No. 3. Which bathtub is better: cast iron, acrylic or steel
4. №4. The size of a cast iron bath
5. №5. Wall-mounted or detached bath?
6. №6. The shape, color and style of the cast-iron bath
7. №7. What else to look for when buying a cast iron bath?
8. №8. Manufacturers of cast-iron bathrooms
9. №9. How to care for a cast iron bath?

Many people, when mentioning cast-iron baths, have associations with Soviet times, when there was not much choice, and cast iron was the only material for creating the font. Times passed, steel and acrylic baths appeared, quarry and stone samples, but it's too early to write off old good cast-iron baths and send them to retirement. In many ways, they bypass analogs, so worthy of being installed in a modern bathroom. It remains only to figure out which cast-iron bath to choose. On this issue, we will stop, having studied today's assortment of these products.

№1. Peculiarities of production of cast iron baths

All responsible manufacturers of cast iron baths use the same technology, which consists in placing cast iron in a pre-prepared form. Enamel is applied to the workpiece, and the product is sent to the oven, where the temperature is not less than 1200C. In such conditions, the enamel is cured and firmly connected to the cast iron. As a result, a durable and reliably protected from corrosion product.The thickness of cast iron is 6-8 mm. Running ahead, we note that with such a thickness of the alloy it is difficult to create a bath of refined forms, but manufacturers are trying, so there really is something to choose from.

Unfair manufacturers can save on metal, making the walls of the bath thinner. This is easy to determine by weight of the bath, which will be discussed later. So far, we will limit ourselves to the fact that even the smallest bath can not weigh less than 70-80 kg. The second point of saving is the quality of the enamel. Instead of sintering enamel, some manufacturers use color, so soon the coating begins to peel off and literally fall off the surface of the bath, forcing to resort to the process of reconstruction for several decades ahead of the term.

№2. Cast-iron baths: advantages and disadvantages

What is a cast-iron bath, for sure, every inhabitant of our country knows well, because in some apartments the products made and installed during the Soviet era still serve faithfully and truthfully. Despite the appearance of steel and acrylic bathtubs, cast-iron products are still being produced, not only by domestic but also by foreign companies. What made cast-iron baths so popular and competitive? Everything is simple - a caradvantages:

• durability. Thick walls, sturdy construction, protective enamel - all this with proper care makes the cast-iron bath practically immortal. A quality product will last at least 30 years, but usually cast-iron baths show themselves more durable and withstand more than 50 years of operation;
• strength and stability. To damage or deform the thick walls of the product is difficult. The cast-iron bath perfectly copes with both the weight of water and the load from the bathing person. No additional reinforcing constructions, as in the case of acrylic baths, are needed. Enamel can only damage, but today it has been learned to recover easily;
• heat-insulating and soundproofing properties. A cast-iron bath does not ring when it collides with water droplets, as steel analogs do. In addition, cast iron keeps heat well, therefore water procedures will be as comfortable as possible. For these parameters, only acrylic can compare with cast iron;
• hygienic and easy to care for. The process of sintering the enamel makes it possible to create a smooth coating with a minimum content of pores, so that the dirt on the coating will not be retained. Moreover, almost any cleaning agents can be used to care for enamel.

Amongminuses of cast-iron bathsallocate:

• heavy weight. It guarantees the strength and stability of the bath, butcomplicates the process of transportation and installation. Problems with overlapping can and do force to abandon the use of this kind of plumbing. Bathtub length 160 cm and width 75 cm weighs 95-105 kg, which is much larger than a steel bath of the same size, or even more acrylic;
• high pricedue to production technology and a large number of used cast iron;
• small selection of shapes and sizes. From cast iron, as we have already said, it is difficult to cast off something elegant. On this parameter, cast-iron baths are inferior to acrylic samples, but there is still a choice. In addition to standard rectangular bowls, on sale there are oval, angular and round variants. Moreover, in the cast-iron baths they learned how to build hydromassage systems, however, it would be very expensive to cost such samples.

Many quite rightly believe that it is better to spend once and work with the delivery and installation of a bath so that you do not have to know any problems for decades.

No. 3. Which bathtub is better: cast iron, acrylic or steel

The choice of a bath is, first of all, the choice of material, after all, it determines the set of performance characteristics. If you do not take into account the newfangled options, then the choice is reduced to three samples: a cast iron, steel and acrylic bath. Detailed to dwell on the advantages and disadvantages of each option will not, but a small indicative comparison will be conducted.

So,cast-iron or acrylic bath? The cast iron model wins on strength, ease of care, durability, but is inferior in terms of price, range, ease of transportation and installation. According to the thermal conductivity of the materials are almost equal, but acrylic is still a bit "warmer". If the cost of the product, its design and weight for you in the first place, then the choice boils down to the acrylic bath, which today is the market leader. If you prefer longevity and durability, are ready to go to waste and complexity of installation, it is better to take a cast-iron bath.

If you do not know which bathtub to choose,cast iron or steel, then keep in mind, the steel version will cost less, it will be easier to install, and the variety of forms in this case is higher. By simplicity of care, service life and weight, steel baths are engaged in an intermediate position between acrylic and cast iron, but are cheaper than all. Under the weight of a heavy man, the steel bowl can mute, and the falling water will generate loud loud noises. On the level of thermal insulation steel is much inferior to pig iron and acrylic.

№4. The size of a cast iron bath

The choice of the size of the bath dependsfrom the dimensions of the bathroom and the growth of household members. Often, unfortunately, it happens that these two factors are difficult to reconcile: the premises are small, and family members are not of low growth. Then we have to compromise and look for the most suitable options, so that it would be convenient to swim and everything in the room would fit.

Standard dimensionsfor a cast iron bath is consideredlength 150 cm and width 70 cm. Such products are placed in typical bathrooms and allow the sink to be placed on modest square meters, and sometimes also a washing machine or several small pieces of furniture. Bath of this length and width will be convenient for people of medium height without excess weight. For those whose growth is close to 180 cm, a bathtub 160-170 cm long will be much more comfortable. On sale it is possible to find and longer baths, here only they will weigh weightfully, and they will not fit everywhere.

Baths are made andlength 120-130 cm, but only on sale they are not easy to find. They are installed near the short wall of the bathroom in order to maximize space saving. Lying there to someone larger than a 10-year-old child, will not be particularly comfortable. A little deviating from the topic, let us advise ourselves in case of a critical deficit of useful space in the bathroom to use shower cabins, or simply pallets with curtains.

Another parameter that is important to consider when choosing a cast iron bath is itsdepth. This is the distance from the bottom of the bowl to the overflow opening. Most products have a depth of about 40-46 cm, and this is an excellent parameter for comfortable water procedures. Products with a depth of 32-40 cm can not completely cover the body of the bathing.

№5. Wall-mounted or detached bath?

Going to the store to buy a cast-iron bath, it is important to determine exactly where it will stand. On this depends not only the parameters of the product, but also its type.

Cast-iron baths can be:

• wall-mounted. Mounted near the wall, then covered with a screen or a certain sample are faced. This is the most familiar and simpler method of installation, which, in conditions of lack of space, remains the only possible option;
• stand-alone. Often such baths are supplied with beautiful legs. The products are installed anywhere in the bathroom. A separate bath can become an excellent decoration of a spacious bathroom, but in this case you will have to think more carefully about the nuance of connecting water and sewage pipes.

№6. The shape, color and style of the cast-iron bath

Despite the fact that cast-iron baths are accused of a small variety of shapes, there is still a choice. In addition to popular oval and rectangular bowls, on sale you can find round, angled and even asymmetrical models. The process of their production is more complicated, and therefore they will cost more than samples of more familiar forms.Rectangular and oval bathsperfectly fit into a room of any style and size.Corner bowlsallow the maximum use of the space of the premises, andround and asymmetrical samplesIs the privilege of the owners of large bathrooms.

Concerningcolors, then there are few options. Enamel usually has a white or cream tint, less often - light blue. To show the delicacy of design thinking will not work, but problems with the combination with other plumbing will not be, because most of the toilet bowls, sinks and bidets are performed in white. Some manufacturers (particularly Italian) produce baths thaton the outside covered with a beautiful pattern.

Bath Styleshould be combined with the style of the room and all objects in it. A win-win option is an oval or rectangular wall bath. For fans of classical style baths on legs, and fans of modern directions in interior design will appreciate round and asymmetrical models.

Remember that modern manufacturers have learned to build in cast iron bathsnozzles for hydromassage, than significantly expanded the functional, and the target audience of similar products. The principle of the hydromassage is that the water from the bowl of the bath is taken up by a special pump, which pumps the liquid and returns it to the bath through special nozzles under a significant pressure. Water mixes with air bubbles and pleasantly affects the human body. If you are interested in cast-iron whirlpool baths, then notice how the injectors on the surface of the thicket and assess how comfortable and effective the procedures of such massage.

№7. What else to look for when buying a cast iron bath?

When you have decided on the size, shape, color and other parameters, the most important step comes - to evaluate the quality of the product, because the durability of the bath is at stake. At external survey pay attention to such parameters:

• Enamel quality. Ideally, it should be applied evenly, have a smooth surface without cracks, chips, streaks and areas, painted in other colors. The thickness of the enamel layer should be 1 mm, a slight undulation of the coating is allowed. If the enamel is applied qualitatively, the bath will be durable and easy to clean, and you will not soon start to think about restoration. Even a small crack and almost imperceptible cleavage under the constant action of water can turn into an unaesthetic dark spot;
• quality of cast iron. Ideally, the thickness of the walls of a cast iron bath should be 6-8 mm, at least not less than 5 mm. The outer surface of the bath should not have any roughness, chips or other defects. The ideal coating for it is powder painting, which perfectly protects the bath surface and gives it an aesthetic appearance;
• supporting elementsmust be very strong, because they have to withstand the weight of a bath, water and a bathing person;
• Many manufacturers put on the bottom of the bowl a specialanti-slip coating. This will be an added advantage, as is the antibacterial coating;
• if the bathroom is providedheadrests, handles, jets of hydromassageand other additional elements, then be sure to study the quality of execution of these elements;
• rateArrangement of drain and overflow openingsand correlate them with the location of the communications in your bathroom. You may need to have the sink centered on the bowl. Such models are also produced.

Let this be obvious, but once again we emphasize that it is very important to know exactly what size the bath will fit in especially when it comes to a heavy cast iron product, which still needs to be able to raise necessary floor. So, we arm ourselves with a tape measure, measure free space, take a roulette to the store and check every item considered for purchase.

№8. Manufacturers of cast-iron bathrooms

The theme of the manufacturers of cast iron baths requires more detailed consideration. It should be noted that it is better to give preference to the products of eminent brands that have modern production, follow the quality products at each stage of production, use the best materials and constantly replenish collections with new models.

Among foreign manufacturers, the most popular cast iron bathsSpanish companyRoca. Also in demand Spanish baths Novial, Italian Artex and Castalia, Finnish Timo and Portuguese RECOR. Products of Chinese manufacturers are rarely of high quality (they often save on cast iron and enamel by painting, rather than sintering in the oven), but there are exceptions. A vivid example is the baths of Goldman.

Productiondomestic manufacturerswill cost significantly cheaper, but at the same time in quality is not inferior, and the design is almost catching up with European counterparts. We will allocate cast-iron baths of manufacture "Factory Universal" and "Kirovsky Factory".

In any case, do not hesitate to ask again for documents that confirm the quality of the bath.

№9. How to care for a cast iron bath?

Cast-iron bath will serve almost forever, if you learn how to properly care for its enamel and remember the basic rules of operation:

• do not overload the tub. The maximum weight for which the product is calculated is indicated in the instructions for each product. If you regularly violate the manufacturer's recommendations, the legs or fastenings can not stand;
• after each bath the bowl is necessaryrinse and wipe dry. If you notice that the tap is running, repair immediately. Otherwise under the mixer the site with an yellow touch is formed;
• to care for the bathroom choosefacilities, which do not contain chlorine, acids and abrasive particles. Fresh dirt is easily washed off with soapy water. To clean the bath of plaque and lime is a special means, as well as a mass of folk methods based on soda, vinegar and other available substances;
• if the bathroom hasanti-slip coating, then pay special attention to it after every water procedure, as dirt accumulates more intensively on the relief surface;
• in case of enamel damageit is possible to carry out the restoration, and different methods are used. The fastest is installing an acrylic liner. A slightly more laborious option is the application of liquid acrylic. You can restore the surface by applying several layers of enamel paint, but you will need specific skills - it's hard to do on your own.

If you carefully handle a cast iron bath, then the period of its operation can significantly exceed what is indicated in the warranty card.

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