Are you thinking about renovating your bathroom with a brand new bathtub? Here’s why this could be a great decision and all the choices available to you.
The bathroom is one of the most important areas of your home. It’s a key point of interest for buyers when your property is on the market and a fantastic place to relax or unwind after a long day. A crucial feature of the bathroom is the bathtub itself. The right bathtub can be ideal for long, relaxing soaks where you can feel your stress melt away. As well as providing stress relief benefits, the right bathtub can also provide a stunning aesthetic too. It can ensure that your bathroom has a standout feature that looks incredible.
Regardless of whether you’re opting for a vintage or contemporary decor, the right bathtub can help ensure your home looks stunning. It might even guarantee that your home looks more luxurious and expensive, leading to higher offers when it is time to sell.
To ensure that you get the greatest benefits from your bathtub, you need to consider the different options carefully. Here are a few of the factors that you should keep in mind.
You can start by thinking about the tub material. The main choices here are acrylic, steel, and cast iron. Each provides benefits, but which one is going to be the right choice for your bathroom?
Acrylic tubs are made from a lightweight material. This means that they can be placed on any level of your home and won’t need additional floor support. They are also available in a range of different styles and shapes so you can find the perfect design to match your home. These tubs are even easy to maintain and clean. Furthermore, they are simple to repair if you notice any scratches and a highly affordable choice, regardless of your remodeling budget. Acrylic baths are also warm to touch, so they are perfect for those cold winter months when you don’t want a nasty shock to the system.
Steel baths do look incredible and feel completely solid. The baths are formed by pressing steel into a particular shape to form crisp, smooth lines. Steel baths are also more effective at retaining heat compared to acrylic baths and this means that you can remain comfortable in your tub for a lot longer. Steel baths are also environmentally friendly because they are made from a natural material. This ensures that they can be easily recycled once it’s time for an upgrade.
The main disadvantage of steel baths particularly when compared to acrylic is that they aren’t as resistant to damage. Chips and scratches are both going to be more common issues. As such, they aren’t advised for family homes.
Cast iron tubs are notoriously expensive and as such won’t be a suitable option for every individual working on a renovation. However, a key benefit is that they are fantastic at retaining heat and provide a timeless aesthetic that fits particularly well with a vintage design. A low level of maintenance is required with this choice.
Maintenance is simple with a cast iron tub and all you need is a gentle cleaner as well as a soft cloth to keep them looking new. One major disadvantage is that due to the weight, floor support will be necessary to guarantee there is a solid foundation for the tub.
So which choice is right for you? Ultimately an acrylic bath will be the best option for most homeowners. Easy maintenance, an affordable price, and a wide range of design choices make this a fantastic addition compared to the alternatives.
You should then think about the type of tub that you want in your bathroom. This should match the style of the rest of the room and provide the greatest benefits.
With a drop in the bathtub, you won’t have to worry about placing it against a wall. Instead, this can be fitted wherever you want, providing more design options. You can drop it in anywhere, regardless of whether you want it on a platform or directly on the floor. Don’t worry about the plumbing ruining the aesthetic. A drop in bathtub conceals this completely, providing a cleaner look for your bathroom. It’s also perfect for those who love longer soaks. The style of the tub allows for a deeper water level compared to alternative types. A drop-in bathtub is also easy to clean but quite difficult to step out of.
Alternatively, an alcove bathtub will be installed in an alcove of the room. As such, three sides of the tub will be enclosed by the wall. You can place a range of accessories including a shower curtain or door on the front of the tub to provide complete privacy. This can be a better option for elderly individuals who may struggle to get in and out of the bath. It’s also easy to install a safety rail or grab bar.
One of the issues with an alcove tub is that there are fewer design options. But it does allow you to protect the walls by installing wall surrounds. The wall surrounds can be designed with the same material as your tub and offer a watertight barrier.
Or, you could opt for an under-mount tub. This type of bathtub will be installed underneath a rim. As such, the surrounding area or deck is covered and the bathtub will be supported by the underneath structure. The only difference between this and a drop-in is that a drop-in is installed above the rim. Due to this, it does offer a beautiful aesthetic. You can choose a standard style under-mount tub, an oval, or a corner design. They can also be made from a variety of different materials.
The faucet can add a lot to the design of your bathroom. As a feature, it stands out and immediately catches the eye. You can choose from either a wall-mounted faucet or a roman tub design.
Wall-mounted are exactly the way they sound. These faucets will be mounted onto the wall right next to the bathtub. This means that the tub won’t need any faucet holes because the faucet isn’t connected to the tub at all. As such, this can be a great choice if underfloor access is not going to be an option. The faucet connects directly to the water source that is behind the wall of the bathroom. No exposed water lines are needed which means that this is always going to be a cost-effective choice. Couplers are then used to connect the faucet to the water source. Longer couplers will allow for situations where a bath is further from the wall.
Alternatively, Roman tub faucets will be mounted to the tub surround. Due to this, there will need to be at least three faucet holes. Many roman tub fillers will also come with a hand shower and will require a further couple of holes. It’s important to note that Roman tub faucets can not be mounted to the bathtub rim. This is due to the fact that they require an additional amount of space so some types of tubs will need a platform for installation.
Roman tub fillers use flexible braided hoses to connect each faucet handle to the spout as well as the water source. The plumbing lines are hidden with this option.
We’ve already mentioned the wall surround. You can choose from a variety of different materials including solid surfaces such as Onyx, BCI Acrylic, and natural stone.
If you opt for The Onyx Collection, you will find the wall panels are available with any height, colour or design to match your tub. The Onyx Collection panels can be connected to the wall using adhesive silicone and color match silicone is used to seal the two Onyx pieces together. Onyx panels provide a solid color throughout and are available in a variety of styles including:
Onyx products are also renowned for their exceptional level of durability due to being made from a combination of special polyester resin and alumina trihydrate. This even makes them simple to maintain and clean.
BCI Acrylic wall surrounds are made of durable acrylic. They are designed to last for years and they are also non-porous. If you choose this material, then you won’t have to worry about issues with mold and mildew building up on the surface. BCI Acrylic wall surrounds are also completely customizable. As such, you’ll be able to find the perfect choice for your home.
Natural stone is one of the most expensive options for a wall surround made from a solid surface. However, they are undeniably impressive and offer a beautiful aesthetic that will make your home look luxurious and expensive. You can choose from granite, marble, limestone, or slate.
Alternatively, you might prefer tile and grout for your wall surround. This can be installed with the Schuler Kerdi system. This will provide a similar level of durability to other options and is one of the most budget-friendly choices. However, it can be difficult to maintain with mold often building up around the grout between the tiles. Luckily, the Schuler Kerdi system is easy to install and doesn’t need as much work regarding maintenance. A key benefit of a tile and grout system is that you can get exactly what you want. You will be able to choose from a variety of designs that can be cut however you like. Customization can add to the cost but it might be worth it to ensure that you get exactly what you want with your bathroom design.
Once you have decided on the primary design options for your bathtub, you can then think about adding some additional features. While this will add to the cost of your remodel, they can provide fantastic benefits. Most of the features will make your bath more luxurious to use and ensure that it provides an incredible experience every time you enjoy a soak.
You could add water jets to your pool. If you’re assuming this makes your tub feel a little like a jacuzzi, you’re absolutely right. There are numerous water jet systems that you can explore for your bathtub. Some can provide a massaging jet stream that you are sure to adore when you’re relaxing in your tub. Water jets can be quite expensive, particularly when they are integrated into the design of the tub rather than an add on system.
Air Jets are another possibility. You might assume that air jets are similar to water jets however there are significant differences. Water jets are best suited for hydrotherapy to massage out the pain of aching muscles. Alternatively, you can use it to wake yourself up in the morning.
Air jets provide a more gentle sensation. Water will flow throughout the tub but not at high pressure. It feels a little like relaxing in a lazy river. Water jet systems also tend to be more expensive compared with air-jet systems. However, the difference in cost probably won’t be that drastic.
You might also want to think about the issue of maintenance. Air jet bathtubs are far easier to maintain because they only use air. This means that they are completely dry and many sisters will automatically dry the jets once they have been used. With water jets, dirty bathwater is circulated throughout the drains. As such, they need a greater level of maintenance to keep them clean. Typically, they will need to be cleaned by filling the bath with a few inches of water as well as cleaning solution while running the jets for about ten minutes.
Or, if you love long soaks and staying in your bathtub for more than an hour, you might want to consider an in-line heating system. An in-line heating system will ensure that your bath stays at the optimum temperature or the temperature when it was freshly filled. You’ll never have to worry about being stuck relaxing in a tepid bath. This is a step above choosing a bath material that retains heat.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key choices you have for your bath remodel and why this could be a fantastic choice. When you select your bathtub remember to think about your budget, what type of experience you want and the aesthetic you would like to create.
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Providing bathroom remodeling services in the Houston Metro area.
Proud father and husband. A big comic book nerd and sweets are my kryptonite. I fell in love with the remodeling industry in 2008 and it's held a tight grip on me ever since.
