Home Cast Iron or Acrylic Tubs - What Would You Choose?

[October2008bride]

DH and I are starting the long process of a total reno of our master bathroom. We are in the process of getting quotes from different contracters (gulp) so I am starting the hunt for some of the bigger pieces so we can plan out the layout.

I''d like to get a freestanding tub similar to this picture, but I''m not sure whether to go for cast iron or acrylic.

Acrylic is obviously lighter and will be easier to install, but if cast iron is a much better option, I''d be willing to deal with cast iron.

This is our only bathroom in the house, if that makes a difference.

Does anyone here have one or the other and have any input? TIA!

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

If you go with the cast iron tub, it will save your life in a house explosion. I saw it on tv.

 

[Hera]

Cast iron: Heavy and more difficult to install, more expensive yet have a superior lifeline, superior heat retention

Acrylic: lightweight and easier to install, easy on the budget, may chip and can be harder to clean.

I''d pick cast iron for a soaking tub like that because of it''s heat retention abilities.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 4/21/2010 11:05:53 PM
Author: heraanderson
Cast iron: Heavy and more difficult to install, more expensive yet have a superior lifeline, superior heat retention

Acrylic: lightweight and easier to install, easy on the budget, may chip and can be harder to clean.

I''d pick cast iron for a soaking tub like that because of it''s heat retention abilities.

ITA. I would do a cast iron.

 

[PumpkinPie]

I agree with heraanderson - and Guilty Pleasure has a good point too - just in case you''re expecting some sort of explosion

 

[Pandora II]

No contest - cast iron!

Make sure you get one with a decent thickness of metal as there are a lot of cheapy thin ones on the market and they can be a big problem especially if you have a shower at one end of the bath so people will be standing on it.

 

[pennquaker09]

I think I would be in favor of cast iron. I don''t know your budget, but tubs like that are in the $6000+ range. You''d be better served finding a an older claw foot and having it re-glazed.

I would recommend going to the NKBA website and finding a certified bath designer in your area.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

I don''t like the acrylic versions at all. Even the really expensive ones look cheap to me. I think it''s because I expect that style to be cast iron and enamel, so when it''s acryllic I see it as a substitute. My friend and I re-modelled our bathrooms at the same time and she went for acryllic. A few years on, she hates it and wishes it was cast iron. I saw hers being installed and it seemed every bit as difficult as my cast iron version - took 6 men to lift both of them into place.

The main downside to cast iron for me is how cold it it - you get a nasty shock in winter if your bare shoulders hit the side of the tub above the waterline!

 

[Gailey]

Date: 4/22/2010 3:32:09 AM
Author: Pandora II
No contest - cast iron!

Make sure you get one with a decent thickness of metal as there are a lot of cheapy thin ones on the market and they can be a big problem especially if you have a shower at one end of the bath so people will be standing on it.

I agree with Pandora. I have had both cast iron (new not reclaimed or re-conditioned). I was surprised how easily the shower hose scratched it. We didn''t pay a huge amount for it, so I am thinking that had it have been of better quality, it might have been better.

So if you''re going with cast iron, buy something that is a reputable brand and good quality, otherwise, get top of the line acrylic.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 4/21/2010 11:05:53 PM
Author: heraanderson
Cast iron: Heavy and more difficult to install, more expensive yet have a superior lifeline, superior heat retention

Acrylic: lightweight and easier to install, easy on the budget, may chip and can be harder to clean.

I''d pick cast iron for a soaking tub like that because of it''s heat retention abilities.

Ditto this. I had a cast iron tub at the house I lived in in High School, and the heat retention is FANTASTIC.

 

[October2008bride]

Thank you everyone for the opinions so far - clearly cast iron is the front runner. I don''t want to go crazy with $$ for the tub but I am a pretty good deal hunter so hopefully I can find one in our budget.

Does anyone have experience with www.vintagetub.com ?

Overall we are looking to do a combo vintage-looking modern bathroom. For example, we''d like a vanity that looks like this:

 

[October2008bride]

With basketweave style floors and probably white subway tile on the walls/shower area.

So something that goes with the style of our house, but using modern materials etc.

 

[Steel]

I wanted cast iron but chose acrylic because it was cheaper and lighter. I'm happy with mine; although I have yet to bath in it!

One advantage is that an acrylic bath tends to sap less heat from the water but in reverse a cast iron bath should stay warmer longer once temp has been achieved.


ETA: Obviously I am still building so please excuse the new plaster, lack of paint or trim yada yada yada. The good news is as of last month, water will actually come out of those taps - hot and cold!

 

[October2008bride]

Steal that is gorgeous!! Great spot too, right in front of the window like that!

 

[Steel]

Thank you so much. I upset the plumber because I wanted the bath to be central to the window (the upright bar) and he placed it slightly to the left. So I had to be a D.I.V.A and ask him to move it over. He was not happy with me. I felt bad, but I had specifically asked him....

Anyhoo, I was camera happy so here is another pic. Ohhh it has that, never been used shine.

ETA: It does look cheaper than a cast iron tub and it will never have the exquisite luxury look of a ''real'' roll top but it does a good enough job for me, for now.

 

[Gailey]

Date: 4/22/2010 8:18:07 PM
Author: Steal
Thank you so much. I upset the plumber because I wanted the bath to be central to the window (the upright bar) and he placed it slightly to the left. So I had to be a D.I.V.A and ask him to move it over. He was not happy with me. I felt bad, but I had specifically asked him....

Anyhoo, I was camera happy so here is another pic. Ohhh it has that, never been used shine.

ETA: It does look cheaper than a cast iron tub and it will never have the exquisite luxury look of a ''real'' roll top but it does a good enough job for me, for now.

That looks like the exact same tub that I had, except mine was cast iron. Tap (faucet) is the same configuration and located in the same place too. It was the shower hose that scratched the enamel. I don''t remember the manufacturer of the bath, but the taps were by Adams If I ever do something like that again maybe I''ll be asking the supplier what the Moh''s hardness is of each. Do you think he will look at me funny?

Steal, I just gotta say that I am lusting after your picture so much! Not for the bath or the tap, but look at all that beautiful plaster on the walls!! Having lived in Canada for the last 13 years, I have yet to see a plastered wall. Totally different here. They put up plasterboard (drywall) and then they tape over the joins and then skim a compound over the tape for a smooth finish. Looks ok, but oh boy does it feel different. I can''t explain the difference but liken it to drinking out of a china tea cup and then an earthenware mug.

Oh the odd things that I miss!

I love it when you post pictures of your renovation.

 

[swimmer]

We have an ancient cast iron tub up against an exterior wall and well, if you are going to have it as your only place to shower like we do...it is just so freaking cold in the winter that I shower at the gym. If you have another place to shower or it won''t be up against an exterior wall, just ignore me, but I''m all cold just thinking about ours, oh and we have to pour boiling water into the tub to warm it before possibly taking a bath...or filling it twice as the tub takes the heat out of the first round of water. Newer tubs might not work like this, I have no idea, ours is well over 100yrs old and looks great, but well, it is in our only bathroom so we do not love its cold, hulking presence and now I''m dreaming about ceramic.

 

[Steel]

Date: 4/24/2010 10:07:44 AM
Author: Gailey

Date: 4/22/2010 8:18:07 PM
Author: Steal
Thank you so much. I upset the plumber because I wanted the bath to be central to the window (the upright bar) and he placed it slightly to the left. So I had to be a D.I.V.A and ask him to move it over. He was not happy with me. I felt bad, but I had specifically asked him....

Anyhoo, I was camera happy so here is another pic. Ohhh it has that, never been used shine.

ETA: It does look cheaper than a cast iron tub and it will never have the exquisite luxury look of a 'real' roll top but it does a good enough job for me, for now.

That looks like the exact same tub that I had, except mine was cast iron. Tap (faucet) is the same configuration and located in the same place too. It was the shower hose that scratched the enamel. I don't remember the manufacturer of the bath, but the taps were by Adams If I ever do something like that again maybe I'll be asking the supplier what the Moh's hardness is of each. Do you think he will look at me funny?

Steal, I just gotta say that I am lusting after your picture so much! Not for the bath or the tap, but look at all that beautiful plaster on the walls!! Having lived in Canada for the last 13 years, I have yet to see a plastered wall. Totally different here. They put up plasterboard (drywall) and then they tape over the joins and then skim a compound over the tape for a smooth finish. Looks ok, but oh boy does it feel different. I can't explain the difference but liken it to drinking out of a china tea cup and then an earthenware mug.

Oh the odd things that I miss!

I love it when you post pictures of your renovation.

Haha, I think you will def get the 2 headed look!

Developers & builders are starting to just tape and skim over here too. I hate it. When we were looking to buy our last home (about 2006; but we bought a green field instead), I was so surprised that the builders were not plastering. It seemed to me that it was a natural result of the insane boom we had. The builders wanted to cut ever corner to bang out the houses quickly. There is nothing wrong with it, or right with plastering but I'm with you; it does make the wall feel more 'there' or 'real'. In fact we made it so that each interior wall is block built; like an old style home. We don't have any stud partition walls (apart from a decorative wall within a room) and we are delighted. It helps with our u value and reduced sound transfer. Plus we never need to buy a stud finder to hang a picture - just drill, rawlplug screw and go. And thank you for appreciating my pictures, I will do a more concise thread when I have time. But at the moment I'm too tired and cranky!

Sorry to thread jack.