Bathtub Steel enameled or Acrylic

[Vani K]

Remodeling my 2nd bathroom in 2nd floor, house is 15 years old so i am assuming the bath tub is original when built. when i tapped i get a metal sound so it is either Steel or cast iron. mostly feels like steel to me.although iam not 100% sure thats just my guess

I wanted cast iron but if my current tub is not cast iron i dont want to install cast iron this time because i am afraid of the weight it can put if i dont have Enough supoprt underneith

so i have to choose between steel enamled or acrylic. I am installing kohler toilet and wanted a matching tub but kohler does not make steel tub's.

This bathtub will be heavely used everyday for SHOWER purpose only , not for soaking or bathing.Considering SHOWER Purpose only and easy cleaning.

should i go for steel or Acrylic bathtub.
if steel tub , what brand and model to use ? isee American Standard Princeton Porcelain Enameled Steel for 255$ from lowes . Is it good ?

If Acrylic bathtub, what make and model do you suggest.

budgeting for reasonalble price only , so not looking for an expensive model .

my layout doesnt support me to do a standing shower so that is out of question .

 

[Jadnashua]

Unless the house doesn't meet code, you should be able to use a CI tub if you want one.

An enameled steel tub is not a great thing...a little ding, and the steel will start to rust. Better is a (good quality) acrylic tub, installed properly. Best, unless you want something fancy, is a CI one for longevity. The finish on a CI one is MUCH more robust than either steel or acrylic. And, a CI one will 'feel' better since it won't bend. A steel or acrylic one generally needs to be set in a mortar bed so that the bottom is well supported so it doesn't flex, which can cause stress fractures over time. A CI tub is strong enough so it won't flex.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Atomic1]

I installed the American Standard Princeton Porcelain Enameled Steel from Lowes. Has been in service for 2 years as our primary shower/tub. Takes a beating from the 4 and 2yr olds. It still looks brand new and cleans nicely. The flanges on mine were straight and install wasnt too bad. The only weird thing was that their rough-in drain dimensions were off on the directions.

Honestly, you probably wont go wrong either way and should focus more on the tub bowl shape and bottom grip pattern.

 

[Dj2]

1. Enameled steel is easy to carry, install, maintain...and is the least expensive. Yes, it would chip if you drop a h 10 lbs sledge hammer or tea kettle on it, but who would do that anyway? I have installed Bootz Tubs, from HD stock, and had no problems with them.

2. Acrylic is easy to handle, install and maintain. Can be expensive. I've also seen damaged acrylics - cracked and pieces ripped - so buyer beware. I have installed American Std acrylic and never heard any complaints.

3. CI is the hardest to handle, but it's a very good choice, but the most expensive. So heavy to carry for one person, you need a strong helper. I have installed Kohler CI tubs...but only in one story houses and with a helper.

So what do you choose?

Ask yourself: how long will you stay in this house? What is your budget? Will you have a helper, or will you have to hire one?

For no nonsense and economical tub, go with steel. It's still the #1 choice of most builders.

 

[Jadnashua]

STeel is the #1 choice among builders because it is the cheapest, not because it is the most durable. If installed properly, it won't flex, but many aren't, and because it is quite thin, the flex will eventually cause the finish to break, and that will let moisture in, and that will cause it to rust. Dropping something hard on it will enable rusting elsewhere if it damages the finish. A common failure point on them is at the drain, where the installation of the drain itself can damage the finish underneath, and allow rust to occur. An acrylic tub can flex, too, if it isn't installed properly, and that can also lead to crazing, and eventual failure. The porcelain finish on the quite rigid CI tub is the strongest and will last the longest. your money, your choice.

When building a new house, the bathtub is often one of the first fixtures installed because it's easier to move it in before things get closed up significantly. Moving any tub into some places can be a challenge, depending on the layout and the tub involved...but, hopefully, you will only do this once during a remodel!

 

[Atomic1]

FWIW, I've inspected 1000's of homes and have not seen frequent tub rusting problems. I do commonly see cracked tubs/bases where they werent set properly in mortar beds, and this seems to be more prone for acrylics because they're not as stiff.

 

[hj]

Steel tubs are "useless" the day they are installed and only get worse as time passes. I only install them if the customer supplies them and insists that is what they want.

 

[Dj2]

I've seen homes, built in the 60s and 70s, with original steel tubs in excellent condition.
Just saying.