Having repaired and restored many baths, we look at the benefits of each material
The Fixation surface repair team brings a lot of damaged baths back to life each year
It’s amazing how BOTH acrylic and steel damaged baths can be repaired and brought back to new.
But we are still asked by our customers which bath material is the best – acrylic or steel? So here are a few pointers if you’re thinking of replacing your bath. But don’t replace if it’s repairable!
And remember – no matter which bath material you chose, Fixation can repair any chips, dents, cracks and scuffs to baths of all materials and colours. From the mustard, peach and avocado colours of the 70s through to today’s toned down and more neutral tones.
Which is the stronger? acrylic or steel?
It’s a common misconception that steel baths are stronger than acrylic. In fact, they are very similar.
For resisting impact damage then the acrylic bath wins every time. If you drop an object into an acrylic bath there’s a better chance of it not chipping than in a steel bath. That’s because steel baths are coated in enamel for a hard wearing white finish. However, even though this enamel surface looks great, it’s not as flexible as acrylic and will chip if items are dropped on it.
Another common misconception is that the thickness of the bath, whether 3mm, 4mm, 5mm or 8mm, determines the strength and quality of the bath. This is wrong! The acrylic bath is just a clean white surface and the strength is derived from the amount of backing sprayed to the reverse of the acrylic and the density of the baseboard.
Which can be designed to best suit my needs?
Steel baths can be manufactured to form sharper and flatter lines than acrylic baths as the steel is pressed rather than vacuum formed. These sharp lines lend themselves well to modern sanitaryware and minimalist design. The enamel finish is extremely bright white, hardwearing and resistant to damage from cleaning materials.
Acrylic baths offer more choice in terms of design as the material is more malleable and they are also generally available in more sizes than steel baths and in many occasions may be the only option which will fit. The acrylic bath is also the best grade to be vacuum formed ensuring that the bath is flat in the bathing areas with no bubbles, ripples and pin holes which you will find in many imported baths from the Far East.
So, with this in mind, which bath is best for you? And remember – whichever you go for, it will have a long, long life cycle thanks to the repair services from Fixation.
IF YOUR BATH IS IN NEED OF REPAIR GET IN TOUCH TODAY FOR EXPERT RESTORATION RESULTS.
