Iron bath : types, advantages and disadvantages , the installation

When it comes to the iron bath, it usually refers to the sanitary products made of metal.Most popular metal alloys, which are used for the production of baths, - is cast iron and steel.And then, and another is an alloy of iron and carbon.However, the chemical formula for these compounds is different, and as a result, their properties are not similar to each other.The composition of these alloys present additional components, which largely determine the performance of plumbing fixtures.

Baths of steel and cast iron is usually contrasted with a more modern products of acrylic and Kwara.Today we talk about the features of the iron bath, examine their strengths and weaknesses, as well as get acquainted with the recommendations of professionals regarding the selection and installation of such sanitary ware.

Thus, in the conventional sense of the iron baths are of two varieties:

1. Steel;
2. Cast.

First, in turn, are divided into the bath made of structural steel, and baths made of stainless steel.stainless steel baths are not very popular among buyers and sales are very rare, so to dwell on them, we will not.In this article, the phrase "steel bath" will be familiar to all of us understood santehpriborov of structural steel.

Pros:

• low weight - steel tub weighs only a few kilograms, it is much lighter than comparable products,made of other materials;
• low price - steel baths are considered to be the cheapest of all, on the market, options;
• high thermal conductivity - this bath is heated almost instantaneously, so you can immediately begin to water procedures, not waiting until the metal reaches a comfortable temperature;
• plasticity of the material - thanks to this property steel bath of the metal can be virtually any shape and size;
• ease of care and hygiene - steel is considered one of the safest materials, so the equipment for hospitals and catering establishments prefer to make it out of it;steel product is resistant to cleaning and sanitizing even potent antiseptics.

Cons:

• insufficient wall thickness - ideally, the thickness of the steel walls of the bath should be not less than 0.4 cm, but often producers seek to save on material, thereby producingthe product is easy to be deformed;
• short cooling time - good thermal conductivity is not only a virtue, but also one of the main disadvantages of steel baths, as itself a bath and the water in it cools down very quickly;
• no noise insulation - steel conducts sound very well, so the noise of running water is amplified several times that can cause constant worry to your household members and neighbors.

Pros:

• durability - iron - is one of the first materials, which began to be used for the production of sanitary ware;cast iron products have an incredibly long life span, reaching tens of years;
• excellent thermal insulation - cast iron bath is not heated as fast as steel, but it is much longer retain heat, not allowing the water to cool down;
• wear - iron bathtubs are very durable, so they are not afraid mechanical action (except for the enamel coating - it may suffer);Furthermore, such a bath temperature changes well tolerated in contact with aggressive cleaning agents;
• sound insulation - Cast iron is almost completely absorbs the sound of the water lapping on the bottom of the bath, so you do not have to worry about providing an additional noise reduction.

Cons:

• large dimensions - the problem is not even in size (they are almost indistinguishable from the standard), and a very large weight cast iron bathtubs;this factor substantially complicates the delivery and installation of sanitary ware of iron;
• higher price category - despite the fact that the cast-iron baths are classified budget, they are more expensive than a bath of structural steel;
• limited selection - especially the material and method of production does not allow to produce cast iron products, characterized by a wide variety of shapes and sizes, usually in the sale is a few standard models of cast iron baths.

The information in this section does not apply to all types of iron baths, and only those species, which are made of steel.As we have said, poor sound insulation - this is one of the main problems faced by owners of steel baths.

Consider the most popular and affordable ways to solve this problem:

• foamed polyethylene - a soft, porous material, which is sold in rolls.It is used for the noise, heat and sound insulation, as well as to protect fragile items from mechanical damage.The bottom of the bath and the wall must be completely shut down several pieces of PVC, attaching them to a conventional construction adhesive.
• Technical cork - it is environmentally friendly, and therefore perfectly safe finishing material.It does not emit harmful toxic substances, even with strong heating, so is perfect for use at home with small children.
• Polyurethane foam - it is almost a universal construction tool that comes to the rescue in many situations.Before you apply the foam to the bottom of the bath and the wall should first degrease and dry the surface.Work better with gloves, so as a means of poorly cleaned hands.
• Automotive soundproofing - a way which, for sure, was coined by motorists.It is convenient because it does not imply full coverage of the surface of the bath soundproofing material - enough just to stick to the bottom two or three pieces of cloth.On a method to read the installation details on the application, which is attached to the material instruction.

View on the process of soundproofing steel bath you can in the next video.

Installation To install the iron baths are commonly used traditional methods - bricks, frame base and support legs, or metal corner.All these methods are very reliable because they are tested more than a dozen years.There are a few general rules iron bath installation to be followed, regardless of the chosen method of installation:

• siphon must be connected to the drain even before the tub is mounted in place - otherwise, then you will not get close to him.
• Before you start you need to prepare the installation location: clean it from dirt and remnants of building materials, soak the surface structure that prevents the appearance of mold and mildew.To work best only on a dry and relatively clean surface.
• prepared the bath to be installed, be sure to pre "try" it to the installation site.The product you want to align in the horizontal plane (building level is useful to you) and put on the wall layout, according to which the installation will be carried out.

• Before you go to the store to purchase, learn all the existing species of the iron bath.Perhaps, instead of the traditional rectangular font you want to buy something unusual, for example, semi-circular or asymmetrical bath.
• Look to modern models iron baths.Some of them have very interesting functionality, such as built-in hot plates or coated with a self-cleaning effect.All
• iron bath (except those made of stainless steel) are of the enamel coating.The color of the enamel can be anything, so do not get hung up on the white surface.If the style of your bathroom plumbing permits the use of color, look for a model beige, blue, green and other colors.