Freestanding bathtubs: pros and cons

Creating an original interior in your living space is the dream of any modern homeowner or city apartment owner. The bathroom is no exception. Plumbing and bathroom furniture manufacturers offer a variety of options to create a truly unique and original style. The leader in the range of these products is the freestanding bathtub, which is presented in a wide variety on the market today.

This kind of plumbing has long been rightfully considered a highlight and decoration of the interior, allowing one by its presence to give a unique and luxurious style to the bathroom, demonstrating the beauty and sophistication of the entire room. A freestanding bathtub is not just plumbing, but a kind of reference point for the entire overall design. More recently, similar products were sold by the piece, but today the trend of arranging a bathroom using such products is growing rapidly.

But, in addition to the aesthetic component of such bathtubs, they still have certain functional tasks, therefore, the choice of a product must be approached with special care so that the design not only pleases the eye, but also provides convenience and comfort when using it by a person.

Choosing a freestanding bathtub for already residential apartments and houses or purchasing products for housing still under construction should be based on different criteria. However, the features of such a design, for example, its weight and size, will be important in any case.

To thoroughly study this type of plumbing, it is worth noting its positive and negative characteristics.

Based on the practical experience of using products declared by the manufacturer of the properties, as well as the opinions of specialists in the installation of structures, you can highlight certain advantages of freestanding baths.

• High level of visual appeal of the product.
• Such a bath can be located in any part of the room, but only with one fundamental requirement - the presence of a sewer and water supply system in this place. If a residential building is under construction, then, having determined in advance the location of the bath, you can equip all the necessary equipment for its functioning.
• Some designs of freestanding plumbing with thick walls of an additional structure make it possible to hide the communications connected to it as much as possible. An example is baths located on the podium.
• Based on the location of the bath in the room, you can achieve free access to it from any side.

This product also has some drawbacks.

• Models with decorative legs require special durability of the floor surface. Ideally, floors should be made of tiles, tiles, natural or artificial stone. As for the laminate, laying it indoors can be fraught with problems, since the material will not be able to withstand the impressive enough point load that the legs will give.A way out of this situation can be the acquisition of a free-standing floor structure, where the weight is evenly distributed over the entire bottom, without the presence of any footrests.
• As a result of an accidental movement of the structure during use or during cleaning, there is a risk of damaging the tightness of the sewer connections made, which will lead to the formation of a leak at the point of violation of the integrity. However, all sorts of unpleasant situations associated with the flow of communications are also present in bathrooms with ordinary plumbing.

• The supply of all the necessary systems is a rather complicated process, as for further maintenance.
• Due to the specifics of the design and its installation, it is not possible to insulate the bathtub. Such nuances contribute to the fact that the product gives off heat very quickly, as a result, the water in it cools down faster than we would like. To ensure greater comfort, you will need to constantly add hot water, which will increase its consumption.

In the course of studying the presented assortment of bath models, you can find designs made from a wide variety of raw materials.

• Cast iron products, which can be made in the style of the classics or models of the ultramodern direction. Previously, almost all baths were made from this material, but today it is rather a tribute to fashion trends in the design of your home. Manufacturers highlight the main advantage of using cast iron baths - the ability to keep water at a comfortable temperature for a long time, in comparison with other materials. The disadvantages of the products include a lot of weight and some installation difficulties, this is due to the fact that in order to connect the communications, the bath must be turned over, and it is quite difficult to do it alone. Also, during the installation work, there is a possibility of deforming the floors. Due to the similar specifics of installing a cast iron structure, the cost of the product increases.

• Acrylic products popular due to a wide assortment of models (including colors), sizes (from very small designs to oversized products), as well as varieties of shapes. Plumbing fixtures and acrylic furniture in a modern bathroom have become common attributes, which is explained by the positive properties of the material - high manufacturability and performance, which is important for bathrooms where there is a rather specific microclimate.

A positive quality of acrylic bathtubs is their minimum weight, due to which the structure is equipped at the edges or around (depending on the shape) with various legs. During the operation of such plumbing, there is no risk of spoiling the floor covering, since the load on it will not be so significant, concentrated in certain areas.

The disadvantages of freestanding acrylic bathtubs include a low level of strength, due to which the structures require the distribution of the stop over their entire area. Because of this, there may be some problems with the installation of the mixer to the board. The small mass of the bathroom in an empty state makes it possible for the structure to easily turn over when pressed from either side. This can be fraught with damage to the water supply. Do not forget that the material needs special, careful processing, without the use of abrasive compounds.

• Steel products are inexpensive products, the installation of which is not associated with special difficulties. Steel bathtubs are slightly inferior in terms of external luxury to other models, however, for arranging rooms in the style of minimalism or high-tech, such structures will be very appropriate.

• Fake diamond will help to create an exclusive model where the imagination of the designer and the customer will be realized in the form of a real masterpiece. Cast marble allows the manufacture of bathtubs, where the strength and stability of the structure on the floor will be positive features.
• Copper bathtubs are in demand due to a wide range of colors, which makes it possible to purchase a model for any room design. Among the presented assortment there are interesting models with an inner and outer part, made in different colors.
• Quaril sanitary products is a modern type of product, where a combined composition based on quartz sand and acrylic is used as raw material. This composition is characterized by increased strength in comparison with simple acrylic and lower weight in comparison with cast iron.

Depending on the shape, material and manufacturer, freestanding bathtubs can have different dimensions. The length of the product is sometimes more than two meters, the width can be the same or less, for example, 170 cm.In the assortment of such sanitary ware, you can find small structures, for example, 150x70 cm, such bathtubs are preferred to be installed in combined bathrooms, where every square meter of area is very important rooms.

The configuration and shape of the bath are not limited to standard types - round, rectangular or oval products. Designer models are asymmetrical and complex enough. Structures adjacent to the wall are generally square or semicircular. Quarter-circle bowls are popular for corner placement. Rectangular plumbing fits perfectly into the interior of even small rooms.

Round baths become a decoration of the roomtherefore, in spacious bathrooms, they usually have a central place. Competently placed accents will make it possible to very effectively arrange the bowl of even the most intricate shapes and colors.

By their configuration, freestanding baths can be of several types.

• Built into the surface of the floor of the room. Such models are distinguished by a high level of stability, however, work on the installation of water and sewer communications should be carried out even at the stage of laying the floor covering. The specificity of caring for a bathroom of this configuration requires the use of special mesh filters for the drain, since after installation it will be impossible to clean the drain from accumulated dirt.

• Models, which are placed on a specially equipped podium.
• Legged bowls. This variety is distinguished by a wide variety of legs, they can have a standard look or they can be made in the form of columns, animal paws, a tree trunk, supplemented with stucco and precious stones.

In order not to be mistaken with the choice of the model, first of all, you should decide on the place in the room where it will be located.

Experts give several recommendations that will help in such important issues.

• For the bowl to become a decoration in the bathroom, it must be in harmony with all other furniture, including the mixer and other smaller elements, which also play an important role in shaping the overall style of the interior. The floor-standing version of the mixer, located at a distance and made in the same style as, for example, bathroom legs, will help to correctly complement the overall design direction.
• Since the configuration of the product assumes the visibility of most of the water pipes, it will not be superfluous to use a special chrome plating for the system, or to opt for the purchase of models that are installed on their lower surface, hiding these important details underneath.

• Stone bowls need hot enough water to warm up all walls to a comfortable temperature. If the heating device installed in the house cannot provide the required level of heat, it is necessary to take care of purchasing a more powerful analogue in advance. It is necessary to monitor the serviceability of the overflow in the siphon. The fact is that most of the components are designed for short-term operation, and regular replenishment of the liquid volume with a new portion of hotter water will require frequent use of the overflow in the bathroom.
• Cast-iron bathtubs, in addition to the reinforced floor in the room, require the purchase of special fittings - a mixer and a drain. A tap, installed on the floor next to the bathtub or mounted on the edge, will effectively complement the appearance of the structure.

• When buying products, close attention should be paid to the legs, if any are provided for in the chosen design. These details are very important, because when you enter the bathroom, they are the ones that draw attention to themselves in the first place.
• In the interior of the room, designed in a modern style, it is better to install a bathtub on a podium or built into the floor; its color can be the most daring, setting a certain contrast with the rest of the color scheme, for example, lilac.

• A classic design or a retro style, where the walls are decorated with decorative plaster imitating natural stone, should be complemented by a classic-shaped bathroom in white or beige, located in the center. The original legs will emphasize the sophistication of the design, but the location of the bowl on the podium in such an interior would be inappropriate.
• Built-in round and oval bowls are ideal for bathrooms with ethnic-style interiors, such as facing east.
• Rectangular bowls, located in the corner of the bathroom, are suitable for trends such as Art Nouveau or Baroque, it is best if the bowl is made of natural material, such as stone.

The theme and ethnic notes that are used in the furnishing of the bathroom will be emphasized by the round bathroom made of dark marble embedded in the floor. For example, the Japanese theme in the interior, combined with luscious greenery and noble stone, will give a feeling of unity with nature and complete relaxation during hygiene procedures.

The modern high-tech style does not have any restrictions in terms of the shape, color and design of the bathtubs. A steel rectangular bowl in the very center of the room, located on the podium, will be a fresh and stylish solution that does not require additional decoration. It will be enough just to correctly arrange some accessories that emphasize the general tone in which the room is sustained.

All about freestanding bathtubs, see the video below.