Features of a plastic bath

Recently, plastic baths have been gaining more and more popularity in the plumbing market. They became a worthy replacement of heavy cast -iron and metal models, in addition, plastic baths have one significant plus - low cost.

Advantages

Each product, including plumbing for the bathroom, has both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before you go to the store and buy a bath of plastic, you need to study all the nuances.

Plumbing installation specialists recommend paying attention to the following advantages:

• compared to metal or cast iron products, a plastic bath is much easier. This largely facilitates its transportation, as well as installation. She weighs almost thirty kilograms;
• the surface of the bath has a special coating that protects against the effects of detergents and mechanical wear. If small cracks and scratches appear, then the restoration of a plastic bath can be performed in just a few days;
• unlike cast -iron and metal surfaces, plastic does not accumulate dirt and dust, so you are not threatened with the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria;
• despite the apparent fragility, a plastic bath, just like cast iron, retains heat for a long time. In addition, plastic supports the same temperature as in the room. Water in such a bath will not cool quickly;
• even after a year of operation, spots and stains do not appear on the surface of the product, and the color of the bath will always be clean;
• plastic bath, unlike acrylic - absolutely not slippery;
• when water is collected in it, the plastic coating can smooth out excess noises;
• care for such a bathroom gives continuous pleasure - it does not need to be cleaned with abrasive agents, it is enough to walk with a soft tissue moistened in any liquid of the moisture;
• the plastic product has an affordable price. A wide selection of baths is presented on sale, both in form and in the color.

Specific features

By purchasing a plastic bath, you will make the right choice. However, there are some features of the operation of the product.

These include:

1. Experts do not recommend cleaning the plastic coating with abrasive agents (powders), because they can scratch the coating. Alternative to powders can be gels that clean the product well of pollution and at the same time do not leave scratches.
2. The plastic bath is fragile. From a blow to a heavy object, the coating can be damaged. This is especially true for the rules for transporting plumbing and installation.
3. If you pour very hot water into the bath, then it can be deformed. But this drawback can be called into question, because the temperature at which the plastic may begin to melt will not be able to withstand the person. Therefore, it makes no sense to draw too hot water into the container.
4. Also, a plastic bath does not differ in durability, unlike cast -iron or metal, which can last twenty years. This is true, but with the careful operation of the bath, it is possible to increase its service life up to ten or more years.

How to choose a good plastic bath?

You can buy a plastic container for bathing at any plumbing store.

When choosing a product, pay attention to the following aspects:

• the thickness of the plastic (upper layer) should be at least five to six millimeters. If the coating is thinner, then the product can not last long;
• look at the edge of the side - if you see stains remotely reminiscent of a log hinge, these are a layer of reinforcement. The more there are such layers, the more reliable and stronger your bath will be;
• inspect the inner and then the outer part. There should be no scratches and tubercles on the surface;
• also pay attention to the shade of the product. The traditional color of the coating is white, it must have shine, be homogeneous, without stains;
• the standard bath length is from 150 to 180 centimeters, depth is 50-60 centimeters, and the maximum height is 70 centimeters. Choose the size taking into account your growth so that you do not feel discomfort.

What are plastic baths, you can look at the photo:

How to install

Installing a plastic bath - the process is quite simple and will not take a lot of effort and time. It is much easier to put such a bath than cast iron or metal.

For installation, prepare the following tools:

• drill and metal drill (you can screw);
• marker or pencil;
• ruler;
• screws;
• construction level;
• isolet;
• dowel;
• sealant;
• metal corner.

Conditionally, the installation of a plastic bath can be divided into six stages:

1. Preparation. If necessary, then the old plumbing is dismantled in the room and wall decoration is performed: wallpaper is glued, ceramic tiles are laid, or plastic decoration of the bathroom is laid. In addition, you should take care in advance about the conduct of sewer and water pipes. Simultaneously with these work, you need to align the floor and prepare sewage drainage for the connection of new plumbing.

2. We fix the legs. The bath must be added to the room and turn upward to attach the legs. To do this, marking for a metal frame is performed (supports will hold on it). You should retreat 15 centimeters from the drain (hole) and draw out the line with a marker or pencil - this will be the guide. The second line is planned at a minimum distance from the edge of the font. Then the holes are drilled with an electric drill and self -tapping screws are installed. They will be a support for metal guides. Experts recommend doing this: take a drill, retreat 5 millimeters from the edge and wind it up on it. It will serve as a mark that will allow you to get holes of the required depth. When this part of the work is completed, you need to put on the guide brackets and fix them using bolts. Now on the frame you can install pre -assembled bathroom legs.

3. We collect pipes. Together with the plastic bathroom, the kit includes pipes. It is easy to collect them. Typically, the attached instructions describe in detail how this is done.

4. Installation. We turn the bath and install it on the legs. In order for it to be located correctly, you should use the water level. The tool is applied as follows: one end must move away from the left upper leg, and the second - from the lower right. The level will show how many millimeters it will be necessary to adjust the legs of the bathroom. Similarly, do with the second pair of fasteners.

5. Installation of devices that will not allow the bath to roll over. Such hooks can be included in the kit or sold separately. They are fixed to the wall on the dowel, and the bathtub is “mounted” right on them.

6. Connection to sewer pipes. The joints of the wall and bath need to be smeared with sealant (for plumbing). After it dries a little, you can execute a test system launch. If everything is in order and water does not flow, the bath is installed correctly.

Important! If the bathroom will use people with large body weight, then the bottom of the product must be additionally enhanced by brickwork.

How to distinguish a plastic bath from acrylic

Most buyers, getting to the plumbing store, do not know what the difference between the plastic bath and acrylic. At first glance, both products seem exactly the same, because modern plastic baths are covered with a thin layer of acrylic. Its thickness does not exceed one millimeter, and the upper layer of the acrylic bathtub is five or more than millimeters. The rest of the bath is made of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

The photo shows an acrylic bath.

When buying a bath, experts advise paying attention to the cut of the product. If you see three or more layers of the material, you have a plastic bath. The first upper layer is acrylic, the middle is plastic, the lower is reinforced fiberglass.

Most buyers begin to doubt whether to purchase a plastic bath or not. Often they can even dissuade them unscrupulous sellers, claiming that such products are not strong and durable. In fact, this is not so.

The product consists of strong polymeric materials, which are difficult to damage. An exception may be a blow to the edge of the bath with a sharp heavy object.

Also, people say that in the event of a crack or chip, it is better to throw a bath. They are mistaken because the product is subject to repair, and the restoration will not take much time and, if desired, this work can be done independently.

But the conversations that over time a plastic bath can slightly change its color and lose shine is quite justified. But this happens if it is not operated incorrectly. This is also quite possible if the bath was cleaned with abrasive detergents.