Large baths: pros, cons and recommendations for choosing

A large bathtub is a cherished dream of connoisseurs of comfort. Spaciousness, the possibility of full immersion to full height, the relaxing effect of the water "afloat" - this is the true meaning of a full-fledged bathing. It is convenient and prestigious to have such a mini-pool for individual use, but there are some nuances.

First, let's define the term. It is known that there are standard sized bathtubs for typical apartments. These are 130x70, 140x170, 150x70, 170x70, 170x75, 180x70, 180x80 centimeters. These are the Russian and European traditional sizes. Anything longer than 180 cm is classified as "large". A bathtub measuring 200x85 cm is no longer intended for ordinary bathrooms. It just won't fit in length. Difficulties will begin already when you try to carry her through the door.

The advantages of a large bath are obvious.

• Comfortable, unrestricted bathing, almost swimming.
• Solid and rich appearance.
• Various additional features in the form of hydromassage, aromatherapy and other similar options.

But there are no advantages without disadvantages. The disadvantages of large baths are the peculiarities of their advantages.

• A high price, available only to fairly wealthy people. Comfort and prestige are not cheap pleasure.
• Large sizes require a large room and solid floors. Standard apartments are hardly suitable for this, even with redevelopment.
• High water consumption.
• Due to the enormous capacity, the baths are slow to fill and drain. The standard water supply and drainage system will have to be modernized.

Large baths, as well as compact ones, can be of several types in size and configuration.

By size:

• single (home) - for comfortable bathing for one person;
• double - ideal for lovers or spouses;
• collective - for 4-6 people, more like mini-pools.

The last two varieties are most often found in hotels.

Luxury segment hot tubs can have:

• equipment for hydro and air massage;
• special lamps for chromotherapy;
• water disinfection system;
• additional heating.

Such baths are made, as a rule, of two types of materials:

1. acrylic;
2. metal (cast iron and structural steel).

There are bathtubs made from innovative quaril, as well as from ceramics, wood and artificial stone. But this is more exotic than everyday practice.

The shape of the font is most often determined by the material. Acrylic is very plastic and allows you to make a product of any shape at the request of the customer. Acrylic bathtubs can be:

• regular shape (rectangular, square);
• round, in the form of a bowl;
• irregular shape (asymmetric);
• faceted (the number of faces at the customer's choice);
• oval;
• corner.

This is, of course, not a complete list. The client's imagination and the possibilities of technology offer a wide variety of options.

Metal does not provide such freedom to the customer and manufacturer. Cast iron baths are most often in the shape of a square or rectangle. Steel has a little more options, because steel is more ductile. But the large size is very limited. In addition, cast iron baths, even in standard sizes, weigh a lot.

Baths of this size and purpose, as a rule, are not chosen, but ordered. But both the choice and the order depend on several fundamental points. Let's list them.

1. It is necessary to correlate the parameters of the room with the bathroom that will be installed in it. Is its area sufficient, what is its configuration, how the device will be installed. It should be remembered that there are usually other furnishings and household appliances in the bathroom. If the area allows and there is a goal to place the hot tub in the middle of the room with circular access, then you need to buy a round, oval or rectangular bath. If this is not possible, then it makes sense to take a closer look at the corner.
2. You need to get engineering advice from a specialist on the strength of floors in a house or apartment. The floor may simply not support this weight, especially in an old house.
3. Take into account the individual characteristics of all family members. Especially in cases where there are sick or elderly people. Take care of the presence of a special step, about the seats, head restraints, handrails, anti-slip coating.
4. Think and consult about the possibility of installing additional equipment (devices for massage, heating, disinfection), if they are not included in the kit.
5. Pay close attention to the quality of the material and coating. There should be no chips, cracks, irregularities here.
6. When choosing a steel bath, it will not be superfluous to measure the thickness of the sheet. This is best done around the edge of the drain hole. The thickness of the metal must be at least 4 mm. If less, then it is better to refuse the purchase. It will also be useful to ask the seller about the weight of the product. The weight of large steel tubs should start from 70 kg, depending on the size.
7. Be sure to inquire about the availability and conditions of the guarantee. In the event of an accident, hundreds of liters of water can cause considerable damage. It is important to know where to file complaints.
8. Assess the reliability of the mounting elements. Correct and safe installation is almost the main thing in the operation of a large bath.

The choice of the manufacturer is also important. European firms are well-known on the Russian market of acrylic bathtubs Ravak (Czech Republic), Kolpa-San (Slovenia), Riho (Czech Republic), PoolSpa (Poland). Their products are famous for their durability, quality unchanged over the years and excellent design. But the baths of these manufacturers are very expensive for the mass Russian buyer.

In recent years, Russian manufacturing companies have entered the market. It - "Aquanet", "1Marka", "Radomir", "Triton". Products of these manufacturers are inferior to European ones in acrylic quality and strength, but they are much cheaper.

China is becoming more and more confident. Firms SSWW and Massimo offer quite decent products, but the quality of acrylic and reinforcement is not always stable. If the bathtub is large, then these characteristics are of particular importance.

Thus, domestic acrylic bathtubs are the golden mean.

When choosing acrylic bathtubs, you need:

• pay attention to the thickness of the material (at least 5 mm);
• check if the bottom does not bend, whether it is reinforced enough;
• evaluate the quality of acrylic in appearance.

Europe is the leader in the production of metal bathtubs. Firms are known all over the world Kaldewei, Bette (Germany), BLB (Portugal), Roca (Spain). Their products are distinguished by true respect for the person. Some baths come with a multi-year warranty. But prices are at least 2 times higher than Russian ones.

The most famous Russian manufacturers of metal baths are the Verkh-Isetsky Metallurgical Plant and OJSC Santo-Holding (Lipetsk Pipeline Plant). Both companies have established themselves well in the plumbing market. They produce products that are practically not inferior to European standards. Improves the quality of the enamel and outer coating. New models are being developed.

Among aristocrats and simply rich people, it is customary to stun those around them with various records of size, weight, and high cost. These quirks also touched upon such an ordinary thing as a bath.

British designer Simon Krapf created a bathtub weighing 10 tons from the rarest Indonesian stone. It was sold at an auction in Dubai for $ 1,700,000. The material from which it is made resembles petrified wood and has healing properties (as some publications claim).

In Russia there is a true relic, known all over the world and entered in the Guinness Book of Records for its size (it is considered the largest in the world). This is a huge font-bowl, made of solid granite interspersed with Labrador. Its diameter is 5.33 m, its height is 1.92, and its depth is 1.52. The approximate volume is 23 cubic meters.

It was created in the 18th century. The author of this masterpiece is considered the master Samson Sukhanov, and the customer is the engineer Augustine Betancourt. There is a miracle bath in the Babolovsky Palace in the city of Pushkin, Leningrad Region (formerly Tsarskoe Selo). Stands in the basement of a crumbling building. It is impossible to remove it from there at the moment.

Large bathtubs are not yet the largest segment of the Russian sanitary ware market. It is developing, but the possibilities for its growth are limited by the poverty of the population. A large bathtub is a convincing sign of wealth and prosperity. And it is intended primarily for installation in a separately built own house. It is in this case that true scope opens up for creative imagination and interesting finds.

For an overview of a large acrylic bathtub, see the next video.