What is meant by this concept?
When it comes to iron baths, we usually mean plumbing products made of metal. The most popular metal alloys that are used for bath production are cast iron and steel. Both are an alloy of iron and carbon. True, the chemical formula for these compounds is different, and, as a result, they are not at all like each other in their properties. The composition of these alloys contain additional components, which largely determine the performance characteristics of sanitary devices.
Baths made of steel and cast iron are usually opposed to more modern products from acrylic and kvaril. Today we will talk about the peculiarities of iron baths, study their dignity and disadvantages, and also get acquainted with the recommendations of professionals concerning the choice and installation of such plumbing equipment.
Views
So, in the usual sense of iron baths there are two varieties:
- Steel;
- Cast iron.
The first, in turn, are divided into baths made of structural steel, and stainless steel baths. Stainless steel baths are not particularly popular with buyers and are found very rare on sale, so we will not dwell on them in detail. In this article, under the phrase, the "steel bath" will be understood as usual to all of the plumbing from structural steel.
Steel
Pros:
- A small weight - a bath of steel weighs only a few kilograms, it is much easier for similar products produced from other materials;
- low price - steel baths are considered the cheapest of all presented in the market, options;
- High thermal conductivity - such a bath heats up almost instantly, so you can immediately start water procedures, without waiting until the metal reaches a comfortable temperature;
- The plasticity of the material is due to this property of steel, the baths from this metal can be almost any shape and size;
- Easy to care and hygiene - steel is considered one of the safest materials, so equipment for hospitals and public catering institutions prefer to produce precisely from it; Steel product well tolerates cleaning and even sanitary treatment with potent antiseptics.
Article on the topic: How to make a small-breeding belt foundation with your own hands. Construction and calculation of the foundations of small embedding for the house
Minuses:
- Insufficient wall thickness - ideally, the wall thickness of the steel bath must be at least 0.4 cm, but very often manufacturers tend to save on the material, resulting in products, easily exposed deformations;
- Small cooling time - good thermal conductivity is not only worthy, but also one of the main disadvantages of baths made of steel, since the bath itself and water in it is cooled very quickly;
- The lack of noise insulation - the steel spends the sound very well, so the noise of the flowing water is increasing several times, which can cause constant anxiety to your households and neighbors.
Cast iron
Pros:
- Durability - cast iron is one of the first materials that began to be used for the production of plumbing; Cast iron products have an incredibly long service life, reaching decades;
- Excellent thermal insulation - the cast-iron bath is not heated as fast as steel, but it keeps it much longer, not allowing water to cool;
- wear resistance - cast iron baths are very durable, so they are not scary mechanical impact (with the exception of enamelled coating - it may suffer); In addition, such baths are well tolerated the temperature differences and contact with aggressive cleaning agents;
- Sound insulation - cast iron almost completely absorbs the sound of water beating about the bottom of the bath, so you do not have to take care of providing additional noise cancellations.
Minuses:
- Large dimensions - the problem is not even in size (they are almost no different from standard), and in a very large weight of cast iron baths; This factor greatly complicates the delivery and installation of plumbing from cast iron;
- Higher price category - despite the fact that cast-iron baths belong to the discharge of budget, they cost more than bathing baths;
- Limited selection - the features of the material and method of production do not allow to produce pig-iron products that have a large variety of forms and sizes, usually there are only a few standard models of cast iron baths.
Article on the topic: Specifications and GOST on PVC doors
Noise insulation
Information in this section relates not to all types of iron baths, but only to those species that are made of steel. As we said, bad sound insulation is one of the main problems faced by steel bath owners.
Consider the most popular and affordable ways to solve this problem:
- Polyethylene foamed - It is a soft, porous material that is sold in rolls. It is used for noise, heat and sound insulation, as well as to protect fragile items from mechanical damage. The bottom and walls of the bath should be completely close to several pieces of PVC, attaching them to ordinary building glue.
- Technical traffic - It is environmentally friendly, and therefore absolutely safe finishing material. It does not allocate harmful, toxic substances even with a strong heating, so it is perfect for use in the house where there are small children.
- Mounting foam - This is a practically universal construction agent that comes to help in a variety of situations. Before applying a foam on the bottom and walls of the bath, you should be preventing and drying the surface. Work is better in gloves, since the tools are poorly cleaned with hands.
- Automotive sound insulation - This is a way, which, for sure, was invented by car enthusiasts. It is convenient because it does not imply a full coating of the surface of the bath with soundproofing material - just glued to the bottom of two or three pieces of the canvas. About the installation method Details read in the instructions for use that is attached to the material.
You can look at the heat insulation process of the steel bath in the next video.
Installation
To install the iron bath, traditional methods are usually used - bricks, frame base and support legs, or metal corner. All these methods are very reliable, since they are already checked for more than a dozen years. There are several general rules for mounting iron baths that should be followed, regardless of the selected installation method:
- Siphon should be attached to the drain hole before the bath will be mounted in place - otherwise then you can not get to it.
- Before starting work, you need to prepare a location: Clean it from dirt and residues of building materials, to impregnate the surface with a composition that prevents the appearance of fungus and mold. Work is better only on dry and relatively clean surface.
- Prepare a bath for installation, do not forget to pre-"try" to the place of installation. The product needs to be aligned in a horizontal plane (a construction level is useful to you) and put markup on the wall, according to which the installation will be made.
Article on the topic: Cabinet with bathroom sink - Practical and stylish solution
Tips for choosing
- Before you go to the store for purchase, learn all the existing types of iron baths. Perhaps instead of the traditional rectangular font you want to acquire something unusual, for example, a semicircular or asymmetric bath.
- Take a look at modern models of iron baths. Some of them have a very interesting functionality, for example, built-in hydromassage panels or a special coating with self-cleaning effect.
- All iron baths (with the exception of those produced from stainless steel) have enamelled coating. The color of enamel can be any, so do not stop at the snow-white coating. If the style of the design of your bathroom allows the use of color plumbing, pay attention to the models of beige, blue, green and other colors.