Acrylic products are a huge success among consumers, but few people know how much weight an acrylic bathtub can withstand. But it is precisely this parameter that affects the service life of plumbing fixtures.
Some people believe that acrylic is too fragile and therefore it is better to refrain from purchasing models made from polymer materials. Others, on the contrary, tend to believe that acrylic bathtubs are very strong and durable. To understand how many kg an acrylic bathtub can withstand, you need to consider some of the nuances of plumbing production.
What sizes and shapes are there?
It is worth noting right away that acrylic is a plastic material. Thanks to this, products made from it have completely different geometries and, accordingly, sizes. Let's look at the main forms of acrylic bathtubs below.
Corner asymmetrical . This is an ideal option for a spacious room. They can be installed on both the left and right sides. Main sizes: 20x70, 120x90, 150x90, 150x70, 170x110, 170x90, 170x100, 170x70, 160x100, 140x90, 140x100, 120x120, 130x70, 130x130, 110 x110, 170x100, 90x90, 100x100, 120x120, 160x90, 140x140, 150x150, 160x160, 170x170 , 150x75, 150x80 and 180x100 cm.
Rectangular . Such models fit harmoniously into classic interiors and small rectangular or square rooms. Standard dimensions: 140x60, 150x60, 160x60, 180x60, 190x60, 140x70, 150x70, 160x70, 180x70, 190x70, 140x80, 150x80, 160x80, 180x80, 190x80.
Round . This plumbing fixture is often found in luxury private homes, where the area of the room is large and allows you to “expand”. A round bathtub can be installed in the middle of the room on legs or made recessed into the floor. And if the model is deep enough (90 - 100 cm), you will get a small pool.
For comfortable water procedures, plumbing fixtures are often equipped with hydromassage and other options. The sizes of round products vary from 120 cm (mini fonts) to 300 cm (large hydro pools).
complete information
about the variety of forms in our special article .
Features of choice
When choosing the dimensions and shape of plumbing fixtures, it is worth taking into account personal wishes and preferences, the size of the room, as well as the anthropometric data of each family member (height and weight). For example, if you are buying a bathtub for an elderly person, you should pay attention to low or seated models with handles. For small rooms, classic straight fonts are chosen. And if san. the unit is very small and cramped, it is worth buying plumbing fixtures of minimum length - 100 - 120 cm.
Of course, in a small bathtub you will not be able to completely relax and lie in hot water after a hard day at work. But it will help free up a few extra centimeters in the room, make it more practical and contribute to a comfortable shower. If the size of the bathroom allows it, then you should pay attention to asymmetrical, corner or round models. They look quite stylish and original.
When choosing plumbing fixtures, you should definitely pay attention to such aspects as the height and build of the apartment owners. If you take a product that is too small for a large person, then swimming in it will be uncomfortable. The photo above shows the position of the average person in different sized hot tubs. To correctly determine the dimensions of plumbing fixtures, you must consider the following:
- height with legs from the floor of 65 - 70 cm is standard and allows you to easily climb into the bowl;
- depth 45-60 cm is suitable for both children and adults;
- The length of the plumbing fixtures from 160 to 180 cm allows a person of average build to take water procedures comfortably. In such a bath you can calmly stretch out your legs and rest your head on the side;
- As for the width , it is always chosen individually. But the standard width is 65 - 70 cm .
Along with the bathtub, you should immediately purchase an acrylic screen to match the size. It will hide the free space under the plumbing and give the room a neat appearance. Read in detail about how to install it correctly in our article .
Transportation and installation of the bath - important points
Once the bathtub has been selected, it is necessary to arrange for its delivery and installation.
Transportation Features
If it is not possible to order delivery of the bathtub to the door of the apartment, you will have to organize transportation yourself. However, when it comes to acrylic bathtubs, there are no particular difficulties. After all, a standard model with a length of 170 cm weighs no more than 30 kilograms, while the weight of a cast-iron bathtub of the same size will be 150 kilograms.
So delivering a bathtub even in the absence of a freight elevator will not cause much difficulty. It is more difficult to organize delivery if the bathtub has a complex shape; in this case, it is advisable to entrust the delivery of plumbing fixtures to professionals who can guarantee the safety of the bathtub.
Installation
The light weight of acrylic bathtubs also facilitates the installation process. If it is difficult to install a cast-iron bathtub alone, then you can easily handle the installation of an acrylic bathtub yourself. It is more convenient and easier to install an acrylic bathtub on a standard frame. In this case, installation is carried out according to the scheme described in the instructions. The standard frame can be installed independently (when installing the bathtub in the center of the room) or additionally secured to the wall.
Then the bathtub bowl is installed in the mounted frame frame. After that, all that remains is to install decorative panels, coverable front panels and, if required, side panels. There is no need to attach the side of the bathtub to the wall; the junction points are covered with a special plinth.
If there is no standard frame for installation, then it is made independently from a wooden beam. Sometimes a special podium is built from brick. It is important that the bottom of the acrylic bowl is raised above the floor of the room; this is necessary to ensure normal installation of the drain fittings.
So, the light weight of acrylic bathtubs on the one hand is its advantage. A lightweight bathtub is easier to carry and install, which is a definite plus. However, the light weight of the bathtub negatively affects its stability, so the bathtub is installed on a special frame or podium.
Life time
An important characteristic of an acrylic bathtub is the service life determined by the manufacturer . Usually this parameter is indicated in the product passport and you should pay special attention to it. After all, it’s better to overpay a little and choose a hot tub that will last you 10 years than to buy two cheap models during this period and once again overpay for installation .
How long you will use the bathtub primarily depends on the quality of the product and, in particular, on the thickness of the acrylic layer.
And, of course, in order to extend the life of acrylic plumbing, it is worth providing it with proper care . with detergents without abrasives
after taking water procedures
Acrylic bathtub production method
The technical characteristics of the product depend on what technology is used to create acrylic bathtubs. To make this type of font, two types of polymer materials are used:
- Combination of polymethyl methacrylate and acrylic nitrile butadiene styrene;
- Pure cast acrylic.
Thickness
What thickness should acrylic bathtubs have? Here everything completely depends on the characteristics of production: cheap, but high-quality models have a total wall thickness of 6 mm, and more expensive ones - up to 15 mm (and the acrylic layer in this case is about 8 mm). It consists of two parameters: the thickness of the reinforcing layer and the thickness of the acrylic. As we determined above, the service life of the product depends on the size of the acrylic layer and it is this that you should pay special attention to.
You can check the thickness of the product using a flashlight:
- Place the switched-on flashlight against the wall of the bathtub.
- Look at the product from the opposite side.
- If the light from the flashlight shines through on the other side of the plumbing, it means that the acrylic layer is not sufficient or the production technology was not followed during the manufacture of the bathtub.
Acrylic as a material for making bathtubs
Despite the fact that many people have heard the word “acrylic,” few people imagine the properties of this material. It is only known that it is an integral part of plumbing structures. But what are acrylic bathtubs made of? There are several terms that need to be deciphered:
- acrylic is the most common designation for artificial material, a type of plastic;
- acrylan is a chemical powdery compound that, when exposed to heat and in the process of mixing it with a special liquid composition, forms a thick, quickly hardening substance;
- methyl methacrylate (also abbreviated as MMA) is an organic ester, the starting component of which is methacrylic acid, an oily substance with a specific aroma, which is used to produce polymers from acrylic;
- polymethyl methacrylate (or organic (acrylic) glass) is a colorless plastic that can become a viscous plastic substance when heated.
Each of the above components is used in the production of quality acrylic bathtubs.
This material can be divided into the following types: industrial or technical. The first option is used for the manufacture of parts for various machines and devices. Industrial acrylic hardens perfectly in special forms; it can be used in construction, repair or restoration work.
For the production of sanitary products, exclusively technical types of plastic are used. This acrylic contains additional components that prevent the growth of microorganisms and mold harmful to human health on its surface.
How much weight can it bear?
Acrylic, although plastic, is quite durable material. In addition, the walls of acrylic bathtubs are always reinforced, so they can easily withstand loads.
For example, standard fonts with a length of 150 - 170 cm can easily withstand a load of 500 - 700 kilograms. This allows two people to calmly take the procedure in a completely filled font.
The method of installing the font also plays an important role in containing the load: the option of installing it on legs is inferior to the design with a frame , especially reinforced with a brick backing.
What weight are corner fonts designed for?
They are able to withstand heavy loads ( up to 850 kg ) in contrast to standard forms, and due to their design features they are considered the most wear-resistant.
Technology of use
- The first option is less durable and wear-resistant; the service life of a bath made of ABC is about 3-4 years. At the same time, the thickness of the font made of polymer materials is no more than 3 millimeters. Such a fragile design is fraught with extensive damage to the top coating of the product (even if it collides with an object weighing 2 kilograms, the product may be out of service).
Please note that the polymer sheets used to create acrylic bathtubs must be made of isotropic materials. But it is worth remembering that the use of polymer isotropic sheets is impossible when using extrusive production methods.
- Acrylic bathtubs made using extrusion technology are inexpensive and have a low degree of reliability.
- Bathtubs made of pure cast acrylic or casting production principle. Compared to the previous type of acrylic bathtubs, bathtubs made using injection molding technology are more reliable, durable, wear-resistant and easy to use. The injection molding principle for the production of acrylic baths is based on the gradual heating of polymer sheets to the highest possible temperatures and giving them the desired shape. Such acrylic bathtubs can withstand up to 700 kilograms without deforming the surface of the product.
- Acrylic sheets of different thicknesses are used (from 2 to 5 millimeters). You cannot ignore acrylic bathtubs made of rigid polymer sheets - their thickness can reach 25 millimeters. It is impossible to say exactly how much weight such an acrylic bathtub can withstand, but tests show that the font can withstand the weight of 5-6 people.
How many kilograms does it weigh?
It is quite difficult to say definitely how much a particular bathroom weighs. After all, each product has its own size, shape and thickness. Therefore, it is better to clarify this question for each individual model. As a rule, such information is provided to customers in stores where the technical specifications of plumbing fixtures are specified. Below is a table with approximate size/weight ratio:
| Bathtub dimensions, mm (length x width) | Weight, kg |
| 120x70 | 14-15 |
| 130x70 | 16-17 |
| 140x70 | 17-18 |
| 150x70 | 19-20 |
| 160x70 | 20-21 |
| 170x70 | 22-24 |
| 180x70 | 25-28 |
That is, on average, every 10 cm of length adds about 1-2 kg to the weight. As you can see, these are quite lightweight products, which is an undeniable advantage when transporting and installing .
If hydromassage equipment is installed in the bathtub, its weight increases significantly, the increase is, on average, 25 -40 kg.
Whirlpool bath weight
Today, many buyers prefer models with hydromassage. Let's consider how much an acrylic bathtub, complemented by an installation for hydro and air massage, will weigh. Naturally, the final weight of the model will depend on the dimensions of the bath itself and on the selected model of additional equipment (compressors, piping, nozzles, etc.).
As a rule, the presence of a hydromassage function increases the weight of the bath by about 20-30 kg. That is, if a standard model with a length of 170 cm weighs 25 kg, then the same bathtub with additional equipment will weigh 45-55 kilograms. It will be much more difficult to transport such a model and bring it to the top floor.
Advice! However, the opportunity to have an invigorating or relaxing hydromassage at home usually outweighs the inconvenience of the increasing weight of the bath.
Conclusion
When choosing acrylic plumbing fixtures, you must take into account all the nuances discussed in the article if you want the device to serve you faithfully for more than 5-7 years. Do not buy cheap products; most likely, they do not have good technical characteristics and after a couple of years you will have to think about replacing the equipment.
Proper use of an acrylic bathtub affects its service life. When cleaning, it is not advisable to use detergents containing acids, and you should also not pour boiling water over the bathtub. If you follow these simple rules, the equipment will serve you for at least ten years.
Is an acrylic bathtub durable enough? Will she withstand all the “hardships of life” placed on her? Read about this and much more in our article.
What is acrylic
Acrylic is a smooth, transparent thermoplastic that does not react with most harsh chemicals. Plexiglas is often used for the production of sanitary ware, subjecting it to thermal and mechanical processing.
Acrylic is produced in the form of sheets with a thickness of 1.0-24.0 mm. One side of the material may have an anti-reflective or corrugated surface.
Physical characteristics of the material
Plexiglas is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Even if the material is exposed to the sun for a long time, yellow spots do not appear on it and it does not become brittle.
Organic glass is resistant to various chemicals. The material does not deteriorate when interacting with alkalis, acids, and salts, but esters, ketones, and chlorinated derivatives of hydrocarbons can cause harm to it.
Organic glass.
Acrylic is lightweight, density is 1.19 g/cm3. When compared with other substances, it is 2.5 times lighter than glass, 17% lighter than PVC, 7% lighter than polyester glass.
The material is resistant to moisture, so it is used in the production of plumbing fixtures, aquariums and yachts.
Plexiglas is flammable, but when burned it does not release toxins like other flammable plastics. The material can ignite at a temperature of 460-635°C.
Acrylic has dielectric properties and frost resistance. Plexiglas can withstand frosts down to -40°C. The material can easily bend without heating (“cold method”).
Acrylic softens well when heated and retains the required shape when cooled, making it possible to manufacture various three-dimensional products, including bas-relief ones.
“Frosted” plexiglass transmits from 20% to 75% of light.
Acrylic can be easily cut, glued, drilled, milled, painted, engraved, polished, and molded. The material has excellent adhesion to various types of self-adhesive vinyl films.
The average service life of acrylic coating is 10 years.
Effect on the human body
Acrylic is an environmentally friendly material that is not capable of releasing toxic substances, so it is a safe product. Items made of plexiglass can be used in children's, medical and health institutions. The material may be reused after it has been processed.
A little about acrylic for plumbing
Such bathtubs are a cheaper alternative to cast iron ones. Their main difference is several times less weight and a greater variety of shapes and sizes. It's difficult to say whether light weight is a plus or a minus.
On the one hand, such plumbing fixtures are easier to transport and install, they create less load on the floors and can be used in wooden houses, cottages, etc. On the other hand, low weight leads to worse stability, and therefore such baths must be securely fixed on supports and relative to the wall on frames, stands or podiums.
Although acrylic is a much less durable material than cast iron or steel, a proper quality acrylic bathtub can also withstand the weight of a person over many years of use.
Among other advantages of such baths:
- rich color range;
- long heat retention;
- immunity to rust (contains no metal);
- a smooth and even surface that gets dirty slowly and is easy to clean.
