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5mm vs 8mm thick acrylic bath?

9 replies

roses2 · 24/09/2020 15:46

Hi, we are getting our bathroom redone and are looking for fittings. We went to a bath showroom; Wickes & B&Q however the sales people were all particularly unhelpful and unknowledgeable about the products on display.

So I understand there are 4mm/5mm/8mm acrylic baths; premiercast; steel etc. Reviews are mixed on steel vs acrylic from what I see on mumsnet. Since acrylic seems to be more popular I'll probably buy one of those.

  1. Where is the best place to buy?
  2. How cheap and thin does a 5mm bath feel? Is an 8mm bath noticeably more durable and nicer feeling??

    Thank you!
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NWnature · 24/09/2020 15:53

Hi there! We are doing out bathrooms at the moment. I went for a steel Roca bath ordered via Aqva - I don't have any experience but my parents have always had steel baths and think they are of better quality than acrylic. I have (I suspect) a cheap acrylic in our flat at the moment and whilst its fine, I much prefer the bath at my parents - feels more solid and retains heat better. I would go with steel, the one we found was really reasonable on price still.

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JoJoSM2 · 24/09/2020 16:09

I’m not sure of the exact mm but presume it’s 5 vs 8. I had the thinner acrylic bath and it felt flimsy and lost heat quickly. The current, thicker one, feels a lot sturdier and he water stays warm for much longer.

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Guymere · 24/09/2020 17:07

Steel feels colder to touch but actually retains heat well. They are more sturdy and don’t flex. Get steel if you can afford it. If not, the thickest acrylic. Baths that flex tend to open up gaps between the bath and the wall. Movement isn’t great for plumbing either. You want a bath to be rigid. Buy the best you can.

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perfumeistooexpensive · 24/09/2020 17:14

I hated my metal bath. The water got cold so quickly. Now I've got acrylic and it's much better.

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BookShop · 24/09/2020 17:22

The 5mm will feel thinner and lose heat faster. Definitely go for the 8mm if you take baths regularly. If it is just for the DCs or under a shower then the 5mm will suffice.

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Vslightlystressy · 24/09/2020 18:01

Don’t get a thin acrylic one - my parents had one which was mostly used under the shower - it developed a hairline crack, water went through it and the ceiling fell through in the room below... they have a steel one now - was advised you need a steel one if it is going to be used for showering.

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LazyFace · 25/09/2020 06:52

Acrylic is so cheap looking and feels horrible. We always had steel, the cheapest steel looks better than the most expensive plastic one.

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positivelynegative · 25/09/2020 07:17

I was told to use the thicker one if using it for showers.

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roses2 · 25/09/2020 12:23

Thanks - this is all very helpful. So it looks as though it is a choice between 8mm acrylic or steel.

I currently have a heavy enameled bath & I've had the silicone changed multiple times due to leaks so I'm not convinced that heavier bath = less movement / less likely to leak!

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