Acrylic or Steel, which Bath is best for me?

These days, homeowners have lots of choices when it comes to finding the right type of bath for their home. Not only can they opt for a range of sizes and designs, but they can also choose bathtubs made from different materials. That can lead to some difficult choices when it comes to renovating your bathroom.

Modern bathtubs are typically made out of one of two primary materials – the synthetic plastic that is known as acrylic, and the hardwearing, robust steel. Although there are baths on the market made from other materials such as tin, stone, wood, or cast iron, you’ll find them far more difficult to get your hands on.

Since acrylic and steel baths are your two main options when it comes to selecting a tub for your home, you could benefit from knowing which one is right for your needs. Here, we take a closer look at these two options and the advantages and disadvantages that come with choosing each one. Hopefully, you’ll then have all the information you need to make a well-informed purchasing decision for your bathroom.

What are the advantages of Acrylic / Plastic baths?

Perhaps the most important advantage of an acrylic or plastic bath is that it always feels warm to the touch. That may not be so much of an issue during the summer months, but in the winter it can be very shocking to sit down in a cold steel tub! Not only are plastic tubs warmer to the touch but they also stay warmer for longer. That means you won’t need to top up with hot water if you like a long soak.

Another benefit of an acrylic tub is that it will usually be more affordable than the steel alternative. Most acrylic baths are ideal for homeowners on a budget who need a stylish bath at a low price.

Acrylic is also known to be resistant to scratching and stains, so your bathroom will stay looking good for longer. As these tubs are also non-porous they’re easy to clean. That means you won’t be spending hours scrubbing your bath.

Finally, another big benefit of acrylic baths is the wide variety of shapes and styles that you have available to choose from. Whether you want a stylish freestanding tub, a traditional straight bath or a P-shaped shower bath, you’ll find an acrylic tub to suit your needs.

What are the advantages of Steel baths?

The top advantage of a steel bath is its strength. There is no flex in a steel bath, so you can feel confident of its durability and robustness. Furthermore, its enamel coat is also able to take high impacts without getting scratched or damaged, so your tub will stay looking good for a long time. Steel baths are known to be high quality, so if you opt for a tub made of this resilient material you can be confident that your bathroom will stand the test of time.

Why wouldn’t you choose an acrylic bath?

Acrylic baths are a very popular choice. However, there are some cases where you may prefer to choose a steel bath over a plastic tub. For a start, if you have a large budget for your bathroom renovation, you may want to consider opting for steel since the very best quality baths on the market today are made from steel. A low-quality acrylic bath may flex a little whereas a reinforced bath won’t, so choosing one of those is always a good idea.

Why wouldn’t you choose a steel bath?

Although it’s well-known that steel baths are higher in terms of quality than acrylic tubs, there are some reasons why you may wish to avoid buying one. For a start, there are only a small number of styles available on the market for you to choose from. So, if you have a particular idea in mind of how you want your bathroom to look, there’s no guarantee that you’ll find a steel tub that works with your chosen décor and design. Also, if your room has a particularly unusual shape or size and you need to find a tub that your room can accommodate, you may struggle to find a suitable steel bath that meets your requirements.

Steel baths can also be very very expensive, and are quickly becoming more costly than most acrylic bath tubs. Therefore, if you’re on a tighter budget or just want to save some money on your bathroom renovation you may want to avoid opting for steel.

Many homeowners think that acrylic tubs look more attractive than steel ones, so if you want a more modern and stylish-looking bath that is thicker and that is also better at holding in the heat, an acrylic bath is probably a better choice for you than a steel one.

Common questions answered:

Many homeowners who are carrying out bathroom renovations have key questions that they need answered about acrylic and steel tubs, so here are some answers to the most commonly asked queries that we receive.

What is the cheapest type of bathtub?

Although steel baths are most expensive than acrylic tubs, you’ll find that both steel and acrylic baths have their own cheaper models. If you’re on a very low budget, though, you’ll find that acrylic is more affordable than steel.

Do acrylic baths turn yellow?

There is a persistent misconception that acrylic baths have a habit of turning yellow over time. Yet, in fact, this isn’t the case at all. While a white acrylic tub could potentially discolour if it was left outdoors in direct sunlight for a few years, the chances of that happening in the safety of your bathroom are very low.

Do acrylic bath tubs crack?

As steel baths are known to be higher in quality than acrylic tubs, sometimes homeowners are worried that a plastic bath may crack. However, this is very unlikely to happen. Unless you choose a very low quality plastic tub that has no encapsulated base board, the chances of cracking are extremely low. So long as you install your acrylic bath properly, and avoid making installation mistakes such as placing the legs too far apart, or installing the tub on a surface that isn’t level, there should be no problems with accidental damage through regular use. Of course, it also goes without saying that you should avoid drilling any holes for taps or handles into the bath if the tub itself hasn’t been built for them. Drilling holes into any area of the bath where holes aren’t meant to be is a surefire way to cause damage to your tub!

Summary – How To Choose Between Acrylic And Steel Tubs

Now that you know the differences between acrylic and steel bath tubs, you may still need a little help to make your final purchasing decision. Here is some helpful advice to point you in the right direction.

If you’re keen to purchase a straight, standard bath tub, you have a choice of both steel and acrylic designs, so the final decision will usually come primarily down to your budget. If you only have around £80 or £100 available to spend on a standard straight bath, you would probably be better off with steel. However, if you have between £100 and £500 available to spend on any kind of tub you would be better off opting for acrylic.

If you have a very high budget of over £500, you can afford the best standard bath tubs on the market, so you should definitely consider investing in a branded steel bath that will guarantee you excellent quality and durability.

If you’re looking for a freestanding bathtub for your home, again, your main consideration is going to be your available budget. If you only have £1000 or less available to buy your tub you are only going to be able to choose from acrylic options anyway. Over £1000, and you should get a solid surface or steel tub or a bath made from another higher quality material.

If you’re looking for a shower bath for your home with either an L or B shape, you’ll only have acrylic options to pick from since there are currently no steel options on the market with these more unusual shape designs.

If your primary consideration when choosing a bathtub for your home is maintenance then you have nothing to worry about whichever of the two materials you pick. Since both acrylic and steel tubs are equally simple to keep clean, it shouldn’t affect your final purchasing decision at all.

Essentially, the final decision of which material to opt for will be down to you. It’s wise to weigh up all the pros and cons of both acrylic and steel, to take your available budget into account, and then to examine the various shapes, styles and designs carefully to see whether they would fit in your newly renovated space before you make your choice.

Want to know more about baths?  Take a look at our Straight Baths Buying Guide or grab some inspiration from the Freestanding Baths Guide!