Buyers Guide to Baths

Planning for a Bath

Despite the popularity of the shower and the advantages it has over baths – quick, convenient, no waiting around for it to run, takes up less space – for most homes it is still desirable to have a bath, too. This is particularly important in homes with young children.

There are no hard and fast rules as to how much space you must have around a bath, but practically you should ensure you will have enough room to comfortably get in and out, and if you plan on installing a shower over the bath, check there will be enough headroom.

A standard rectangular bath measures 700 x 1,700mm, but there are now plenty of options for those seeking a smaller or much larger bath than this — and baths certainly needn’t be rectangular either. If space is limited, but you still want a bath, consider one that is extra deep but shorter than the standard.

Obviously this is not always a practical option – particularly for those needing to bathe small children – so alternatives include corner baths and those that are tapered at one end 

The Palomba free-standing tub from Laufen, from £445.84 (01530 510007)

Choose Your Material Wisely

Cast iron is still a popular option, being robust and durable. Several layers of porcelain enamel are fused onto a cast iron shell, resulting in a smooth, white surface that is scratch- and crack-proof as well as stain resistant.
Cast iron baths are heavy so check your floor will withstand the weight. They have good heat-retaining properties, but can feel a bit frosty at first. Many come primed, ready for painting.

Pressed steel bathtubs, with an enamel coating, are cheaper and lighter than cast iron. Steel does not retain heat as well as some other materials and can be rather slippery underfoot if not textured. Although steel tends not to be as durable as cast iron, steel baths are still robust, easy to care for and come with very long guarantees.

Acrylic is a popular material as it tends to be the most cost-effective option — prices start from around £50 for a basic acrylic bath. It has also developed to shake off its reputation as being squeaky and prone to cracks — although at the cheaper end of the market, baths like this are still being made. The best option is an acrylic reinforced with fibreglass – look out for Lucite acrylic – with an underlying support to improve rigidity. Acrylic retains heat well and is lightweight, so tubs can be luxuriously spacious without their water-filled weight being an issue.

Besides the more common choices, some unusual materials have also become popular. Copper is a good material for tubs, heating up instantly and retaining heat well. It is also lightweight. Composite stone resins, natural stone and concrete also look stunning. All are quite hefty in weight. Stone baths are not cheap either, costing from approx £2,000.

Finally, timber adds a warmth to bathrooms. Teak and cedar are both commonly used, being inherently water-resistant, but other options include mahogany and walnut. Sealants ensure water and scratches do not affect the timber. Prices start at around £3,000.

Teak bath from The Water Monopoly, from £6,200 + VAT (020 7624 2636)

Get Your Style Right

One of the first decisions is whether you want a double- or single-ended bath. Single-ended baths have the plug hole and overflow at the foot of the bath. With a double-ended bath the plug and overflow are located in the middle, usually to one side.

The free-standing bath remains popular. Some are very classic in appearance, with decorative ball and claw feet, some with the head end being higher than the foot end, known as slipper baths. However, they do not have to be traditional, with many contemporary takes available, sitting on wooden or stone plinths and in any shape that takes your fancy, from curvy egg-shaped designs and circular styles, to angular rectangles and perfect squares.
‘Infinity’ baths, where the water appears to flow over the edges – it is usually recirculated back into the bath – are also very fashionable.

Free-standing baths are best suited to spacious bathrooms. If you would like one but feel your bathroom is not big enough, there are models available with one flat edge, designed to sit flush against a wall, that mimic the look.

Building a surround around your tub not only looks neat and is a great way to jazz up an otherwise plain bath, but it’s also a good solution in smaller spaces, where the surround can offer storage. The style you choose will dictate how your surround is built, but the general method is to build a timber frame for the bath to sit in which can then be tiled or clad in any material you wish.

Some baths are designed to simply drop in to a frame, with the rim sitting above the frame, whilst others can be undermounted.

Most basic baths require some finishing, and bath panels are readily available in a number of materials, from cost-effective acrylic to timber versions.

Fittings

Rarely do baths come fitted with taps, so you will need to purchase these additionally. If the bath you have chosen comes with pre-drilled tap holes – many do not – you will need to consider the type of tap which will be compatible. A monobloc tap, for example, will not be suited to a bath with two holes for pillar taps. Many baths come ready for tap holes to be drilled by whoever is fitting the bath, which gives you more freedom when choosing taps.

In terms of waste outlets, many standard baths come with holes ready to take your choice of waste fittings – for example, one hole for the plug and one for the overflow – but do not include them.

The Rocco from Living House, £1,686 + VAT (01722 415000)

Luxuries

“Bathing has always been about more than just personal hygiene, and the modern bathroom is no exception,” says Geoff Wells, Planning Expert at Dolphin Bathrooms. Luxuries can include mood lighting, sound systems, televisions, hydrotherapy and chromatherapy.

Hydrotherapy baths feature small jets fitted to the base which release bubbles of warmed air into the water. In whirlpool baths, a pump located under the bath pushes recirculated water through jets in the side of the bath, whilst in jacuzzis this water is mixed with air. These baths often feature a host of other extras, including head- and armrests, ‘waterfalls’, and built-in heaters (necessary to sit through a film watched on the LCD television which has perhaps emerged at the end of your tub, without turning to ice… Baths featuring chromatherapy have LEDs built in to ‘wash’ you with colour. The theory is that some colours are mood enhancers — and they look pretty striking too.

Sok bath from Kohler, from £9,682 (0844 571 1000)

Further Reading:

• A Guide to Bathrooms
• The Art of the Small Bathroom
• Kitchens & Bathrooms: Green Design Ideas