Cast-Iron vs. Acrylic Tub

Category: infrastructure

Cast-iron tubs are heavy enameled iron basins with exceptional heat retention; acrylic tubs are lightweight, fiberglass-reinforced plastic units.

An enameled cast-iron tub is virtually indestructible and keeps bathwater hot for hours, but can weigh up to five hundred pounds empty. This massive load often demands structural reinforcement of the floor joists. Acrylic units are affordable, light, and easy to maneuver, but scratch easily.

Common Examples

• We added sister joists beneath the primary bathroom subfloor to safely carry the immense weight of the new cast-iron soaking tub.
• Acrylic tubs are flexible, requiring a dense mortar base bedding underneath the shell during installation to eliminate tub bottom flex.