Close look at bathtubs: prices, materials and brands
Guide written by:
Sebastian, self-taught DIY-er, Exeter
187 guides
Acrylic and cast-iron bathtubs are neither in the same quality range or the same price range and they have wildly different characteristics. Island and corner tubs, with entry-level pricing or luxuriously-priced features, bathtubs are available in different styles and materials each offering their own brand of comfort to your bathroom. We've gone ahead and compared the current bathtub prices & materials.
Important features
- Metallic materials
- Acrylic
- Stone
- Fiberglass
Main bathtub materials
The centerpiece of any comfortable bathroom, the bathtub is available in a variety of styles, sizes and shapes. In order for the bathtub to match your bathroom decor, its material is an important factor that can change everything when choosing the ideal bathtub.
Materials | Advantages | disadvantages | |
Metallic materials | Cast-iron | Optimal thermal insulation (maintaines water temperature longer), high resistance to impacts and scratches, easy maintenance, durable | High price, heavy material requiring a resistant floor, not suitable for installation on hardwood floors, limited choice in terms of shape and size |
Enamelled steel | Lightweight material compared to cast iron, impact and scratch resistant, affordable, easy to renovate | Cold to the touch, barely retains bath heat, material tends to flake over time, noisy for both the user and any neighbors | |
Acrylic | Acrylic | Thermoformable material, wide choice of shapes and colors, lightweight, non-slip surface, heat-resistant and quiet, pleasant to the touch, affordable price | Sensitive to impacts, scratches and aggressive cleaning agents, low resistance to UV rays |
Reinforced acrylic (with fiberglass, resin or both) | Good impact resistance, light, nonslip, hygienic material with low sensitive to scratches | Relatively expensive material | |
Stone | Synthesis stone | Non-porous and easy to maintain, not very sensitive to stains and scratches, available in various shapes with a wide range of finishes | High price |
Natural stone | Natural and authentic finish, solid and durable material, not very sensitive to impacts | Heavy and expensive, challenging to maintain | |
Fiberglass | Lightweight and durable material, affordable price, wide range of shapes, available in different sizes, easy to clean | Porous surface requiring regular maintenance | |
Resin | Polyester resin | Material resistant to impacts, UV rays and chemical detergents, smooth and shiny finish, available in various shapes and colors | Highly sensitive to scratches, tends to fade over time |
Rotomoulded polymer | Fluffy appearance that is pleasant to the touch, increased resistance | Sensitive to scratches | |
Cleaning agents
Bathtub prices
It will come as no big surprise that the price of bathtubs is determined by their shape, volume, finish and material. Bathtubs can be designed to be freestanding, installed in a corner or rectangular, just to name a few. What you end up going with will be heavily influenced not only by the household's hygienic needs but also on your specific bathroom layout.
Materials | Brands | Price |
Metallic materials |
| From € 109 to € 2249 |
Acrylic |
| From 80 to 4999 € |
Stone |
| From 2868 to 9247 € |
Fiberglass |
| From 859 to 949 € |
Resin |
| From 80 to 2309 € |
More information
The choice of a bathtub is just the tip of the iceberg. Bathrooms are highly customizable with a whole host of possible configuration. For more ideas, here's some more advice from our editors and a few more guides:
Guide written by:
Sebastian, self-taught DIY-er, Exeter, 187 guides
Redo a roof with wooden beams? Check.Advise Mister everybody in the DIY shop? Check.Redo the bathroom plumbing? Check.Fit together, build the walls, paint a partition, throw my hammer in a rage thinking that it will fix the problem? Check. The DIY motto ? Learning is better than delegating… well, it's also a question about your wallet! The satisfaction? The beer at the end of the job! What do the best have in common? The influence of Gyro Gearloose, Mac Gyver and Carol Smiley depending on your generation, a good dose of curiosity, a average hand-eye coordination and a taste for risks… and if it doesn't work, try again! Advise you? I'll do my best!
