bath room remodel?

Question

what is better to use for a bath room remodel.we are going to tile the bathtub surround..should we use a metal tub or a fiberglass one.

Answer 1

You definitely want to go with a acrylic.

There are 3 main companies that carry this type of system.
1) Luxury Bath
2) Re-Bath
3) Bath Fitter

Luxury Bath is the highest quality by a long shot. It also has a product called microban. Microban is a antimicrobial product that actually kills mold and mildew. It also comes with the best warranty. www.luxurybath.com

Re-Bath would be my second choice. The reason being is they, like Luxury Bath have a one piece "dog leg" (The area on the wall in front off the tub. The dog leg goes from the top of the tub rail to the floor.)

The reason I would not recommend Bath fitter is because of the dog leg. This is the area that is most prone to leaking and they piece it together here.

As far as other options there is

1) tearing it out and starting over
2) Ceramic tile
3) re-glazing

With tearing it out you will be forced to use a fiberglass tub, which is very porous making it very difficult to clean. (for those that are reading this, thinking how nice your fiberglass tub is, go in there and rub your fingers over it. It may look o.k. but it will be greasy, that’s because the porous material is literally sucking the soap scum in. Fiberglass surrounds are also known for cracking and being "spongy" when you stand in them.

Ceramic tile is definitely attractive, but unfortunately the grout is the weak point, after all its 80% sand, and sand sucks in the water making it a perfect surface for mold and mildew. Grout also needs maintenance once a month, but before you do the maintenance, you need to clean it with a toothbrush.

re-glazing is when they paint the tub. This is more of a band-aid if your trying to sell the home, but don’t care how it will look in 6 months to 1 year. It also doesn't address the walls or fixtures.

Answer 2

I would agree acrylic.

Answer 3

i'd go with acrylic.