3 Reasons I Love Acrylic Tubs (and You Will Too)!
I recommend acrylic tubs all the time because they’re beautiful, offer tons of features, and they’re maintenance free (they’re also generally cost effective)!
This acrylic tub makes a statement and there’s no maintenance required!
When I say acrylic tub, I don’t mean the flimsy, ‘plastic’-feeling tub you had in your college apartment - we’ve had our acrylic tub for over 8 years and it still looks as good as the day it was installed!
So, let’s address the biggest question you’re probably thinking right now… Do the new acrylic tubs feel more luxurious than the builder-basic fiberglass ones in rental apartments? The answer is YES! First off, an acrylic tub and a fiberglass tub are not the same thing - acrylic tubs are often reinforced with fiberglass backing, meaning the acrylic surface you see, touch and soak in, is actually twice as strong as a plain fiberglass tub (which is simply just a gel coated mixture sprayed over a mold). Now that we’ve addressed that matter… let’s get to the fun stuff!
With Acrylic Tubs, You’ll Be Soaking in Style.
Acrylic tubs come in a variety of styles, sizes, and shapes to fit just about any design you can dream up! From a serene, Japanese inspired soaking tub, to a skirted alcove tub and everything in between. Depending on your bathroom design, you can browse and sort options on different manufacturers websites or work with a designer or showroom consultant to find the best tub for your bathroom based on your soaking preferences, what’s comfortable for your body, and of course, whether you want something freestanding (like the 2nd image), drop-in, under-mount (like the 3rd image), or alcove (like the 4th image).
Acrylic tubs are versatile in their design and style, are lighter weight than engineered stone options (or cast iron options) so they’re a great fit for bathrooms on 2nd or 3rd stories, and they’re extremely durable.
Quality Acrylic Tubs Are Practically Maintenance Free!
Our acrylic tub takes all of the toddler abuse (and paint!), and still looks brand new!
For the 8+ years we’ve had our acrylic tub it’s been tested over and over again - even more so now that our son has come along! From sandy days at the beach, to toddler artwork - a little warm soap and water cleans every mess right up!
Acrylic tubs can scratch, but we have yet to get one and we’re pretty hard on things around here. This tub stays whiter than anything else in our house!
Bring Spa Features to Your Home
This MTI tub has built in brushed nickel grab bars, jets, air bath, chromotherapy and aromatherapy!
Skip the spa and soak at home (well, maybe go to the spa for the massage…), but you can definitely create your own spa experience at home with the options available in acrylic tubs today! My favorite spa features for acrylic tubs come from MTI Tubs - you can infuse hydrotherapy with chromotherapy and aromatherapy for the ultimate experience! You can add any of these features to their acrylic tubs to create your own personalized tub, most models also have options for integrated arm rests and/or built in grab bars as well. You can even add speakers and heated backrests! I personally tested these features (except for the speakers) when I toured their factory in Georgia a few years back and try as I might to create my own spa experience here at home, I have to say, my baths don’t have quite the same effects as the air bubble (for blood circulation), chromotherapy (balancing the body’s energy via light/color) and lavender infused soak I had enjoyed when I stayed on site!
A spa sure is nice, but the health and wellness benefits that some of these features offer is the real win! These modalities have been used (some for hundreds of years!) to improve blood flow, lower stress, improve sleep, reduce inflammation, and provide comfort for joint pain and arthritis - just to name a few. If you’re considering replacing or updating your bathing experience, I highly recommend learning more about the health benefits available with some of these features!
Obviously, the more bells and whistles your tub has, the pricier it will be - however - a beautiful acrylic soaking tub usually fits the budget for the majority of bathroom remodels. Even if you don’t add the spa features, you can still soak in style… and on budget!