Not All Acrylic Tubs Are Created Equal

Posted on Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Acrylic tubs and bath liners don’t have a universally standard thickness. One of the biggest differentiators in the cost of the tubs is the thickness of acrylic. Some acrylic tubs are literally twice the thickness of other low end tubs. As you can imagine, the thinner models are much cheaper, but also much less durable than thicker models. If you are in the market for a new tub, make sure you are making an apples to apples comparison between tubs.

Why Thickness Matters

Acrylic is the best bath tub material, but tub with thin acrylic can make it susceptible to a laundry list of problems. The reason thin tubs exist is because of fly-by-night contractors looking to underbid everyone else in order to land a job. What they don’t tell you is that they are using an inferior product that will not last long. Even though acrylic is a great material, in order to perform well, it has to be the appropriate thickness. If too much weight or a blunt force is applied to acrylic it can crack. Thick acrylic tubs are built up enough that there is no risk, but thin acrylic can be damaged and cause a leak. Since thin acrylic isn’t as sturdy, it might feel like the tub is bending and flexing when you stand on it. A tub with thick acrylic should feel sturdy and have no motion or flex underfoot. Overtime, a thin tub that has flexing will wear out and crack. All tubs that are made of a firm material are susceptible to chipping. When a thin acrylic tub is chipped, it can chip right through.

If you are looking for the cheapest tub in town, you can go for the thin acrylic. But if you want a tub that will last long, you will need a thicker tub. With contracting and home improvements, you often get what you pay for. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it is probably because it is.

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