Bath tubs offer enormous choice in style and also construction materials.
Probably the most common bath construction today will be the acrylic type. These offer great flexibility for manufacturing different shapes, are lightweight and retain heat well. However pressed steel baths are not unusual and cast iron are still widely available. Both these offer strength, but steel is a poor insulator, allowing the bath water to cool quite rapidly ad cast iron baths are very heavy. Both these metal type baths tend not to be available in some of the more unusual shapes and styles.
More decorative metals like copper and nickel are also used for bath manufacture, offering statement pieces although they tend to be very expensive and not always very practical. Baths also come in solid stone, again expensive and very heavy, and also many are manufactured in solid "cast stone" materials which again provide that statement piece in a special bathroom design. Slightly more unusual, but still a beautiful possibility is the wooden bath, yes carved from real wood! You can read a bit more detail about materials here....
The Regular Bath
Usually referred to in the business as a straight bath, this is what will be most familiar. Rectangular in shape but available in a range of sizes and styles from very simple to ornate, the will be one to suit most rooms and needs. Variants include single and double ended, rounded inner tubs and more angular shapes. Depths can vary, the inner tub width can vary as can tap and waste positions.
The Shower Bath
A bath designed for having a shower fitted over. Usually this style is wider at one end, offering a bit of extra space for stand-up showering. The shower bath will typically have a dedicated glass splash screen to provide a degree of splash protection around the showering area.
The Corner Bath
Simply a bath designed to fit into the corner of your bathroom. There are various shapes available, some quite rounded in appearance and others more angular. Then there are the regular type with a symetrical design ad the off-set style which are longer on one side than the other. Some have a seating area, others are all tub and tend to require a lot of water to fill. Tap and waste positions can vary.
The Spacesaver Bath
A design based around the regular bath but which narrows at one end. This can be a useful feature where space is at a premium and a fully rectangular bath cannot be fitted.
The Built-in Bath
As suggested by the name this design is built into a base or plinth. There is also a Built-Under variant which is fixed below a flat surface with no rim projecting above. These styles usually feature in larger rooms and have great flexabality for mounting a non standard heights, and even sinking into a floor.
The Free Standing bath
A massive range of free standers exist. These baths started as the traditional bath style where the tub is mounted on decorative feet and stands alone with no plinth of panel. However they have evolved and now can be presented in a much more contemporary guise, but often retaining some style cues harking back to the traditional shapes.
Baths for the Less Able
An important bathing consideration is provision for those of us who are less able and lack the agility to easily climb into and out of a bath. Some are even less mobile, possibly wheelchair bound, but still need the facility to bathe. There are several options to assist, from baths with doors which open to mechanisms which can lower a person into their bath and lift them out again. Furthermore there are various shapes and styles available, and options for over-bath shower fittings, many looking very stylish and not at all like a specialised product for the less able among us.
Whirlpool and Spa Baths
Always a popular option, the whirlpool bath is fitted with a pump which circulates the bath water through a series of jets in the side of the bath. Air can be mixed into the water stream, producing bubbles which burst when the contact your submerged body to stimulate and massage muscles and joints. The spa bath is a little simpler and injects air into the bathing water through a series of small jets in the base. This provides a similar stimulating sensation but is widely recognised as being less beneficial than the whirlpool. Of course both systems can be combined in a single bath, offering the bather a choice.
Tiled Baths
A more unusual bath option is for a fully tiled tub. The shape of the bath can be formed in any material, but would most often be plywood or one of the waterproof tile-backer boards on the market. The actual inner surface of the bath is finished with ceramic tiles, just like a swimming pool, and naturally the construction needs to be precise to ensure waterproofing. This style of bath is often used where a sunken tub is wanted, with the rim at or just above floor level. It certainly makes a feature but would not be highly rated for comfort.
Hot Tub
As a popular outdoor gizmo, the hot tub needs to get a mention. It is simply a whirlpool type bath designed for outdoor use and usually spacious enough for several people. They range from very simple to quite sophisticated affairs, often internally shaped to provide seats or bed areas to lay on, have a system of jets with a pump to move the water around and generally also have a heater to keep the water temperature comfortable.
