How Do I... Choose a Bath?
Your new tub needs to tick many boxes – it should be comfortable, low-maintenance and stylish too, says an expert
Georgia Madden
14 September 2018
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning home and design questions. Here, Luke Di Michiel, industrial designer at Caroma, provides some practical tips for selecting the perfect tub for your bathroom.
A bath is the focal point of your bathroom, so it pays to choose one that’s beautiful as well as practical.
Deep, freestanding baths in organic shapes are in vogue right now. They create a luxurious, resort-like feel in a bathroom and instantly capture the eye. But with their generous dimensions and lack of space for toiletries, they won’t suit every bathroom.
Fortunately, there are other appealing styles to consider, including space-smart inset baths and D-shaped styles. Here’s how to choose the right tub for your bathroom.
Deep, freestanding baths in organic shapes are in vogue right now. They create a luxurious, resort-like feel in a bathroom and instantly capture the eye. But with their generous dimensions and lack of space for toiletries, they won’t suit every bathroom.
Fortunately, there are other appealing styles to consider, including space-smart inset baths and D-shaped styles. Here’s how to choose the right tub for your bathroom.
What are the main styles and what works best where?
Freestanding baths: This style has a luxurious feel and standout looks. You’ll need to include space around it for access, making it better suited to large bathrooms. You’ll also need to have a shelf or nook nearby for soap and shampoo. Not ideal for children.
Back-to-wall freestanding (or D-shaped) baths: Love the look of a freestanding bath but don’t have the room? This style gives you the look of a freestanding tub from the front, but sits flush against the wall to save space. It also means less cleaning than a freestanding tub.
Four-tile flange (or inset) baths: Does your bath double as a shower? This is the style you’ll need; it has a tiled surround and works to re-direct shower spray run-off back into the bath without damaging walls. It’s also a good choice for bathing kids or pets.
Island baths: This style sits on a tiled ‘island’, giving you space around the bath for candles or kids’ toys. Suitable for family bathrooms.
Corner baths: A space-savvy style that fits into the corner of a bathroom. Good for small bathrooms.
Freestanding baths: This style has a luxurious feel and standout looks. You’ll need to include space around it for access, making it better suited to large bathrooms. You’ll also need to have a shelf or nook nearby for soap and shampoo. Not ideal for children.
Back-to-wall freestanding (or D-shaped) baths: Love the look of a freestanding bath but don’t have the room? This style gives you the look of a freestanding tub from the front, but sits flush against the wall to save space. It also means less cleaning than a freestanding tub.
Four-tile flange (or inset) baths: Does your bath double as a shower? This is the style you’ll need; it has a tiled surround and works to re-direct shower spray run-off back into the bath without damaging walls. It’s also a good choice for bathing kids or pets.
Island baths: This style sits on a tiled ‘island’, giving you space around the bath for candles or kids’ toys. Suitable for family bathrooms.
Corner baths: A space-savvy style that fits into the corner of a bathroom. Good for small bathrooms.
What sizes do tubs come in?
They range from about 1,500 to 1,800 millimetres in length and 750 to 850 millimetres in width.
Large baths often incorporate a centre-position waste (plug) as well as reclining back rests at both ends, making them comfortable and spacious enough for two people to bathe at once.
They range from about 1,500 to 1,800 millimetres in length and 750 to 850 millimetres in width.
Large baths often incorporate a centre-position waste (plug) as well as reclining back rests at both ends, making them comfortable and spacious enough for two people to bathe at once.
Could you share a few buyer’s tips?
- Match the dimensions of the tub to your bathroom: This will create a sense of balance in the room. It will also mean less chance of the bathtub impacting the traffic and flow to the basin, shower or toilet.
- Try before you buy: The best way to tell whether a bathtub is comfortable is to climb inside it and lie down. This will also tell you how easy it is to get in and out of.
- Be clear about your bath’s purpose: You may love the idea of relaxing in a deep, freestanding bath, but if the tub is primarily for washing children or the family dog, it’s better get the bath you actually need.
What are most tubs made from?
- Acrylic: Lightweight, affordable and with good heat-retention properties. Baths are made from sheets of smooth, non-porous, sanitary-grade acrylic, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Quality acrylic baths are reinforced with fibreglass-coated timber and steel for extra strength.
- Solid surface: A smooth, seamless, non-porous finish made from engineered composite materials (mainly acrylic resin). Endless shapes, styles and finishes are available; including a marble lookalike finish that gives you the appearance of natural stone without the hefty weight or price tag. Warm to the touch and great at retaining heat.
- Enamelled steel: A highly durable material that’s great at keeping water hot. An enamelled-steel bath will retain its colour for years, and is resistant to damage from abrasive cleaning products.
I want a freestanding bath… what do I need to consider?
- Do you have enough room? You’ll need to include space around a freestanding bath for cleaning – so enough room for a mop or vacuum cleaner.
- Consider traffic flow: You’ll also need to ensure that the tub isn’t so large that it interrupts flow through the bathroom or access to the basin, toilet or shower.
- Avoid tight corners: Putting a freestanding bath in the corner of a room makes access, particularly for cleaning, extremely tricky.
- Factor in water supply: Freestanding baths generally require the installation of a freestanding bath filler, which needs specialised floor mounting and water-supply access via the floor. This might not be possible for all installations.
What should I expect to pay for a bath?
It varies enormously. An entry-level inset acrylic bath can cost as little as $150 while some freestanding European solid-surface baths can set you back $10,000 or more.
It varies enormously. An entry-level inset acrylic bath can cost as little as $150 while some freestanding European solid-surface baths can set you back $10,000 or more.
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Hi Susan Vale,
The bath in picture 5 is a Caroma Aura 1400 back to wall freestanding bath. Here is the product link https://specify.caroma.com.au/products/baths/aura/aura-1400-back-to-wall-freestanding-bath
To Jo,
if you want to go that look, don't in-build the bath. Totally different style! Either tone down the 1900s look and then you could perhaps have an in-build one, or find a small tub, even if it is a more modern look, as long as it has the neutrality and solidity to it. Hard to describe, but basically nothing which shouts which decade it comes from. Think a simple tub, as they may well have had in the 1900s... Hope this helps.
You can contact me on andrea@novaliving.com.au, if you need more help.