Tips for bathroom planning: Steel enamel or acrylic?
People plan their bathrooms to provide many years of enjoyable use. Along with optical criteria, builders should therefore give careful consideration to the material quality when selecting bathroom facilities. After all, quality defects can drain the budget faster than expected. The diversity on offer makes it a difficult choice. Builders will have to decide not only whether to fit their bathroom with a bath, a shower, or both. They are also faced with the question of the right material – steel enamel or acrylic? The following checklist addresses the most important aspects to help you make this crucial decision.
Kaldewei steel enamel
Californian borax, Scandinavian feldspar, quartz and soda – Kaldewei uses these natural materials to produce a special enamel coating based on its own formula. At its site in Ahlen, the baths are seamlessly drawn from single sheets of steel. At a temperature of 850°C, steel and enamel fuse in the world’s largest U-type furnaces to form the superior Kaldewei steel enamel. The result is so hard-wearing and stable in value that all Kaldewei baths, shower trays and enamelled shower surfaces are backed by a 30-year manufacturer’s guarantee.
Acrylic and Quaryl
Baths made of acrylic are produced by heating a solid-coloured acrylic sheet which is then drawn into shape in several stages. The curved parts require particular care, as these can thin out when drawn. Once cooled, the acrylic bath often needs to be reinforced with wood or fibre glass, as acrylic is not sufficiently stable in and of itself to withstand stress, so the bathtub might warp under normal use. Significant dimensional tolerances in the production frequently necessitate laborious and costly adjustment to the existing installation situation. Acrylic baths are guaranteed for periods of between two and five years.
Quaryl is a mineral composite of quartz sand and acrylic. It is used to help fix the main drawbacks of acrylic baths. Quaryl, however, has little elasticity and is so brittle that it can easily break under stress. This material also does not have the same surface qualities as steel enamel, which is reflected not least in a guarantee period of just ten years.
Steel enamel versus acrylic
Surface hardness
+ Enamel has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale from 1 to 10. It is therefore classed as a highly robust material, and since it is harder even than steel, enamel is virtually impossible to scratch with materials used in the bathroom. Only precious stones have a harder surface than enamel.
– Acrylic has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs Hardness Scale from 1 to 10. Acrylic surfaces therefore are relatively soft and scratch easily.
Care
+ Steel enamel is very easy to care for and can be cleaned using common household detergents. Not even the microscopically tiniest scratches appear on the pore-free surface of Kaldewei steel enamel.
– Acrylic contrasts enamel in that it is a soft material and should be cleaned with care. Due to its low surface hardness even dusting can cause tiny scratches which facilitate the build-up of bacteria and reduce the visual appeal of the surface.
Hygiene
+ Steel enamel is as hard as glass with a pore-free surface that makes it virtually impossible for bacteria, mould and suchlike to collect. Its special easy-care properties were confirmed in a pertinent hygiene report. Steel enamel can be provided with an additional surface finish known as Kaldewei easy-clean.
– Acrylic can easily scratch on the surface allowing dirt particles and bacteria to be trapped in the tiny cracks. Often, these can only be removed using chemical detergents that may damage the acrylic surface.
Safety
+ Steel enamel from Kaldewei can be provided with anti-slip surface finishes for additional safety underfoot. Permanently fired onto the enamel surface, there are three types of enamel available: Kaldewei anti-slip, Kaldewei full anti-slip, and a world first, Kaldewei Secure Plus as a virtually invisible full-surface anti-slip finish for optimum safety in the shower.
– Acrylic cannot be fired with a permanent anti-slip surface finish.
Chemical resistance
+ Steel enamel from Kaldewei is directly produced by the company at its site in Ahlen having been perfected for many decades. It is resistant to all skin-friendly cosmetic bathroom products and perfumes. Even hair dye and nail polish remover do not leave a mark. The surfaces as a result retain their initial beauty and hygienic appearance throughout their entire life.
– Acrylic surfaces can be damaged by solvent-containing substances such as nail polish remover. Small scratches in the surface also easily trap residues of bath additives or dye.
Heat resistance
+ Steel enamel is non-flammable – hot or burning objects such as candles or cigarettes will neither set the bath on fire nor leave behind any burn marks or smoke residue.
– Acrylic can be damaged by burning and hot objects. Not only do these leave behind burn marks and smoke residue, they can even set an acrylic bath on fire.
UV resistance
+ Steel enamel is colour-fast, UV-resistant and non-fading. Even after 30 years of use, Kaldewei steel enamel will continue to look as good as new.
– Acrylic can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays and turn yellow. Whether it does largely depends on the material quality of the acrylic used.
Forming and design
+ Steel forming requires decades of experience, in-depth technical know-how, and a good feel for the material. Kaldewei has managed time and again to satisfy new product requirements and set trends in modern bathroom design. Around 100 design awards for baths, shower trays and enamelled shower surfaces made of Kaldewei steel enamel demonstrate its impressive pioneering spirit in the design of aesthetic, yet functional product solutions.
+ Acrylic is a material that requires considerably less know-how in forming. It is important here, however, to pay attention to good quality of the material and to an accurate fit of the bath or shower tray, as these will otherwise quickly show wear or instability. After all baths and shower trays made of acrylic often have significant dimensional tolerances.
Recycling
+ Steel enamel is produced exclusively from natural materials. It can therefore be fully recycled at the end of its life.
– Acrylic is a plastic; the waste produced in its manufacture is harmful to the environment. Baths made of acrylic also need to be disposed of as special waste at the end of their life.
Source: Franz Kaldewei GmbH & Co. KG. Copy requested.
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