Americast, Enameled Steel, Cast iron - it's tub time.

[fishsticks72]

So in another thread on the forum I came to the conclusion that the leak in my shower was coming from behind a fiberglass enclosure that my wife has always hated, so the time has come for us (the enclosure, not the wife) to part ways.

I did some cursory research and decided on a cast iron tub. I saw the specs, and realized my contractor would hate me right away for suggesting it, and he confirmed it for me. 316 lbs, and this bathroom is an exceptionally small space up a narrow staircase. He doesn't want to be responsible for getting it there, and feels that the lack of maneuverability will make it difficult for him to get it installed.

He recommended I go with an enameled steel instead. I've read a lot of stuff online and here, and the reviews are all over the place. This is a seasonal home, so cast iron is probably overkill. It gets two months of traffic, albeit with a lot of kids who are as gentle on things as a pack of gorillas.

I figured enameled steel would be the next best bet, but it seems the reviews aren't the greatest - chips easily, can rust and fail, and if it's not supported right the lifespan can be short. Americast seemed like it might be a good hybrid, but it has it's share of ugly reviews as well. I saw a lot of reviews that suggested the installation was crucial and mentioned foam and bedding, but I don't know if my contractor knows about any of this.

Assuming cast iron were out for you - what would be your second choice? We're talking standard tub here - 60x30. I'm half of mind to remove the tub and just go with a big shower stall, but it's the only tub in the house and I feel like taking it away would detract from the value somehow if we were to sell.

 

[hj]

Second choice would be Americast. If steel is the third choice, I would stop at choice #2, since steel is NOT an option as far as I am concerned.

 

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[fishsticks72]

Second choice would be Americast. If steel is the third choice, I would stop at choice #2, since steel is NOT an option as far as I am concerned.

Thanks hj - I know from reading your posts you're a big advocate of cast iron, but the contractor maintains it's just too difficult to maneuver in that small a space. He was pushing the enameled steel option pretty hard, but the reviews I saw on those were pretty hairy.

Is there any special handling/installation that needs to go with an Americast tub, or is it the same as enameled steel from an installation standpoint?

 

[hj]

as far as I am concerned, they ALL install the same way. I had one job where they insisted on a steel tub. I had to go through 3 tubs before I got one that was not damaged in the box. The last one, I removed from the box downstairs so I didn't have to bring it back down if it was defective.

 

[Jadnashua]

The enameled steel tubs are pretty flimsy and drop anything on them, you can dent and break the coating, exposing the underlying steel so it can rust. CI is stiff enough where at least the metal doesn't bend much, but a heavy and hard enough item dropped on it could chip the coating (essentially glass). The Americast is denser, and the underlying material doesn't rust.

There's a technique to installing CI tubs. It can be a pain in a small bath, though. Experience helps.