How to Choose a Freestanding Tub? An Ultimate Guide in 2023

A freestanding tub – once a luxurious bathing “tool” – is now easily accessible by anyone. Statista estimates that in 2023, the bathtub market value worldwide can reach a staggering 9.9 billion U.S. dollars. With more styles and features, freestanding tubs are becoming a necessity instead of a showpiece.

A freestanding tub, or any bathtub in general, is a great way to relax and escape real-world stress. The modern freestanding tub is a great addition to your bathroom that completely transforms the ambiance and gives the perfect comfort for your bathing experience. But the thing is, it can be confusing to choose the best freestanding tub for your bathroom. Do not worry. This is where we help you understand the factors that directly impact the price of the freestanding tub and what things to look for that can bring the best comfort during your bathing experience.

Let’s “dive” into it!

Freestanding Tub – What Is It?

Now, if you are unfamiliar with the term “freestanding tub,” it is a bathtub where you can take a bath by lying down and submerging your body up to your shoulders. It is separated from the wall typically known as an alcove tub with a wall shower and tub surround. In fact, it takes us back to when tubs were originally invented to be placed independently anywhere in the room. The image below should help give you an understanding of what a freestanding tub is.

A Freestanding Tub

The freestanding tub is usually in an elongated shape and is comfortably placed where the bather has a lot of leg room to stretch and enjoy their bath. The size and shape of the bathtub vary based on various factors, such as material, the vendor or manufacturer, the requirements, and the price.

Now that you have a general idea of a freestanding bathtub, it is important to understand that freestanding bathtubs or any style bathtubs are much more suited for soaking than a bath. We say that “bath” in a “bathtub,” but technically, it is not the correct term to describe your experience.

Soaking is the best way to describe the action since you are literally soaking in the bathtub. Before becoming famous in the late 18th century, medicinal facilities mainly used bathtubs. The main purpose was to treat patients, especially seniors, with muscle fatigue and other skin-related issues. Soaking in the medicine bathtub helped them recover from fatigue and soothed skin-related issues.

Now, most people do not become aware of that fact and buy the tub for themselves. Apart from the comfort and the showpiece, there is also a medicinal advantage that people need to consider before buying a freestanding bathtub for themselves. 

3 Factors You Should Consider Before Buying a Freestanding Tub:

1. Size of Your Tub and Bathroom:

Size is one of the most important factors you need to check before buying a freestanding bathtub for your bathroom. Checking the size of both the bathtub and the bathroom is very important since this can save a lot of unnecessary issues down the road for the replacement. You can easily measure the bathroom and the tub with the help of the following steps.

STEP 1 – Take some measuring tape and measure the bathroom floor from corner to corner. Simply do that for both sides. This gives the measurement for your bathroom. Note that if your bathroom has an alcove or a protruded column, you need to measure them separately and add them to the total area. This gives you the total measurement of your bathroom, which helps to buy a freestanding bathtub that can fit inside your bathroom.

STEP 2 – Now, for the tub itself. To measure the perfect size that can fit your whole body, sit down on the floor while stretching your legs straight. Take the measuring tape and measure the length from the start of your hip to the tip of your heel. Now add some inches and get the total measurement, and based on this and your bathroom measurements, choose the best fit for your bathroom. 

2. Materials:

This factor directly correlates to your bathtub's pricing. It is best to understand the type of materials available to you so that you can make an informed decision on which bathtub is best for you from a comfort and pricing standpoint. There are five popular bathtub materials, and they are as follows:

• Acrylic
• Cast Iron
• Copper
• Resin (Stone resin)
• Natural Wood

All these materials have their own benefits and disadvantages.

Acrylic bathtub material is the cheapest material on the list. You may think that the quality is low since it is cheap. That is not the case here. Acrylic is one the best cheap materials with great durability (thanks to its fiberglass reinforcement) and can withstand small tremors and external force.  Heat retention is also good, meaning it can maintain a warm temperature for a long time. The one thing that makes the material stand out more among its peers is its sheer amount of style and variety. Acrylic is highly flexible, meaning it can be easily cast into different shapes or sizes as per requirements.

Cast iron and stone resin are middle-range materials with the best of both worlds. It has great durability and heat retention, and the price is relatively low, maybe not as low as the acrylic, but it is reasonable. The one thing to make sure if you are going with either one is that the bathroom floor is reinforced. Since both these materials are heavy, and without a proper floor, they can lead to serious damage.

Copper and natural wood are high-end or flagship materials, if you will. This bathtub comes with the best experience, and the price for that is quite expensive. Along with that, maintenance for these materials is quite resource-consuming. For example, to retain the copper’s surface polish, it is necessary to apply the wax often and ensure that there is no impurity on the surface since copper is quite reactive to atmospheric conditions and leads to unnecessary issues down the line. 

3. Style of a Freestanding Bathtub:

When it comes to syles, the freestanding tub is the best. Thanks to acrylic, various shapes and sizes are available in the market. The various styles are:

• Double-Slipper
• Pedestal
• Modern
• Slipper
• Roll-Top

Double-Slipper is probably the widest freestanding bathtub. Some sizes can even allow two people to soak in it together. If you are looking for a wider bathtub, then your best choice is the double-slipper. Now, if you like a clawfoot and want something similar to that but in a freestanding style, then a pedestal style is a perfect choice. The only thing you need to be aware of is that your bathroom floor can handle its weight. Next is the slipper tub, which is more a modern design. This bathtub gives you the feeling that the bathtub is floating in the air. If you want a bathtub that you and other people enter and exit easily, a roll-top is the best choice, thanks to its rounded edges.

FAQs:

What keeps the freestanding tub in its place?

You can use silicone caulk to fix the freestanding tub to the bathroom floor. This helps to make sure that the bathtub does not tilt over with the full weight. 

Do freestanding baths save space?

Yes, freestanding tubs can save a lot of space since it does not require support externally to stand on the bathroom floor. But the size and shape of the tub can vary, and it is recommended to take the measurements of your bathroom floor before purchasing the tub.

Do you need to waterproof the base of the freestanding tub?

Not necessarily, but it is absolutely essential to waterproof the tub and the surroundings if the bathtub lacks a base without an integral edge.

Final Thoughts:

Bathtubs, especially freestanding tubs, are getting popular nowadays. Most houses have integrated bathtubs, making it easy for habitants to use them. But, for people who do not have a bathtub in their homes and want one, this article hopes to give enough information to make the best choice when buying a freestanding tub for your bathroom. Magnus home products offer great value bathtubs in a wide range of collections if you are in the market looking for a freestanding tub. You can visit the collection here.