i have been reading up on the pros and cons of this also and i have chosen to go the cast iron route. there are lots of old posts from the bathroom forum, btw.. from what i gather, the cast iron is better in that it retains heat better, so you can soak longer. also, acrylic can potentially discolor over time. the good thing about acrylic is that it is light, so if you are putting it in an older home you don't have to worry about the weight and supports, etc.

If you go acrylic, you want to make sure the base/bottom is supported. Some acrylics eventually get cracks from stepping in and out weakens the bottom of the tub. We set ours in a base of foam when we set it. Some plumbers throw in batts insulation under it, anything somewhat resilient but supportive. High end or low end, most acrylic tubs need the extra support.

Freestanding? Cast iron only, with a high quality porcelain finish.

Built-in airjet tub with built in heater? Acrylic is fine.

Thanks for the opinions. I think I will for the cast iron one. We are trying to stay on budget but I think it is worth splurging on.

I did an acrylic clawfoot slipper tub with airjets. To the best of my knowledge, an individual cannot get a cast iron jetted tub. It's white with bronze feet and 5 1/2 feet in length. I could have purchased an iron tub (almost any other brand except Kohler) for same price or less but I really wanted an airtub. Most of the Kohler tubs had feet which were required but not included in price. Also very expensive, definitely more than I wanted to pay. My tub may not be 'historically accurate' but it sure makes for a nice bath, and it keeps the water warm too:)

My comment on supporting acrylics doesn't apply to the op's freestanding tub, only to deck and wall mounted. Time to get the eyeballs checked!

We were building a new/old house and ended up going with freestanding Cast Iron tub in each bathroom. Personally, I like the feel of Cast Iron and supposedly it does retain heat better.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cast Iron tub and sink

Have you looked at the free standing tubs from Victoria + Albert?

We went with the Ios... they are made from a combination of Volcanic lime stone and Resin and hold heat very well.

http://www.vandabaths.com/usa/index.php

Like archson, we also chose a Victoria + Albert tub, the Asia. It hasn't been installed yet, so I can't give any true feedback but the feel of it seems different than other acrylic tubs - more substantial.

In doing research I found that while cast iron has a reputation of retaining heat better, it sucks heat out of the water initially because it starts out as a colder material. You have to get it warm before it can retain that heat. Some people claim that their acrylic tubs lost water temperature very fast, others didn't. It may be a wash (bad pun, sorry), so try to figure out how long you stay in the tub, how often you will actually use it, find one you like and go from there.

"if you are putting it in an older home you don't have to worry about the weight and supports, etc.

Water weights over 8 pounds per gallon, plus the wight of the occupant means ANY tub is a large load.

What's the cost of the V&A tubs? How do they compare with cast iron or acrylic?

I think ours was about 3k if I remember correctly.

Curious if anyone knows of a larger version of something like this "traditional" free-standing tub? It's a 64"....

Here is a link that might be useful: 64

landngarage - check out Signature Hardware's Clawfoot tubs. They have cast iron and acrylic (including air tubs) and hammered copper in all sorts of styles (slipper, double slipper, rolltop) and sizes ranging up to 72". And I found them to be a GREAT company to work with.

Here is a link that might be useful: Signature Hardware's clawfoot tubs

Whichever brand you use I would say cast iron. I love the look and feel. I think when you look at the difference the cast iron looks so pretty. We did a elizabethan classic cast iron claw foot in cast iron and it was relatively inexpensive on the whole cast iron spectrum.

Posted by landngarage (My Page) on Tue, Jul 17, 12 at 5:39:
Curious if anyone knows of a larger version of something like this "traditional" free-standing tub? It's a 64"....

We worked with these folks (Bath of Distinction) & they were wonderful to deal with.
Prices are very competitive.
We were lucky enough to visit their warehouse near Tampa & got a first hand touch & feel tour of each of the bathtubs we were interested in.

Includes Faucet, Drain & Supply Lines also which a lot of other places charge you $500+ in addition to the tub.
Free delivery & great warranty & customer service.

Check out the link below for a 67" single slipper resembling your request. There is also a 59" & 73" sizes also.

Also check out the size chart link for how it would look inside the tub @ various sizes.
(http://www.bathsofdistinction.com/size_chart_s/143.htm)

Here is a link that might be useful: Baths of Distinction 67 Single Slipper

Thank you Bevangel and pbx2. A large slipper tub would fit just perfect into my plan's big window shed dormer.

But it may have to be a "watch this space" proposition!