Opinions on Restoria tubs

6 years ago

Hi all,

Our bath remodel hit a couple of snags. One of which was our old clawfoot tub needs a lot more work to make it usable -- to the point it is actually cheaper to buy a new one. I guess it will be the most expensive tomato planter in town now.

We like the look of Restoria ambassador, but would like to know what people think of them. Not seeing a lot of reviews and it does not look like there are any local dealers here. But the dimensions are almost exactly that of the cast iron and the price is in our budget.

Thanks,

Anthony

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

cpartist
6 years ago
I personally wouldn't do an acrylic tub. They don't look quite like cast iron and they don't hold heat in like a cast iron tub. Try looking on Signature Hardware for tubs too.
numbersjunkie
6 years ago
I'm going to question cpartist's statement about cast iron holding heat better than acrylic. There has been a lot of discussion here on this board, including comments from those who have had both, and many say acrylic is actually better at holding heat. I think the cast iron sucks the heat our of the water, while acrylic does not.
Related Discussions
Tub or no tub? Opinions, please
Q
Comments (27)
Thanks, dabunch. I'm trying to think through all of this. Our doorways are all going to be wide enough for a wheelchair to come through straight on. If we add a shallow ramp, a wheelchair will be able to get from the front porch or garage into the house, then all around the LR/DR/kitchen, into the MBR and the master bathroom. A wheelchair will not be able to go into the master closet, but I don't forsee either of us living alone if we are in a wheelchair. I was at the cabinetmaker's shop yesterday at the same time a woman in a wheelchair was there planning her kitchen. So many things I would never have thought of...like the microwave not only lowered, but also not over a cabinet. Well, as Bette Davis so famously said, "getting old isn't for sissies." We're not old yet, but we are hoping to be. So we are planning for it.
...See More
Bath tub opinions?
Q
Comments (2)
As I read more the Americast is making me nervous. Of course that is what my contractor wants to install due to the weight, but since our old tub has not been replaced for 40+ years I think that may be the case here. Tiling around will make it impossible to remove and replace. So the question is how to install it properly.
...See More
Need opinions regarding a window install in my hall bath tub area
Q
Comments (9)
I've done showers that had all kinds of windows. I'm not saying it can't be done. BUT. be aware there's a risk associated with it. <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Bill_Vincent/media/Flaherty033.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt=" photo Flaherty033.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Bill_Vincent/media/Allen120.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt=" photo Allen120.jpg"/></a>
...See More
Claw tub opinions wanted
Q
Comments (2)
They have some really lovely things. I was tempted by a toilet from there but ultimately felt I needed to get something locally that I could get support/parts for if needed. For a tub, I would probably go with it. Our tub is 90 years old and I haven't needed manufacturer support yet. :) But first I would scour for reviews on their damaged item return policy. You DON'T want to have to pay freight yourself to get this back to them!
...See More
cpartist
6 years ago
Funny numbersjunkie, the only articles I've been finding claiming that acrylic tubs retain heat better are those put out by acrylic tub manufacturers.

And here's a [thread [(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/acrylic-vs-cast-iron-tub-dsvw-vd~631085)discussing both acrylic and cast iron tubs.

Simple physics also favor the heat retention of cast iron over acrylic.

I stand by my comment.
numbersjunkie
6 years ago
Funny, my opinion on heat retention for cast iron versus acrylic also came from a number of threads on this forum (and not from manufacturers of acrylic tubs). There seems to be quite a difference of opinion here. I did a bit more research, and I think the difference of opinion relates to the statement often made that cast iron has better "heat retention" properties than acrylic. This makes sense because it is a very dense material. But metals are generally conductive materials, and not insulators (opposite of conductors). See this link. Plastics (acrylic?) are generally insulators.

A conductive material will suck the heat out of the water. Once iron sucks the heat out of the water, it may hold the heat very well due to its density. It does not prevent the heat from leaving the water, which is what most people are concerned about. I'm no expert, but it could be that the cast iron tub will be warmer after a long period of time, but I expect the water temp of the acrylic tub will be hotter in the short term since the heat will not transfer out of the water (and into the iron tub) as quickly. Maybe it depends on how long you plan to sit in your tub?

In reading through the various discussions on this forum, there seems to be anecdotal evidence on both sides.

Opinions on Restoria tubs

Comments (4)

cpartist

numbersjunkie

Related Discussions

cpartist

numbersjunkie

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US