Freestanding bathtubs are among the fashionable piece of bathroom furniture today. Many homeowners, in the course of carrying out renovation of their homes, are getting rid of the more traditional built-in bathtubs and in their stead, installing soaker tubs. Apart from these set of individuals remodeling their homes, more and more of those who are at the building stage opt straight away to install deep stand alone bathtubs in the bathroom of their homes. Now, considering the fact that soaking baths come in different sizes, shapes, style and so on, it is, therefore, imperative that before you buy one from an online retailer, you need to have certain information at your disposal so you can make the right choice of the free standing bathtub to buy. Having this information is essential as the deep soaker bathtub is most likely going to be the most expensive piece of furniture to adorn your bathroom. In this piece, we would discuss three things to consider before buying your new bathtub from stand alone tubs retailers online.

Define the size of the tub

It is essential that you define the amount of space you have to work with before you go shopping for a soaker bathtub from an online retailer. You would have to do this by taking a measurement of the space you intend to install the bathtub. This helps prevent the unpleasant situation of having a deep freestanding bathtub you bought from an online retailer not fitting in the designated space. Other than taking a measurement of the proposed place you plan to install the stand alone bathtub, it is also essential to measure areas like the door frames, stairways, and hallways. Basically, every area the tub will have to go through to get to your bathroom.

Another important thing to do in order to define the tub size is to consider whoever will be using the tub. For instance, a couple’s suite in a hotel would require a tub that can comfortably take two persons at the same time. It would not make any sense to find a single person tub in such a suite. At other instance where more than one person uses the bathtub, it is often ideal that the one we choose should fit the person that uses it often. Taking the user into consideration will definitely help determine the length, depth, and width of the choice of bathtub we make.

Get to know the different materials used for the soaking bathtubs

It is essential that you get to know the different materials used for the freestanding bathtubs, their advantages, and disadvantages. This will help you determine if your floor can withstand the ones made from heavier materials or not. Determining the material the bathtub is made of can also help you understand the ideal cleaning process to adopt as the cleaning process differs from one material to the other. Below are some of the materials freestanding bathtubs are made from:

• Acrylic

Most freestanding bathtubs are made from this material. Relatively light weight and easy to maintain, acrylic freestanding bathtubs have really smooth surface that is not susceptible to scratched and dents. In addition, they appear being high-polished making them look new all the time and they are not easily broken.

• Cast iron freestanding bathtubs

Bathtubs made from this material are heavy and sturdy. They come with a classic look that makes them nice bathroom furniture for an old-fashioned restored bathroom. Due to their weight, which seems to be their only disadvantage, many cast iron freestanding bathtubs require a pedestal or plinth for support. The materials they are made from also makes them durable as they can be used for decades.

• Steel stand along tubs 

Bathtubs made from this material are way lighter than cast iron bathtubs. They have the advantage of not being susceptible to rust.

• Stone soaker bath

These are soaker bathtubs made from marble. They are of high priced value and they have the ability to make the area they are installed look lavish. The disadvantage associated with marble is that it can be eroded by acidic material.

• Porcelain soaking bathtub

Bathtubs made from porcelain are similar to bathtubs made from cast iron with the difference being that bathtubs made from porcelain are a lot lighter. Another advantage of bathtubs made from this material is that they are not susceptible to chemical corrosion and are also quite affordable.

The different styles available

Having selected a material, it is also good to consider the different make and designs of freestanding tubs available if you are to make the best choice. In the market, you would find that there are different styles of tubs designed to complement various bathroom decors. Some come with support (pedestal or plinth) to give your bathroom that exquisite touch. Some like the soaking bathtubs (such as the slippers tubs, the double slipper, pedestal and Japanese soaking tub) are designed to be comfortable for luxurious bathing. These different bathtubs also come in their different length, depth, and width to accommodate different category of persons.