A bath is a compulsory component of equipped housing, whether it be a country mansion or a small apartment in a metropolis. It is needed for the full reception of hygienic, medical and relaxing procedures.
More recently, this immense pleasure was not accessible to everyone. But now short baths are produced in an assortment that does not lag behind the number of offers and design from traditional tanks. We will talk about how to choose the best option for you mini plumbing.
Reasons to buy a custom bath
Immediately, we note that there is no clear technical definition of which bowl is considered short and which is not. 1.5 - 1.7 m is recognized as the standard long conventional capacity measured from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The average long shortened models are considered to be 1.0 - 1.2 m, although some deviations are not excluded.
The desire to purchase a bath of custom sizes arises not only from the owners of small apartments. The owners of large private houses are planning to join the ranks of potential buyers, planning to organize a separate bathroom for children.
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Retro style short bath
Significant plus - space saving
Organization of a children's bathroom
Short plumbing in the attic
Shortened version as a temporary measure
Addition to the shower
Use in country buildings
Short types of plumbing in the store
Similar ideas are visited by those who decided to install a swimming tank in the attic, the ceiling under which is not designed for an impressive load. Short plumbing is also needed for those who want to hide the flaws of an unsuccessful bathroom layout, and those for whom the area of the room does not allow you to conveniently arrange the necessary household appliances.
The list of unconditional adherents of shortened bowls includes owners of small families and their modern version, studio apartments. These include buyers of "temporary" plumbing, who decided to change it in a couple of years to a huge expensive hot tub.
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For small apartments
Compact bath in the combined bathroom
Compact bathtub with door
Compact cup quick filling
Often, the purchase of a short option is a necessary measure related to the physical characteristics of a person, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and simply a respectable age. A special category of bathtubs is available for them, which allows you to take procedures, despite serious restrictions.
Naturally, non-standard size plumbing manufacturers seek to accommodate all types of consumer needs. They offer everyone a wide range of products, providing the opportunity to find a product suitable for the idea, form, convenience.
The short bathing containers they produce are divided into types and subspecies that potential buyers should familiarize themselves with.
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Short model without legs
Short foot bath
Ready-made mini bathtub
Mini bath option
Classification as a guideline
The division of shortened types of plumbing into groups that facilitate the selection is made according to the same principles as the ranking of trading offers of bathtubs of standard size. Fundamental differences are only in dimensions.
In addition to personal taste priorities, accounting requires a number of important criteria, these are:
- Type and durability of the material of which the bowl is made.
- The shape of the tank in plan, closely related to the option of the location of the plumbing in the bathroom.
- A configuration that provides the ability to swim while sitting or does not provide this advantage.
- The degree of technical equipment, as in the line of short models there is both conventional and hydromassage plumbing.
- Ergonomics plus the availability of tools that guarantee safe and comfortable operation.
To the list of classification features should also be added the presence of a sealed door. Bathtubs with it occupy a special niche in the market. Such plumbing is intended primarily for people with physical disabilities, but not only for them.
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For users with physical disabilities
Bathtub with armchair
Model bath with structural seat
Mini plumbing with a notch in the side
Most shortened bathtubs, especially sedentary models, are “stretched” in height so that it is difficult for a healthy person to plunge into a tank. The vertical orientation allows you to completely wash the body with water, but forces you to install the door.
A set of water is made only after its closure, which is associated with some inconvenience. However, the disadvantages are compensated by the quick filling of a rather small volume tank.
Along with bathtubs equipped with a door, manufacturers supply plumbing designed for balneological establishments. Restricted user models are equipped with support chairs, armrests, head restraints and ergonomic handles.
Bowl material is an important aspect
The cost of the product, its wear resistance and the important thermal characteristics for receiving procedures depend on the material from which the bowl is made.
In the manufacture of short models of plumbing, traditional options are used, most often used:
- Cast iron. It is rightfully the leader in the ranking of plumbing, which is due to optimal heating equipment and maximum product life of 20-50 years. In cast-iron tanks, the temperature of the water collected for bathing is stored for the longest time. The disadvantages of the material are its heaviness and a considerable price.
- Steel. It is not particularly successful due to its high thermal conductivity - water in steel tanks quickly freezes. But they are light and easy to install. Operational periods rarely reach 10 years. During the period of water intake, the steel bowl makes a lot of noise, which worries the owners with their neighbors.
- Acrylic. It attracts with ease and convenience of installation; by thermal engineering standards, it lags slightly behind cast iron. This plumbing is molded from extruded and molded sheet acrylic. Injection type is better and more reliable, but at a price close to cast iron. On average, it serves 5 - 7 years.
- He cooked. Lighter than cast iron, and in heating technology it is about the same level with it. Outwardly, acrylic is more pleasant and lasts much longer; the service life, depending on the brand, is 10 - 15 years. Installation of quartz bathtubs is rather difficult, besides technological holes need to be cut by ourselves.
Note that in the production of short models, mainly acrylic is used. Its plasticity allows you to give the bowl any shape. Technological holes are easily cut through at the points required for overflow drainage, nozzles, plumbing fixtures and fittings.
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In the production of mini bathtubs, acrylic is mainly used as the most technologically advanced material, providing the opportunity to realize any form
Bowls of plumbing are molded under vacuum pressure from injection or extrusion sheet acrylic
Injection acrylic is stronger and more reliable than extrusion. True, it is almost impossible to visually determine the differences, for this you need to study the data sheet
The water collected in the acrylic bath cools only 1º per hour faster than in the cast iron
It is easier to form technological holes in the polymer walls for the arrangement of nozzles for hydro- and air massage
The equipment that forms acrylic bowls is quickly and easily retuned to new products, which makes it significantly cheaper than exclusive cast-iron models
In the production of acrylic plumbing, any options are possible, however, buyers prefer white color and pastel colors close to it
The weight of acrylic plumbing does not cause difficulties for installers; they install it without any problems with their own hands
Spectacular acrylic plumbing configuration
Cast Acrylic Sanitary Ware
Cast Acrylic Priorities
Thermotechnical advantages of an acrylic bath
Technological hole formation
Original acrylic bowl configuration
Colorful gamut of acrylic mini plumbing
The ability to install an acrylic bowl with your own hands
Bowls of all kinds of fantasy shapes are made from acrylic: in the form of shoes, hammocks, drops, boats, etc. Most angular types of symmetrical and asymmetric sanitary ware are made of this material. Small-sized jacuzzis with a different set of technical devices are produced from it.
Sitting baths are made mainly of cast iron, which is due to the characteristic weight and guaranteed stability of the bowl. The enamel coating of the cast-iron bath can be restored without problems if necessary. Cast iron plumbing is rarely equipped with a large number of nozzles required for hydromassage, but it will work the longest.
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Mini bath made of wooden dice
Industry Innovation - Qual
High impact glass short bowl
Costly Copper Products
Fancy Stainless Steel Bowl
Seated artificial stone options
Cropped stone bath
In a number of sedentary versions there are products from multilayer fiberglass according to the technology used in shipbuilding. They rely on a solid steel frame. The outer surface of the products is covered with a gel shell, which increases the strength and aesthetic characteristics of the products.
Plumbing form in plan
The specific geometry of short models was originally designed to save free space in the bathroom, or even less in the combined bathroom. However, this principle is not interesting to all consumers.
For example, those who want to install a small capacity in the attic of a country mansion practically do not think about saving space.
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Short oval-shaped bowl
Round compact plumbing
Most popular rectangle
Convenient corner design
It is possible to conditionally divide short bowls into:
- Rectangular Traditional options, simply made in shortened form. They are located mainly next to one or two walls, a separate one, i.e. island setting.
- Oval. Outwardly they resemble cup-shaped fonts used in Orthodox baptismal rites, or wooden bath tubs. They are located without adjoining the walls of the room.
- Corner Two adjacent sides of the corner bowls converge at 90º, making it extremely convenient to install them in any suitable corner of the room. The outer line of the container can be absolutely straight or semicircular. The triangle formed by the sides of the bowl can be either symmetric or asymmetric.
An independent segment in the assortment of short models stands out design solutions. They are difficult to attribute to a specific geometric variety.
The original short plumbing, of course, does not save space and is quite expensive. True, this consumer whim manufacturers are trying to satisfy with interest.
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Designer hammock-shaped bathtub
Interesting plumbing in the form of a boat
Shell chip styling
Shoe-shaped mini bathtub
Small hydromassage bathtubs
The assortment of short jacuzzi has sedentary options and models that allow you to sit in a container only with legs bent at the knees. They are mainly made from acrylic, as the most technologically advanced material, which allows to realize any enchanting fantasies of designers and complex ideas of engineers.
The number of nozzles in the mini-jacuzzi is naturally limited, as A small plane in area does not make it possible to cut through, for example, 64 pieces without losing the strength characteristics of the product. The holes for supplying water jets are on average from 2 to 18, they are located mainly in the region of the lower back, upper back and feet.
Hot tubs are equipped with a different set of functions. On sale there are containers designed exclusively for hydromassage.
There are options with a compressor for turbo procedures, with cascading mixers, waterfalls, blocks for watching videos and listening to audio materials. To form a relaxing color background, the bathtubs are complemented with backlight.
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Compact whirlpool with a minimum of features
Minimum number of jets for hydromassage
Color Therapy System
Hot tub without door
The principle of sitting bathtubs
We have already noted that most sitz baths are equipped with a door, which is necessary for convenient use of plumbing. A self-healing seal is laid along the edge of the door, assuming its original dimensions and shape after multiple opening / closing cycles.
The lever locking the door, connected to a self-centering locking device, is located on the outside of the bathtub, which eliminates accidental spillage of water. The width of the doorway is designed for free movement of a person with difficulties in movement, it can be opened to 180º.
For older people, they make sitz baths with a non-slip coating arranged on the floor, with hygienic recesses on the seat to simplify the care of the genitals, with handrails and heated seats. Installation and connection of seating plumbing is made according to all familiar technologies.
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Italian sitz baths
Tonga Series Bath Features
Hydraulic mini Samoa system
Capri Series Bathtub Model
To help future buyers
Those who have decided on the configuration of the bowl and the material from which it is made, decided which model is best suited, it is worth scrupulously understanding the details and familiarizing yourself with useful recommendations.
Rating of manufacturers of short plumbing
The rating of manufacturers of short and standard plumbing is led by Italian firms. Plumbing with the logo of Cezares, Jacuzzi, Albatros conquers with grace of form, ergonomics and thoroughly thought out technical solutions.
Neither the appearance nor the reliability leaves doubts for buyers, but it could not do without flaws - the price of products to the majority is elementary "too expensive".
Therefore, most of the Italian mini-tanks for bathing listed brands on the market are made of acrylic. It is lighter, transportation is cheaper than transportation of cast-iron tanks. Less likely to damage the coating or crack.
In the average price range, Czech products from Ravak and Riho stand out from the competition. Manufacturers offer practical and really convenient products in which every detail is clearly calculated and a decorative touch.
In the range of products that are average in price, you can find expensive and budget types, while the former are only slightly ahead of the quality of the latter.
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Top-rated Italian baths
Cons of expensive plumbing
Acrylic plumbing prevails
Service Life Depends on Care
Acrylic bathtubs, molded from molding material, are popular among us from the Spanish company Roca, the Polish manufacturer Cersanit. Shortened plumbing is well sold out by the Austrian-Polish concern Alpen and the Slovenian brand Kolpa-San. According to the reviews of the owners, these containers work well much longer than the guaranteed period.
Among the proposals from the Russian manufacturer, bathtubs with the Akrilan, Triton, 1MarKa and Radomir logo deserve attention. Plumbing is produced on high-tech equipment, meets the requirements of European standards. Customers are satisfied with the technical equipment, quality, and design.
Convincingly argues buyers the cost of products of Russian companies, not including customs duties and transport surcharges. There are no problems with returning under warranty documents, in addition, technical means can be equipped at will.
Theoretical preparation for installation
Those who wish to acquire plumbing of a non-standard size, correctly install it and use it without problems will be helped by several valuable recommendations.
So that it is not a cheap purchase that does not disappoint in the first hours, you must:
- Carefully consider the location of the short bowl. For a thorough study of the issue, you need to remove the exact dimensions of the bathroom, the furniture and plumbing available in it.
- Draw a diagram or plan. With a plan made in size, you can contact the store. Most markets that respect themselves and the buyer have software that can be used to determine both the choice and the layout of the bathroom.
- To consider options for connecting a short model to the water supply and sewer. To install a spa bath, you must determine the power connection.
If it is not possible to independently think over and design connection options, it is better to contact the design office ahead of the purchase, which will develop an optimal solution from a technical point of view.
Design Recommendations
In order for mini plumbing to successfully fit into the interior picture of the bathroom, there are several sensible recommendations.
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Installing a mini bath near a short wall
Light tone is priority
Size of nearby equipment
Common geometric lines
Shortened plumbing will look great if:
- The interior uses transparent shelves and cabinets, which optically gives lightness to the environment.
- There are no bulky items in the bathroom, next to which the compact bowl is simply lost.
- Light colors are used in the decoration, there are no sharp contrasts and excessively bright accents.
A mini bath will look ridiculous against the background of a dimensional sink with a massive countertop. Also, do not emphasize its size by laying large tiles on the walls and floor. It is important to choose a product of pure white or a pastel color close to it in order to visually increase the size of the compact model.
In order to visually “crop” a room that is too elongated, it is advisable to place a short bowl near a short wall. In a small square room, it is better to place such a bath in the corner, in a large hygienic room it will look great in the center.
Owners of small bathrooms will certainly be interested in questions of choosing mini washers. They are described in detail in our recommended article.
Video # 1. Presentation of the mini-bath "Lisa":
Video # 2. Compact capacity in Khrushchev:
Video # 3. Recommendations for the use of sitz baths:
Taking into account the nuances with which we tried to acquaint you will help in a difficult choice. Our tips will help you choose the most suitable model. Design recommendations will help you choose the best location.
Tell us about how to choose a short model of plumbing for your own home / cottage. Share: what option did you purchase and why did you stop at this particular bathtub? Please leave comments in the block below, ask questions on the topic of the article, post comments and photographs.