How do I determine what my bathtub is made out of?

Question

It is white, but I can see black metal on the underside of the lip. How can a person figure out if their bath tub is porcelain, fiberglass, metal, cast iron, acrylic, porcelin, or steel?

Answer 1

A great website for bathtub information is http://www.bathtubworld.com.  You can find anything you're looking for- it's great!

Answer 2

The weigh for one if it's heavy and the the finish is white it's cast iron and porcelain finish ,they are the best in my opinion! But they are expensive  unless you can find an old one and get it re coated with porcelain, the water keeps warmer for a long time because it absorbs the heat, Fiberglas is lighter and has an empty  sound if you punch it . When you go to the stores the sales person will tell you what is what , it's all a mater of cost and comfort.

Answer 3

Porcelain glazed steel is cheaper and the porcelain will look thinner.  It has a metallic clank, where the cast iron will have a thunk, and the finish will be more rich looking from the thicker application of porcelain. Check the drain area for details. The porcelain coat on the steel will look thinner.  Some of these two tubs will be repainted with an epoxy paint, which lasts about 8 years. Fiberglass is plastic looking, and requires special care not to remove the clear coat finish, and is difficult to keep looking clean, as oils will penetrate the clear coat.  They should be completely stripped every few years and re clear coated.  Acrylic is a new way of coating the steel, and Americast is cast iron coated with rubber and porcelain and  fired in a kiln.  Go to Home Depot and ask a lot of questions.