If you are going to a hardware distributor to buy your whirlpool bathtub, it’s wise to be curious before you actually make the purchase. With all the state of the art acrylic, fiberglass, and cast iron bathtubs coming into prominence today, it can get confusing with all the terms that they may throw at you. Here to help you are some pointers and things to ask when you are buying a whirlpool bathtub.

First of all, ask yourself whether or not you can fit a conventional whirlpool bathtub in your bathroom space. The easiest to install are the 5-ft long models that slide into your existing tub alcove but if you can’t even fit the smaller models, you may want to reconsider getting a whirlpool bathtub in the first place. Another important thing to know regarding setting up your bathroom for your new bathtub is whether your water heater is large enough to fill over sixty percent of your whirlpool bathtub with warm water. Because they typically run larger, whirlpool tubs can hold from 25 all the way up to 150 gallons.

When you’re in the store, you should take advantage of the showrooms. Don’t be afraid to get in the whirlpool bathtub and test the size, back support and durability. Ask the employees if you would have access to all the components that are typical for whirlpool bathtubs. Some models have sophisticated air-jet systems and tub skirts whereas others don’t. Make sure that you’re getting all the features that you want in your whirlpool bathtub, and if you want it to look like a classic style clawfoot bathtub or a more modern style. Finally, ask about the price tag if you have a certain budget to consider. Depending on the size and material, your whirlpool bathtub can range from affordable to "I must sell my firstborn to buy this". All of these are important questions to consider asking yourself and a representative so that you can buy the whirlpool bathtub that best fits you.

That’s right folks– it can be done. If you want to learn how to caulk your bathtub incorrectly like my husband did yesterday, please follow these valuable tips:

-Allow the dire task at hand sit and wait until you’re forced into it by your "nagging" wife.
-Let everyone think you are a professional but go online to search exactly what caulking a bathtub entails.
-Set out to buy the cheapest caulk you can find in the hardware store.
-Bring back a household tube of cement meant to hold together ceramics. Go back to the hardware store to get the correct caulking material for bathtubs.
-Remove the old caulk in a haphazard manner so that there are still remnants of it left behind.
-Cut the tip of the tube a hole too large thereby increasing the amount of caulk you have to remove and clean up.
-Don’t remove the said excess caulk that has started to dry around the bathtub and continue applying the bead.
-Apply the caulk too slowly and create crooked lines along the bathtub seams.
-Fail to smooth over the caulk so that there are ridges and bumps in the bead.
-Don’t clean up after yourself and leave all your tools right where they are around the discount whirlpool tub. There will always be a complying  woman there to do it for you eventually.
-Get a warm blanket to sleep on the uncomfortable couch for the night.

I know I have been putting it off for ages but I finally knew that I had to tackle my bathtub refinishing project head on. Maybe it’s because the new year is approaching or maybe it’s because I feel stressed out that my bathtub isn’t looking how it should ideally be but the passion for this endeavor was never so desparately re-ignited.
I think the hugest selling point for me was the fact that it was cheaper than bathtub liners. The bathtub doesn’t need to be covered over completely or even dismantled and uninstalled; it just needs a bit of touch ups here and there. You know how when you have facial peels, you get rid of that layer of dead skin and gunk that sits on your face making you look older than you are? That’s kind of what happens in bathtub refinishing.

After I prepped by protecting the area around my bathtub with dropcloths to prevent any paint from getting outside, I started on the nitty gritty. First, I thoroughly cleaned the surface of my old style bathtub to get rid of the soap deposits. Then I applied a cleaning solution that is supposed to rough the surface of the tub. After this, I put on a primer reducer, which is a solvent that removes any remaining soap residue and prepares the bathtub for the primer. I filled in all the nicks and cracks with a putty and allowed it to dry. Once it was dry, I was ready to paint the tub. The base coat goes on first and is a rather toxic substance, so make sure you have gloves and a mask on. According to the directions, mix the primer well and use a spray gun to apply it to the bathtub. After you are sure the primer is ready to be painted over again, apply the top coat. Because the top coat will take about 2-3 days to completely cure, you will have to wait to use your newly reglazed bath tub but trust me, the wait is worth it!

I just recently had a brand new corner bathtub installed in my bathroom and I got to use it yesterday for the first time. The model I bought is a 58-inch corner discount whirlpool tub that comes equipped with all the bells and whistles imaginable–a beautiful white finish, whirl jet, tub skirt, 1 horsepower motor and the 16 Jet American Air Massage System! You can imagine my excitement in christening my new corner bathtub with a much-needed relaxing bath.

The first thing I did was draw a nice hot bath (well, not too hot as to make it difficult to get into the tub) while I prepared all the trappings of a sanctuary. I collected my fluffiest towels and put them on one side of the spacious corner surface of the acrylic bathroom tub. Then I put an inflatable bath pillow along in the tub so that I could rest my neck on while I was soaking. Next, I lit some aromatherapeutic candles and placed them along the opposite edge that the towels were on. I put candles of varying height in separate groups all along the corner bathtub to create a wonderful luminescence. Finally, before I stepped into the bathtub, I put my stereo within a safe distance from the splash zone and turned on to the easy listening station.

As I stepped into my corner bathtub for the first time with a glass of red wine in one hand, I immediately felt calm and at peace. I dropped a few droplets of rose oil into the water and it was as if I had been transplanted to an oasis with fields of roses surrounding me. I took a sip of my wine and slipped further into the bathtub while I let my mind wander into a faraway place. When I was done, I felt completely rejuvenated. My skin was glowing and after I blot myself dry, I tried to retain that softness by applying some body lotion. Overall, my corner bathtub gave me a fabulously luxurious bathing experience and I think I’ll want to do this at least once a week.

This Christmas, my family and I decided that we all wanted to chip in on a big gift for my Grandma. She’s turning 85 the week before and although she is still relatively healthy (and happy), it’d be nice to help her remain that way. Recently, she broke her hip while doing underwater aerobics and has been confined to a wheelchair temporarily. It was quite a scary mishap but she’s a trooper about it and we want to do her a favor by buying her something that she can really enjoy and use for years to come.

We weren’t sure at first what to get her. Someone first suggested some grips around the house and on the bathtub floor so that she wouldn’t slip and hurt herself. Then that eventually expanded to the genius idea for a brand new walk-in bathtub that is equipped with everything she would ever need in the bathing experience. It was my job to search online for the best fit for my Grammie and I took the task rather seriously. I checked out all the sites as well as ratings for those manufacturers. The best one I found, by far, was one at Simply Bathtubs which has a fantastic selection of all sorts of bathtubs. The walk in bathtub that really caught my eye was a 26-inch model that was said to hold up to 42 gallons of water. Constructed with utmost respect for those who are disabled, this walk in bathtub has a comfortable raised curved seat which allows the bather to easily stand up and sit down when they want. The best part of it was that it has a hydrotherapy whirlpool bathtub system so that you can have the ultimate luxury treatment. I imagined Grammie just soaking blisfully in a hot bath while the water swirled around. I really can’t wait for her to see her new present!

My 2-year old son absolutely loathed taking baths. Everytime I told him that it was time to get clean, he would immediately run and hide in the nearest empty, not-so-easily concealed space. Sometimes, I would even have to drag him in and plunk him down in the freestanding bathtub–kicking and screaming. Of course, no mother wants to see their child in such dismay but what am I going to do? Let him have all the dirt cake on his skin and have him stink of old crayons? Certainly not.

Lately, I’ve been hearing from other mothers of creative ways to get their tots into their bathtubs. Apparently, the tried and true method is to coax them with toys. Depending on how old they are, they can opt for the colorful plastic squirties or you can allow them to bring in their favorite superhero figurine. Another suggestion that can be enjoyed by both boys and girls are the washable bathtub crayons. They are perfect for your little one because they are non-toxic and completely safe. It’s also nice when you don’t have to spend hours scrubbing on the tiled walls because the marks left on these bathtubs by your mini-artist wash off with ease. My favorite idea, however, was the foam numbers, letters and shapes. They are so simple yet when put together, they can turn bathtime into fun learning time.

Yesterday, I tried again to get my son to willfully approach the watery destiny of the walk in bathtub. This time, I was equipped with a bag of goodies that I told him I would only reveal once he followed me to the bathroom (a trick mothers know full well) and rather unexpectedly, he did! When I showed him all the toys and crayons, he was estactic and offered to open the bag for me while in the bathtub. What a gentleman! Once his bathtime was over, he tried to convince me to let him stay for a little bit longer. The next time, I’m sure he’ll be running to the bathroom for all the excitement he knows is in store.

Before you go out and buy yourself a new bathtub liner to cover up your unsightly tub, there are a few things you should know. Typically made out of plastic or acrylic, these structures are molded to the shape of the tub and glued down over the old facade. They are meant to be a cheaper alternative than doing a complete bathtub refinishing.  However, in reality, they are actually more expensive. The average acrylic liner installation costs around $1300 whereas a typical price range for bathtub refinishing is from $800 to $1200. This means that refinishing is 30-50% cheaper than using bathtub liners.

If you’re not convinced on price alone, consider the fact that bathtub liners can develop leaks relatively easily and therefore facilitate mold and mildew. In fact, bathtub liners suffer from a bad reputation for allowing water to leak between the new bathtub liner and the old tub. Any small crack or hole that resulted from poor caullking or just constant wear can lead to water escaping and becoming trapped in the seams. In these cases, the water is almost imposible to remove. Over time, they can foster mold and mildew growth which can damage the overall facade of the bathtub. Another downside to buying bathtub liners is the fact that they are hard to replace. Since they are glued to the bathtub with a tough adhesive, they have to be torn out or cut out in order to put a new one in their place. Because of this, they do irrevocable destruction to the old bathtub.

Ultimately, you would end up paying more to replace what was supposed to replace the old tub. It’s not worth the extra dollars. Trust me; I made the same mistake, and wish I hd a bought a new whirlpool tub. Don’t make the same one if you can help it.

There is an oft-repeated and rather embarassing tale about President William Howard Taft getting stuck in an antique tub. Although he is noted for doing such things such as supervising the construction of the Panama Canal and championing for world peace through international arbitration, this novel detail about his presidency will forever stand out among all other truths as one of the most memorable trivial facts. Legacy, schmegacy.

At a gigantic 6′2" tall and 330 pounds heavy, the 27th President of the United States was indisputably the largest man to ever be president of this country. He was generally in good health and although he was medically diagnosed as being morbidly obese, he was quite light on his feet and was said to be a rather skilled dancer. One day, however, many contend that President Taft’s size got him in quite a precarious situation. Too large to be able to pull himself out of the presidential clawfoot bathtub, President Taft got stuck one unfortunate evening. The problem with this charming but rather small clawfoot bathtub is that it was too modest for the president’s robust body. It is rumored to have taken four men to dislodge him with a gallon of butter and a lot of determination. Eventually, a new oversized bathtub (probably not a conventional clawfoot tub) was installed that was seven feet long and three and a half feet wide. Many jokesters even said that he managed to break the bathtub with his prodigous girth. This, however, is not true. The bathtub broke when it was dismantled and taken out of the White House.

Perhaps inspired by Taft’s ordeal or simply a modern demand for more surface area, footed bath tubs today are made much more spacious than they were in the past and they are just as every bit elegant. Unless you are a giant, size accomodations will never be an issue again.

My brother bought a small corner bathtub recently from Premiere Vanities, an online store for all types of discount bathtubs, and his verdict is overwhelmingly positive. This inspired me to take out my huge oversized tub and replace it with a smaller model that’s similar to my brother’s. When he first bought it, he had done so out of necessity. He lives in a modest apartment in New York and had no other choice but to get a small corner bathtub. Once he purchased it, however, he realized that it was more than just about function for him. He called me and excitedly gushed about his new buy: "You will not believe how comfortable this fiberglass bathroom tub is!"

At that moment, I went to my own bathroom and looked at my protruding, unattractive bathtub. It made me depressed that I had to settle with this behemoth of a fixture when I moved in. I was wary about replacing it with another bathtub entirely but now I knew that I had to go out and get a small corner bathtub. At Premiere Vanities, they honestly have all the small corner bathtubs you can imagine. Some with massaging jets and others with whirlpool functionality–all built to fit perfectly in any home. I ultimately decided upon the 48-inch acrylic corner bathtub in the color "biscuit"; that’s right, they have different color options! I made an upgrade by adding the 16-jet American Air Massage System which was ideal for times that I needed relaxing. The other day, I called my brother while sitting in my new small corner bathtub and told him, "You were soo right about this."

If you take one look at me, you would be able to place me as an "acrylic" kind of girl. I have acrylic nails, wear pashminas and use acrylic rugs. It may strike you as strange but I truly do believe in the power of acrylic. In the following paragraphs, I wil explain precisely why this is and how it has accounted for my affinity for acrylic bathtubs.

To many people, because acrylic is technically synthetic, they have certain negative connotations about it. They think it’s "fake" and "cheap". The reality of the matter is that acrylic is longer lasting than most materials. As specially synthesized fibers made from a durable polymer, acrylic is built to be not only lightweight but also strong. In its resilience, it is able to retain its shape and resists shrinkage and wrinkles. Additionally, when manufactured in a certain way, it can take on the soft consistency of wool. This allows it to be woven in along with other materials to create things such as hats and scraves. The less expensive alternative to cashmere, the "pashmina" is made almost primarily of acrylic fibers.

Another unique property of acrylics is its ability to be shaped. Although it can stand rather steadfast to the harshness of heat, it is able to be molded (more than I can say for my men!) and is ideal for customized bathtub molds. There are practically no seams in acrylic structures because a chemical welding process has melted the edges into one solid piece. This brings me to the subject of this blog: acrylic bathtubs! I love acrylic bathtubs for much of the same reasons I love acrylic itself. When searching for a durable clawfoot tub, I always tell my friends to choose acrylic bathtubs over any other kind. When taken care of, acrylic bathtubs can look new regardless of exposure to the sun. Like a person with beautiful skin, acrylic bath tubs are resistant to scratches and wrinkles. In addition to being dependable, acrylic bathtubs can be dyed easily because acrylic as a subtance tends to hold color quite well. I really can go on about how much I love acrylic bathtubs but that may be overkill.