Fiberglass Tubs

Originally, tubs were made of cast iron and were covered with enamel. For economic purposes and manufacturing time constraints, fiberglass tubs are now the primary alternate for replacing old tubs or installing new ones.

Types of fiberglass

Fiberglass tubs are made from the same material that many car and boat manufacturers use. There are two main types of fiberglass tubs:

• Acrylic-Acrylic-coated fiberglass is durable if the acrylic is thick enough to withstand wear and tear. Acrylic-coated fiberglass tubs can crack easily if the grade and thickness of the acrylic is substandard. The best acrylic fiberglass tubs are backed with a composite material for added support and strength.


• Gel-coated-When fiberglass is coated with liquid gel at the appropriate temperature; it should make the finished product highly durable. Gel-coated fiberglass is easy to repair and maintain.

Advantages of fiberglass tubs

Fiberglass tubs are very cost efficient and are inexpensive to maintain. If you treat your fiberglass tub as you would the hull of a boat or certain types of cars, it should retain the same shine as on the day that you installed it. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning a fiberglass tub. It has even been suggested to wax the sides of a fiberglass tub to maintain the like-new shine. Repair should be done by a professional.