TL;DR: An acrylic freestanding bath is a bath moulded from a sheet of acrylic that stands on its own in the room; it is light, warm to the touch and far cheaper than cast iron, and ours cost from £1,184 to £4,460 including VAT.
- Roll top, slipper, boat and double ended shapes are all made in acrylic, from the 1350mm Jena slipper to the 2000mm Carron Celsius Duo.
- Our Tilelyte Bath Collection freestanding baths weigh 32kg to 45kg empty, a fraction of a cast iron bath.
- "Lucite" is a brand of cast acrylic sheet, not a different material.
- For quality, check the acrylic thickness, how rigid the bath feels, the finish and the warranty.
- The outside of many of our acrylic baths can be painted in almost any colour.
An acrylic freestanding bath is a bath moulded from a sheet of acrylic that stands on its own, away from the walls, and it is the lightest and most affordable way to get a roll top, slipper or boat bath. Our acrylic freestanding baths cost from £1,184 to £4,460, including VAT, at the time of writing.
This guide explains what acrylic and Lucite baths are, the shapes you can choose, why people pick acrylic and how to tell a good bath from a poor one.
What is an acrylic bath?
An acrylic bath starts as a flat sheet of sanitary-grade acrylic. The sheet is heated and vacuum-formed over a mould, then strengthened on the underside, usually with layers of resin and glass fibre and a baseboard, so it feels solid when you step in. The inside is the original face of the sheet, which gives a smooth, glossy surface that is easy to clean.
Freestanding acrylic baths usually have an outer skin as well, so the bath looks finished from every side. On our Tilelyte Bath Collection roll top and slipper baths this is a gloss white finish with no join line.
What is a Lucite acrylic bath?
Lucite is a brand name for cast acrylic sheet, and some bath makers name the sheet they use. A "Lucite bath" or "Lucite freestanding bath" is still an acrylic bath. Cast acrylic is widely used for good-quality baths. Our product pages describe the material (sanitary-grade acrylic, 5mm acrylic or Carronite) rather than the brand of sheet, so ask us if that detail matters to you.
Acrylic roll top, slipper and boat baths
Almost every traditional shape is made in acrylic. Here are the main ones, with examples from our range.
| Shape | What it is | Example | Size | From (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roll top | A rounded, rolled rim | Hettie | 1500 x 750mm | £1,765 |
| Single slipper | One raised end to lean back on | Jena roll top slipper | 1350 x 750mm | £1,786 |
| Double slipper | Both ends raised and sloping | Dora | 1750 x 750mm | £1,840 |
| Boat | High ends, curved like a hull, on a plinth | Audra roll top boat bath | 1580 or 1700 x 750mm | £1,885 |
| Double ended | Both ends the same, so you can lie back at either | Eliza | 1700 x 750 or 1800 x 800mm | £1,780 |
| Large modern | Generous oval or rectangular baths | Carron Celsius | 1900 x 900mm to 2000 x 1400mm | £2,325 |
There are more to choose from. The Maeve is a 1700mm boat bath with high ends and a stepped plinth at £2,029. The Mona is a 1500mm single slipper from £1,681, and the Dupla is a 1700mm double slipper from £1,777. If you like texture, the Ginette is fluted, the Ingra has a basket-weave exterior and the Fayre is diamond-textured. Browse the full range of acrylic baths.
Why choose an acrylic freestanding bath?
- Weight. Our Tilelyte Bath Collection freestanding baths weigh between 32kg (the 1350mm Jena) and 45kg (the 1700mm Ginette) empty, according to their product pages. That makes them easier to carry upstairs and kinder to floors than cast iron. Remember the water too: at roughly a kilo per litre, a 180-litre bath adds about 180kg, plus the bather.
- Warmth. Acrylic feels warm to the touch as soon as you get in. Cast iron keeps water hot for longer once the metal has warmed through, but it draws heat from the water at the start.
- Price. Our acrylic freestanding baths start at £1,184 for the Una. Our cast iron baths start at £2,995, and most cost more than £4,000.
- Shape and size. Because acrylic is moulded, there is more choice, from compact 1350mm and 1500mm baths to the 2000 x 1400mm Celsius Duo.
- Colour. The outside of a freestanding acrylic bath can be painted. Our Tilelyte Bath Collection baths can be painted to order in almost any colour, including Farrow & Ball and Dulux shades or a match to your own sample. The oval Carron Halcyon is made in white, black or red. See our guide to coloured and painted roll top baths.
Luxury acrylic baths: how to spot a good one
Acrylic baths vary a lot in quality, and most of the difference is in what you cannot see. Here is what to check.
- Thickness. Look for the thickness of the acrylic on the specification. Our Tilelyte Bath Collection roll top and slipper baths are 5mm sanitary-grade acrylic. Thin sheet is more likely to flex.
- Reinforcement. A good bath feels rigid when you press the rim or stand in it. Carronite is Carron's reinforced acrylic, which is stronger and more rigid than standard acrylic, and the Carron Celsius and Halcyon freestanding baths are made only in Carronite.
- Finish. The outside should be smooth and even, with no obvious seam where the inner and outer skins meet.
- Warranty. A long warranty shows how confident the maker is. Our product pages list 7 years on the Tilelyte Bath Collection roll top and slipper baths, 20 years on models such as the Una and Reeva, and 40 years on Carronite baths.
- Waste and taps. Check the waste is included and comes in a finish to match your taps. Freestanding acrylic baths usually have no tap holes, so you will need a floor-standing bath filler or wall-mounted taps from our bath taps and bath shower mixers.
Acrylic or cast iron?
Choose acrylic if you want a lighter bath, a lower price, more shapes or a bath for an upstairs room where you would rather not strengthen the floor. Choose cast iron if you want the weight, heat retention and feel of a period bath and have the budget and the floor to suit. We compare running costs, durability and fitting in our cast iron vs acrylic baths guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Lucite freestanding bath?
It is a freestanding bath made from Lucite, a brand of cast acrylic sheet. It behaves like any good acrylic bath: light, warm to the touch and smooth to clean.
How much is an acrylic slipper bath?
Our acrylic slipper baths start at £1,681 for the 1500mm Mona single slipper. The Jena roll top slipper is from £1,786 and the Dora double-ended slipper is from £1,840, including VAT at the time of writing.
Is an acrylic boat bath a good choice?
Yes, if you want the high-ended boat shape without the weight of cast iron. The Audra weighs 38kg to 40kg depending on length, and both the Audra and the Maeve have a roll top and a plinth base.
Can you paint an acrylic freestanding bath?
Yes. The outside is painted and the inside stays white. Our Tilelyte Bath Collection baths can be painted to order, including metallic finishes. Contact us with your colour for details and pricing.
Get help choosing your acrylic bath
Every project starts with a free one-to-one consultation, followed by a clear, itemised quote for the bath, taps, plumbing and fitting. Short on space? Read our guide to small freestanding baths. Visit our showroom at 32 Manor Park Rd, Birmingham B36 0DJ (Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm), call 0121 794 2553 or book your free consultation online.