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Just Add Water
The Timeless Beauty and Durability of Clawfoot Tubs
By iParenting Staff
Invented during the Victorian era when bathing became not only fashionable but a private practice, clawfoot tubs are historically white inside and out, signifying purity and cleanliness. Original clawfoot tubs were crafted from molten iron with a porcelain overlay inside. Casts were created using sand as a mold; then molten iron was poured into the cast, creating the tub basin. Later, molten porcelain was poured over the iron, creating a tough but slippery surface.
Clawfoot tubs produced today are made out of either cast iron or acrylic. Many new cast iron tubs are still crafted according to the techniques used more than 100 years ago, creating a strong albeit heavy tub, weighing between 250 and 400 pounds. These energy-efficient tubs retain heat longer than their acrylic counterparts.
Acrylic clawfoot tubs are much lighter and easier to move. Manufacturers of acrylic tubs can produce them in a variety of lengths, as opposed to cast iron, which is available in only limited lengths. Acrylic tubs are repairable – nicks just buff out of the surface – unlike cast iron that cannot be repaired once the porcelain is damaged.
