The two most popular materials and manufacturing methods for bathtubs and sinks are gel coat and acrylic solid surface, both of which vary in price, appearance and overall quality. The differences between gel coated and acrylic solid surface bath ware are compared here…
Filler
Gel coat products use a large quantity of calcium carbonate as filler, which is cheaper and slightly heavier than aluminum powder due to the density difference. Acrylic solid surface bathtubs use only the finest quality aluminum Tri hydrate powder as the main filler which is lighter.
These two kinds of fillers take up almost 50% proportion of a product’s weight and therefore influence the product cost. Due to the fact that calcium powder’s cost is comparatively low, most gel coat bath ware products are cheaper than products of the same size that have been produced with aluminum powder.
Resin
Most gel coat products use the Ortho based polyester resin as the main bonding agent which is less expensive than ISO based polyester resin. However, the modified acrylic solid surface bathtubs and sinks require ISO based polyester resin mixed with acrylic resin(MMA) to get a better property in stain resistance, color consistency, durability etc.
Compared with acrylic solid surface bathtubs and sinks, the bath ware created with Ortho polyester resin bonding agent is more fragile and less resilient.
Product surface
Gel coat resin is sprayed on to a bathtub or basin’s surface to shape a thin layer of approximately 0.8mm. This coating covers the inside filler to avoid direct contact with air and moisture. Normally, gel coat products have only one kind of glossy surface and there are no matte finish options. Severe scratches can reveal the filler material under the gel coat, and to restore its glossy finish, you may need to call professional services to come and repair the damage.
Modified acrylic solid surface bath products are consistent from color to texture throughout every part. They are solid and very durable, built to withstand thousands of times of sanding and polishing. No longer worry about the surface being honed through like gel coat, tiny scratches can be carefully buffed out, leaving your product looking brand new year after year.
With acrylic solid surface bath ware, there are two kinds of surface finishes available: matte and mirror-like glossy to fit different tastes.
