Noise insulation of steel baths: the necessary materials and methods of installation

Bathroom is an integral part of any apartment or private house. It is impossible to imagine your life without this important and secluded room, since it is in it that you can take a break from the hard working days and wash off the dirt while basking in a comfortable bath. Not so long ago, the bath was made only from cast iron, and there were no other alternatives. Almost every bathroom was equipped with cast iron equipment. Currently, there are several variations in the manufacture of baths, among which the special demand is the steel bath.

Cast iron bathtubs are heavy and expensive. It is not surprising that they were replaced by steel and acrylic alloy.Bathroom capacity of steel is considered the best option for installation in the house. However, not all people trust steel baths, believing that they are not capable of replacing their favorite cast iron. This opinion is formed because the steel alloy has low noise insulation. But among all the advantages of this metal, such a flaw looks shallow, especially since there are several correct ways to eliminate it.

Steel baths have many advantages that can not boast baths made from other materials, namely:

• their cost is much lower than equipment made of acrylic and cast iron;
• steel tends to heat up quickly;
• their entire surface is covered with resistant enamel;

• they are lightweight, which allows not to make special efforts for their delivery, installation and dismantling;
• they can be fixed in several ways;
• they can be of any size;
• the model range is presented by various design ideas.

The owners of steel baths have noted the rapid loss of heat, which seriously affects their attitude to steel.But with the right approach, these shortcomings can be eliminated.

There are many opportunities and ways to quickly and accurately eliminate the drawbacks of steel baths. If desired, this can be done personally at the stage of installing the container. The elimination of echoing and heat loss during installation of the structure allows to increase its competitiveness against the background of cast-iron and acrylic products.

The main plus noise insulation steel bath is that you can make it quickly and efficiently with your own hands. In addition, you can purchase noise insulation materials at any plumbing store. Many buyers of imported sanitary structures have noticed that rubber or rubberized pieces are often glued to the bottom of the bath. They are made of a special material that has the properties of retaining heat and absorbing various noises. It is on the basis of these properties that the stages are based, which make it possible to completely make the steel equipment silent.

There are several accessible and understandable ways to eliminate noise and preserve heat.

For this you can use different materials:

• Vibroizol. This material can be found in the salons specializing in the sale of auto parts. Vibroizol is a material with unique properties intended for use in the automotive industry. It is used by car owners for noise and waterproofing their cars. The material consists of bitumen and rubber base, the surface of which is greased with glue. Thanks to the adhesive surface, vibroizol can be easily glued to any product. Excellent material properties allow you to get rid of unnecessary noise, not only the interior of the car, but also the bathroom. To do this, they paste over the bath area on the outside.

• Polyurethane foam consists of two components - isocyanate and polyol. These components allow it to fill gaps and cracks, glue light construction materials. Polyurethane foam has excellent noise and heat insulation, so it can be used for sanitary equipment. To enhance the effect of noise reduction, you can use a plastic film, which gardeners use to create greenhouses.
• Polyethylene foam It is produced in the form of self-adhesive mats, necessary to eliminate unnecessary noise and to reduce the thermal conductivity of steel.Polyethylene foam is not composed of toxic substances, so its use is absolutely safe for the environment.

• Technical traffic jam Made from cork oak bark. This is a completely environmentally friendly material that is not afraid of rotting and specific odors. It has high noise insulation and low thermal conductivity. In addition, the technical cork is treated with non-flammable substances that make the material flame retardant.
• Liquid acrylic It has high impact strength and ability to absorb noise. It does not leave stains and does not form air bubbles at the time of application. Serves acrylic for more than 8–10 years, which allows rarely to restore the bath.
• Vibroplast has a plastic structure, consists of a polymer adhesive material, covered with foil. It is an excellent noise and thermal insulator, does not absorb moisture and does not decompose. It is easy to work with vibroplast, and it is able to serve for more than 5 years.

For example, you can enclose the equipment with slabs or bricks. Hide the laying with tile.The choice of material depends on the financial capacity of the residents and on the skills of working with tools.

After reviewing the types of materials, you can proceed to work on eliminating noise from a metal bath.

The simplest and most understandable way to insulate a bath is to handle the bottom with foam. According to Internet users, this technology contributes to the thermal insulation of the walls of the product and improve its strength. Before starting the process of heat and sound insulation, it is necessary to turn off the water supply and dismantle the bath. To do this, disconnect the siphon, and put the product on its side.

First you need to clean the surface of the bowl from dirt and dust, and then degrease it. It is important to protect the drain and overflow holes with masking tape. To achieve the adhesion of the steel alloy to the mounting foam, you need to make a silicone sealant on the outside of the bath. Then, gently and evenly need to apply the foam. It is believed that for home sound insulation is better to use "summer" foam. It has better performance, and, unlike conventional foam, it cures better and expands faster.

Before starting work, the bath is disconnected from the water supply and turned upside down. Then it is cleaned of dirt and dust. For better fit, polyethylene mats are cut out. After that, the protective film is removed from the cut-out parts, they are carefully and accurately glued to the product. It is necessary to smooth the material to prevent the formation of bubbles.

At the end of the work it is necessary to return the bath to its normal position, connect the siphon and connect the water supply. In order to save the consumption of mats, you need to glue them only in the bottom area around the drain hole and the sides of the bath.

The process of sound insulation of a steel bath with this material does not require shutting off the water supply and disconnecting the siphon. Cut out the vibroplast pieces of the desired size, removing the protective film from them, it is necessary to glue the surface of the product. In this case, you need to align the pieces for their snug fit, and roll with a roller.

Before treatment with liquid acrylic, the metal bath is cleaned with sanding paper and an active cleaning agent. Then dirt and dust are washed off the bowl.For high-quality painting it is necessary to degrease the product with a solvent and allow it to dry. In order not to stain the surrounding objects and the floor, you need to remove the siphon and close everything around with plastic wrap. It is necessary to apply acrylic in the bulk way on all internal area of ​​a bowl, processing it around.

Using a special brush will be necessary to paint the inside of the bathand then use a rubber spatula to level the acrylic layer. Acrylic dries for a long time. Therefore, it is better to leave the device to dry for 2-3 days in order to achieve a better result.

Due to the large selection of sound-proofing materials, steel bath owners have a choice. It should be remembered that the processing of the product with vibroplast or other insulating material requires further decoration of the bowl. In order for the bath more closely to the wall, you need to use liquid nails or special silicone.

To learn how to make sound insulation of a steel bath yourself, see the next video.