For many shoppers, the process of choosing a freestanding tub can be confusing. Many important choices are involved when it comes to getting the right tub, and sometimes just knowing where to start can be a daunting task.

Fortunately, it’s not that hard to break it down. What follows is a brief buyer’s guide to select the right freestanding jetted tub for your needs where we’ll lay out the process as a series of simple steps.

The First Step in the Buying Guide: Size and Dimensions of Your Freestanding Jetted Tub

The first step in buying a freestanding jetted tub is do properly size your bathroom. This is especially important if you’re doing a full renovation, but either way you need to know exactly how much space you have to select the right tub that’s a perfect fit.

Some basic recommendations apply here. Generally speaking, you’ll need at least a foot of space between the wall and the basin holding the tub, and you should know that there are certain designs like clawfoot tubs that will change your size numbers slightly.

Verifying the ability of your plumbing to handle a freestanding tub goes hand in hand with the sizing. You can postpone certain decisions about materials and style for further down the road in the buying process, but you need to know that your plumbing can handle the basics of a freestanding jetted tub, especially if you have an older home.

Freestanding Bathtub Style and Dimensions

You’ll need to size some dimensions for the tub as well, but these measurements go hand in hand with the style you’re choosing.

One of the biggest benefits of getting a freestanding tub is the wide array of styles they offer, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of choices you have.

So let’s clarify. Here are a few of the most popular styles that will give you an idea of what’s available:

  • Pedestal tubs. As their name implies, these tubs sit on a base that elevates them slightly, which gives them a popular look and feel.
  • Slipper tubs. Slipper tubs feature a side slope that allows two people to use the tub simultaneously. They’re a little bit pricier due to the extra size, but the luxury element makes them a great choice.
  • Clawfoot. These tubs come with “feet” that lift the tub off the floor, and their history gives them a distinct period feel.

Choices for Jets With a Freestanding Jetted Tub and Air Baths

Style isn’t just limited to look and feel, though. If you’re committed to getting a jetted tub, you get to choose between two kinds of jets:

  • Whirlpool jetted tub. Whirlpool tubs use water jets combined with air to provide a powerful soaking experience that’s the equivalent of a deep tissue massage.
  • Air jets. These jets feature heated bubbles the give you a gentler, more soothing experience that’s more suited for relaxation.
  • Combination jets. As the name implies, you can combine the two kinds of jets to get the best of both worlds.

Choosing the Materials for Your Freestanding Tub

While style tends to be the most prominent part of the shopping for those getting a freestanding jetted tub, it’s important not to ignore the weight.

Why? Because freestanding jetted tubs are heavy. This is especially true if you’re getting a deeper soaking tub, but having a floor that can handle the extra weight applies across the board.

Most plumbers can tell you if your floor and subfloor can handle the extra weight, but whatever you buy, you need to be sure about this. Reinforcing a floor is a serious job that will cost more, so you may want to go with a lighter tub if you have an older house or your flooring is marginal when it comes to handling extra weight.

Style and Materials for Your Tub

Once you’ve answered the weight question, you can move on to the materials decision. The list of what you can get is long, but it can be boiled down to three basic categories.

o Acrylics. Freestanding jetted tubs made from acrylic materials offer an outstanding combination of versatility and affordability, plus they’re durable. They’re lightweight, so they won’t put a strain on your floors, and they resist scratching and staining. Part of the versatility applies to style and color choices, which are widespread and varied.

Stone and Stone Resin

  • Most freestanding jetted tubs made of stone actually consist of a composite material that blends dry ground marble, a polyester resin and limestone filler. These products aren’t affected by moisture or humidity, and they can either be buffed to a glossy finish or sanded to produce a matte effect.Stone tubs are easy to clean—easier than acrylics, in fact—and they retain heat well. They’re also cheaper than many buyers think they are, but they are heavy so you need to account for that when you have your flooring assessed.
  • Cast Iron. Cast iron is definitely durable. It’s the most durable category by far, although cast iron tubs are expensive to fix if you have an accident and something breaks.They’re great at heat retention—once again, best in category—but cast iron tubs are extremely heavy, and somewhat pricey to boot. They’re not for everyone, but if you find yourself wanting to join the cast iron tub cult, you’ll probably love them forever.

Faucets and Fixtures

There are several faucet and fixture options with a freestanding jetted tub. You can have the faucets also be freestanding, or you can wall mount them or put them on your deck. Wall mounted faucets hang over the basin in which the tub is installed, while freestanding faucets can stand on the floor next to the basin.

You also have a choice with any drilling that needs to be done. Some tubs come with pre-drilled holes, while others can be drilled to handle a faucet. Make sure you do some planning if you’re wall-mounting your faucets, as they need to be positioned properly with regard to the basin.

Use This Hydro Massage Buying Guide to Get the Perfect Freestanding Jetted Tub For Your Bathroom

At Hydro Massage, we’ve helped many of our customers get the freestanding jetted tub of their dreams, and this buyer’s guide is part of the shopping and decision process.  We can help you analyze your space, define your needs, and install a tub that will give you years of luxury and relaxation.

To find out more, call us at (303) 356-7427, and you can also visit us at hydromassageproducts.com, where you can do a live chat to talk luxury and the specifics a freestanding jetted tub. We also have some great videos and blog posts that will fill you in on the specifics of these tubs and give you all the important information you need.

Also Read: Hydro Massage Products, America’s Best Jetted Tubs