Why gelcoat finish instead of acrylic?
A. Both products are excellent finishes for bathroom fixtures. They are similar in properties and are both resin based plastic materials. The primary difference is acrylic comes in sheet form and gelcoat is liquid. Application – acrylic is heated and then stretched and formed to an existing mold. The actual process is called vacuum forming. Gelcoat is applied with a spray process to a mold. This process is called open contact molding. In the application process the edge of the acrylic sheet maintains its’ purchased thickness. When it is heated and stretched the bottom of the tub becomes thinner. That is why in many acrylic products you can see a shade difference on the floor or bowl/floor corner. So the deeper the unit the less material there is in the primary wear surface, the bottom. Gelcoat application is controlled by the operator. Provided the operator is trained and correct equipment is used, it is a very uniform and consistently thick finish. At Best Bath Systems we only use gel
