ADP baths buying guide
ADP baths are freestanding baths with a cast marble core, and this page holds two of them: the ADP Submerge 1600mm and the ADP Placido 1590mm. Both are gloss white ovals that stand clear of the walls and make the bath the centrepiece of the room. They are European engineered and built to keep the water warm, and they differ in shape: the Submerge is a modern oval with an integrated overflow, and the Placido is a regal, traditional bath with a raised end. ADP bath, ADP bathtub and ADP freestanding bath all describe these baths. This guide sets out what the cast marble material is, how the two baths compare, and what to plan around a freestanding bath before you order.
What cast marble means for a bath
Both baths are built around a cast marble core. Cast marble preserves the water temperature longer than other acrylic alternatives, which makes a difference in a long soak, because the water stays warm for longer and the bath does not need a top-up as often. The surface is a gloss white finish. The baths are European engineered, and each one is a freestanding design made to be a statement piece in a bathroom renovation. For the wider group of stone and solid surface baths, stone baths gives the overview.
The ADP Submerge 1600
The Submerge is a gorgeous oval freestanding bath with a clean, modern outline. It measures 1600mm long, 700mm wide and 615mm high and holds 370 litres, and it has an integrated overflow included. At 700mm wide it is a slim bath for its length, so it suits a narrower room and leaves floor space beside it. The height of 615mm gives the bath a strong presence in the room. The plug and waste are sold separately, so add a waste that matches the bath or your tapware to complete the look.
The ADP Placido 1590
The Placido is a regal style freestanding bath with classic elegance. It measures 1590mm long and 730mm wide, with a height that slopes from 560mm at the lower end to 800mm at the high end, and it holds 280 litres. The raised end gives the bather something to lean against, and the sloped profile gives the bath its traditional shape. It is constructed from cast marble in a gloss white finish. The plug and waste are sold separately, and the choice of waste and tapware is the way to match the bath to the rest of the room.
The two baths side by side
| Figure | ADP Submerge | ADP Placido |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1600mm | 1590mm |
| Width | 700mm | 730mm |
| Height | 615mm | 560mm at the low end, 800mm at the high end |
| Capacity | 370 litres | 280 litres |
| Overflow | Integrated overflow included | Check the product page |
| Plug and waste | Sold separately | Sold separately |
| Look | Modern oval | Regal and traditional |
Choose the Submerge for a modern room, a slim footprint and the larger capacity. Choose the Placido for a traditional or period room, where the raised end and the sloped profile fit the style. Both sit in the standard bath band covered by 1500mm to 1700mm baths, and 1600mm baths lists the exact length across every maker.
Planning around a freestanding bath
A freestanding bath stands clear of the walls and is finished on every side, so it needs more thought than a bath built into a corner. Leave clear space on the exposed sides for cleaning and for stepping in, and keep the waste position in mind when you set the bath on the floor. Because the bath is not tiled in, the room around it shows, so a plain floor and a simple wall suit a bath of this kind. For the type across every maker, see freestanding baths.
Tapware for an ADP bath
Freestanding baths generally have no tap holes, so the tapware is a separate choice. A floor mounted spout or mixer stands beside the bath and brings its pipes up through the floor, and a wall mounted set suits a bath placed close to a wall. Decide before the plumber roughs in, because the pipes are inside the floor or the wall once the room is finished. The freestanding bath mixers collection lists the floor mounted options.
Heat retention and the soak
A bath that holds heat changes how you use it. Cast marble keeps the water warm longer than acrylic, so a long soak stays comfortable and the hot tap is needed less often. The Submerge holds 370 litres and the Placido 280 litres, so the Submerge asks for more hot water to fill, and it is worth checking that the hot water system can supply it. A bath with good heat retention rewards a longer soak, which is what a freestanding bath is for.
Shape and comfort
The Submerge is an oval with an even profile, so the bather can sit at either end, and its height of 615mm gives a deep interior. The Placido has a raised end, 800mm high against 560mm at the low end, which gives the bather a back support and a place to lean. If you prefer to recline, the Placido suits you; if you prefer an even soak with room at both ends, the Submerge does. Both are freestanding, so the bather can be seen from every side, and the finish is gloss white.
Freestanding bath against built-in bath
A freestanding bath needs no hob, no tile flange and no surround, so the installation is simpler than a built-in bath. It does ask for more floor, because it stands clear of the walls, and it asks for tapware that is separate from the bath. A built-in bath saves floor and is tiled in, which suits a small room. If you want the bath to be the feature of the room and you have the floor space, a freestanding bath such as the Submerge or the Placido is the right choice. For the built-in options, see built in baths.
Fitting the bath in the room
Measure the wall, the floor and the position of the waste before you choose. The Submerge is 700mm wide, which makes it the slimmer bath, and the Placido is 730mm wide. Leave clear space around the exposed sides so the bath can be cleaned and reached, and keep the route from the door to the bath position clear while it is carried in. A freestanding bath looks best when it has room around it, so allow for the space and for the tapware, which stands beside the bath or on the wall behind it.
A shower with a freestanding bath
A freestanding bath stands away from the walls, so a fixed screen is hard to fit, and the usual answer is a handheld shower on the mixer or a separate shower in the room. If you want a full shower over the bath, a back to wall or inset bath is the better base, because the wall behind the bath holds the screen. Shower baths lists those options.
Waste and plug
The plug and waste are not included with either bath. Pop-Down wastes are the better choice for safety, service and maintenance, and Australian building codes require a fully removable bath waste in some situations, so ask your plumber before you order. The Submerge has an integrated overflow, so it needs a waste to suit an overflow bath. The bath wastes collection has the options, in finishes that match your tapware.
Weight, the floor and the doorway
Cast marble is denser than acrylic, so these baths are heavier than a standard acrylic bath. Water adds roughly 1kg per litre, so a Submerge holding 370 litres adds about 370kg, and a bather adds more. The floor needs to be sound and level, and a timber floor should be checked before the bath is ordered. Measure the doorway and the route into the room as well, including corners and stairs, so the bath can reach its position.
What to confirm before ordering
Before you order, confirm four things. First, the model and the overflow: the Submerge has an integrated overflow included, and you should check the Placido product page for its overflow detail before you choose a waste. Second, the waste: both baths are sold without a plug and waste, so the waste is a separate purchase. Third, the floor and the route into the room. Fourth, the tapware position, floor mounted or wall mounted, because it sets where the pipes go. Settling these four points before the plumber and tiler start avoids the common delays on a bathroom renovation.
Matching the bath with the room
Both baths are gloss white, so they pair easily with white fittings and with most tile colours. A waste and tapware in a matching finish ties the bath to the room, and a plain floor lets the bath stand out. The Placido suits a traditional bathroom with a period feel, and the Submerge suits a contemporary room with clean lines. If the room has black or brushed metal fittings, choose the waste to match, since it is the part of the bath that is visible at the base.
Care
Rinse the bath after each use and wipe it with a soft sponge or microfibre cloth and a pH neutral cleaner. Keep abrasive powders and steel wool away from the gloss surface, and clean spills such as hair dye, bath bombs and oils promptly. The gloss white finish shows water spots as it dries, so wipe it dry after a bath if you want it to stay bright.
Choosing an ADP bath
Start with the room and the style. A modern bathroom with a narrow footprint suits the Submerge, and a traditional room suits the Placido. Then plan the tapware, choose the waste, and check the floor and the route in. For other white baths from every maker, see white baths, and for every bath at every length, bathtubs.
