Water Heaters
The boiler: a unit that’s worth more than you think
So you think that one boiler is pretty much like another? Think again! Boilers with an enamel lining are worth far more: they last longer and keep your water more hygienic. Here is some information to help you decide which type of boiler is the most efficient choice for you – and help you get the best value for your money.
A boiler is a boiler… and everyone knows all about it…. Wrong! Most users have no more than a fleeting acquaintance with what goes on inside this essential domestic fitting.
That’s because there are some boilers that last much longer, produce far more hygienic water and guarantee a higher degree of protection against rust than others: boilers with an enamel lining.
Boilers come in all sizes, for home or community use; you can even get customised boilers for a yacht or a motor boat.
Technical characteristics
Sheet steel of a composition suitable for enamelling is used to make the boiler body, the upper and lower seal caps, the serpentines and the connecting pipes, which are all welded together to make the basic boiler. After suitable preliminary treatments, one or two layers of enamel are then applied. This enamel is of a special type that is chosen because its excellent resistance to water and steam guarantees a high degree of protection for human health and the environment.
Inside the boiler, the heated water is replaced with a fresh supply every time that we draw hot water off for use. This leads to the inevitable risk that the oxygen and mineral salts normally found dissolved in fresh water will corrode the boiler and eventually perforate it.
The only safe and economically feasible solution to this problem is to line the steel with vitreous enamel: the simple fact is that a boiler lined with enamel is guaranteed to last from five to ten years, while one treated inside with epoxy resin paints, an organic substance, is only guaranteed for two or three years and a galvanised boiler’s guarantee only lasts for one or two years.
This is why vitreous enamel is so reliable:
:: its composition is inorganic;
:: there is a chemical bond between the enamel layer and the metal surface.
After firing and vitrification at over 800° C, the steel contributes mechanical resistance, while vitreous enamel guarantees the rustproof protection, because it does not absorb water or conduct ions.
The enamel provides the boiler with 99.9% rustproof protection, as there may be the occasional uncoated point. The remaining 0.1% is guaranteed by inserting magnesium anodes: once these have been installed inside the boiler, they control the action of the agents that might otherwise eventually cause rusting.
In larger boilers, generally with a capacity of more than 200 – 500 litres, an alternative is to use impressed current anodes, which counteract rust formation.
Products with special features in the area of steel supports and enamel coatings have been developed for enamelling boilers.
UNI standard 9905 “Vitreous enamel for water boilers – Prerequisites and tests” lists the prerequisites that an enamel must comply with to be considered rustproof.
Another standard applied by boilermakers is DIN 4753-3.
Enamel coating: surface appearance
In order to guarantee a good degree of rustproofing, the enamel used to protect the inside of a boiler must be between 150 and 500 microns thick, compact and uniform.
| Rustproofing qualities of common finishes used to line boilers | |
| Type of coating | Guarantee in years |
| Vitreous enamel | 5-10 |
| Epoxy resin powders | 2-3 |
| Galvanising | 1-2 |
| Galvanising plus organic coating | max 5 years |
| Surface appearance | |
| Characteristic | Benchmark standard |
| Thickness | EN-ISO 2178 |
| Uniformity | Visual check |
| Compactness | EN-ISO 8289 |
| Enamel linings for boilers: functional characteristics | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | Benchmark standard |
| Hygiene | Does not allow bacteria to proliferate | Bacteriological study undertaken by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Physiological harmlessness | Enamels used in boilers must contain no lead or cadmium | EN 12873-1 UNI 9905 |
| Chemical and physical resistance | ||
| Resistance to boiling water and to steam | Boling water and steam do not rust enamel. | UNI 6722 – ISO 2744 |
| Resistance to acids | Enamels used in boilers must be at least class A. | EN14483-1 ISO 2722 |
| Resistance to sudden temperature changes | The sudden change of temperature from 150 to 15°C does not damage the enamelled surface. | ISO 4530 UNI 9905 |
| Mechanical resistance | ||
| Adherence | The coating must adhere to the support. | UNI 8883 |
| Resistance to abrasion | The coating does not wear out with time. | UNI 7233 |
| Shock resistance | Within certain limits, shocks that might be applied accidentally while the boiler is being transported and installed will not damage the coating. | ISO 4532 |
Cooking Hobs
An evolution on the theme of the free-standing cooker, these products’ most popular features are a aesthetic appearance, convenience, functionality, technology, safety and availability in a variety of models and fittings. And vitreous enamel adds more of its own special virtues
The ingredients of a success story
Although cooking hobs are a relatively recent product innovation, the features they have rapidly found with users has made them a top seller. They can be looked upon as an evolution on the theme of the free-standing cooker: the hob has been separated from the oven so that the oven can be inserted in a more convenient location in the area of the kitchen reserved for cooking, which is usually at a slightly higher level than in the free-standing models, making the oven more easily accessible to the chef.
Their aesthetic and functional features, sophisticated technology and fast, convenient use generally put cooking hobs in the medium to high range of products capable of catering for users’ increasingly sophisticated and customised demands and tastes. Special attention is now paid to diversifying the colour ranges and technological fittings available, as well as to the products’ functionality, convenience and safety.
Technical characteristics
Cooking hobs are available:
:: in different sizes: 30, 60, 70, 90 x 30, 60, 70, 90 cm…; some models also have a built-in sink, an electric hotplate and a special burner for a fish pan; common features in any case usually include smooth, hygienic surfaces that are easy to clean and maintain;
:: with 4 or more sources, either all gas burners or a mixture of gas burners and electric hotplates; easily lit or turned on and also, in some models, relit or turned back on; burners may be ultra-rapid, with a double or even triple crown for faster heating and for cooking with very large pans;
:: with ergonomic, rustic, classical or other controls at the front or the side;
:: with a single pan support or one for each burner; enamelled pan supports may be made of cast iron or drawn steel wire strip;
:: with fast-acting safety valves that cut the flow of gas whenever the flame goes out – or is lit accidentally, such as by children;
::with one or more programmable timer burners; with special functions and electronic sensors (such as LEDs that stay on as long as the pan supports used are still hot to touch, so that users avoid burns and scalds)
| Vitreous enamel coating: aesthetic characteristics | |
| Colour range | Very extensive, capable of catering for any match with other materials. All colours are durably stable, chemically inert and are not altered by detergents, light or UV radiation. |
| Customisable surface brightness | From matt to full gloss. |
| Customisable surface finish | Smooth, pitted, droplets, speckled, metallic, granite look |
Vitreous enamel for added value
Whatever the model, type, shape or configuration vitreous enamel adds its own unmistakable qualities: beauty, colour, luminosity, durability, resistance to acids, easy cleaning, hygiene and environmental friendliness, further enhancing the stading of asch model.
| Enamel coating: functional characteristics | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | Benchmark standard |
| Resistance to high temperatures, up to 400°C | Direct flames do not harm enamel, make it fade or leave any burn marks | ISO 4530 |
| Resistance to sudden temperature changes | Enamelled surfaces are immune to temperature changes of 300°C | ISO 2747 |
| Cleaning | Easy to clean: a damp sponge is all it takes to wipe away any traces of dirt. | NF A 92-032 |
| Hygiene | Does not allow bacteria to proliferate. | Bacteriological study undertaken by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Chemical resistance | Acids contained in foods leave no marks or blemishes. | EN 14483-1 En 14483-2 |
| Resistance to normal detergents (pH> 7) | Liquid and cream detergents do not scratch or alter enamel. | ISO 4533 EN ISO 4535 UNI 8026 |
| Resistance to organic solvents | Enamel is immune to attack from alcohol, trielin, acetone etc. | N.A. |
| Hardness: 5 – 7 Mohs scale | The coating is hard and is not chipped by normal kitchen utensils. | EN 101 |
| Resistance to abrasion | The coating does not wear out with time. | UNI 7233 |
| Scratch resistance | Vitreous enamel is not scratched by normal kitchen utensils. | EN ISO 15695 |
Free-standing Cookers
There is a right one for every home, kitchen, style and cuisine culture in the world: free-standing cookers set you free. But enamel is always a must in the most “hot areas”: ovens and hobs.
Vitreous enamel makes an important contribution to the cooker industry worldwide. Vitreous enamel, is particularly important in “hot” areas, such as ovens and cooking hobs. Where it combines functionalism and hygiene with unashamed good looks, as it does in other areas.
While built-in cookers are a bit like the password for a modern kitchen – products that have what it takes to play their part in every global or globalised kitchen, free-standing cookers are, as the name implies, more versatile, capable of adapting to any space and – as a result of the variety of colours and sizes they come in – to any type of décor. Which means that they set you free: you will always be able to find the one that is just right, regardless of whether what you need is a refined modern statement, something that reminds you of your grandmother or a rustic delight. Free-standing cookers use all sorts of power sources: some run on gas (natural or cylinder), others on electricity. This makes them also the ideal solution for a house in the countryside and all those areas where natural gas is not piped in. They are also invaluable as second cooker, especially if you are one of the lucky ones who has a room big enough to do some serious cooking and don’t have to worry about space, cooking smells or making a bit of a mess.
A free-standing cooker also leaves you free to move house, because there will always be a place to put it without too many problems. It can even take the different ways of doing things in different regions into account: some types have two ovens (an absolute must if you have a kosher kitchen), others have a grill and/or a huge oven, while others may have a catalytic self-cleaning feature, an easy to clean oven, or a pyrolytic one. These are all features, the convenience of wich experienced chefs will appreciate. Those chefs will tell you food may well be washed and preserved in the same way from one region to another, but there are all sorts of historical, geographical, cultural and religious reasons why we continue to cook and thus to eat our food in profoundly different ways from one area to another. Free-standing cookers also lend themselves better to the needs of communities and catering services, where larger ovens and hobs with both hotplates and gas burners are a necessity.
For reasons that obviously derive from their functions (involving the use of high temperatures, handling foods and acidic substances, the use of detergents…), cookers really put the quality of an enamel to the test. The resulting performance leaves no room for doubt about its superiority to other coating materials: enamel is not damaged by direct flames, does not turn yellow with age and forms no smear marks, not even when subjected to sudden and significant temperature changes; as its surface is vitreous, it is easy to clean, absolutely hygienic, does not chip easily, does not corrode and is not scratched by ordinary kitchenware; charred food remains can be removed with liquid or cream detergents without leaving any scratch marks or damage to the enamel.
In short, there is an ideal free-standing cooker for every region and every style of cuisine in the world, for every type of home, for every room, for every taste. Furthermore for every one of those cookers, adding quality to beauty, there is vitreous enamel.
| Functional characteristics of vitreous enamel | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | References |
| Resistance to high temperatures up to 400°C | Its ability to withstand high temperatures makes vitreous enamel the only cladding material that can be used to line ovens. Direct flames will not damage it, make it turn yellow or leave any burn marks | UNI-ISO 4530 |
| Resistance to temperature rises | Enamelled surfaces do not alter in any way when subjected to sudden temperature rises, even when it is significant | UNI 7232 |
| Easy to clean | Enamel is very easy to clean. In most cases, a damp sponge is enough to remove traces of dirt. | NF A 92-032 |
| Hygiene | Enamel does not allow bacteria to proliferate or fungus and mould to take hold | Bacteriological survey conducted by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Contact with foodstuffs | Vitreous enamel is designed to comply with the legal and standard requirements concerning contact with foodstuffs. | ISO 4531/1 ISO 4531/2 UNI EN 1388/2 |
| Chemical resistance | EN 14483-2 | |
| Resistance to acids | The acids contained in foodstuffs leave no stains or marks | EN 14483-1 EN 14483-2 ISO 2722 |
| Resistance to normal detergents (pH>7) | Charred food remains can be removed using either liquid or cream detergents, which neither scratch the enamel nor alter it | ISO 4533 EN ISO 4535 UNI 8026 |
| Mechanical resistance | ||
| Adherence | The enamel cladding must adhere to the steel support | UNI 8883 EN 10209 Annex D |
| Hardness 5 – 7 Mohs scale | An enamel cladding is hard and does not chip easily | EN 101 |
| Abrasion | Because it is a vitreous cladding, vitreous enamel does not abrade easily, even after a long time | UNI 7233 |
| Scratch resistance | Vitreous enamel is not scratched by normal kitchen tools | EN ISO 15695 |
| Shock resistance | Only quite significant shocks may chip enamel. As a general rule, a good enamel should have no surface damage whose Ø is greater than 2mm 24 hours after a shock of 20 N | ISO 4532 UNI 9613 |
Ovens: present and future
They may be small, but no cooker can be successful without these crucial components.
Ovens have experienced rapid technological development – and more is yet to come. They can be used for all kinds of cooking. But enamel remains irreplaceable in an oven’s fiery heart. Safe, resistant, easy to clean and self-cleaning.
Cooking methods may still be conventional or static or by thermal radiation, with the heat coming from above, below or both, combined with the action of a fan that enables the oven to cook in any way and create the classical golden crust. The food can be cooked delicately, using the fan combined with the lower element only; or it may be cooked with forced or fanned ventilation: the combination between the fan and the circular element enables different foods to be cooked at different levels, as long as they can take the same temperature and the same type of cooking. But there is also turboventilation, a combination between ventilated and conventional cooking, which can be used to cook different foods on different levels quickly and efficiently, without their aromas or flavours influencing each other.
What all this means is that the consumer only has the truly difficult task of making a choice!
Vitreous enamels have kept up with all this technological evolution eagerly. Resistance to high temperatures and sudden temperature rises, resistance to chemicals, both acids and detergents, mechanical resistance: these are the basic technical properties characteristic of enamels. These, together with another that is of particular interest to consumers: easy cleaning. Enamel is simply so much easier to clean: in most cases, all you need is a damp sponge to remove traces of dirt. Special “self-cleaning” enamels, operating on either a catalytic or a pyrolytic basis, have been developed for oven linings, where before these developments, charred food residue was sometimes very difficult to deal with.
In the former case, the oven comprises panels clad with self-cleaning catalytic enamel coated panels that have the ability to absorb and eliminate oils, fats and food residues during the actual cooking cycle itself.
Pyrolytic enamels function differently: they burn and char the residues in a separate pyrolytic cycle that reaches temperatures as high as 500°C. At the end of this cycle, you simply sponge away a little pile of ash.
It doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that ovens will continue evolving in technology and appearance. They are destined to become increasingly similar to computers, capable of conducting an independent dialogue with the refrigerator, the larder and the supermarket.
The chef will be able to control them remotely, reading information off the video display on a cellphone or the fixed line phone at the office.
These ovens will remember recipes, interact, keep an eye on fats and calories… But for now, there are no indications of what material may ever be able to replace enamel for oven floors and ceilings, nor for the walls.
| Functional characteristics of vitreous enamel cladding | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | References |
| Resistance to high temperatures up to 400°C | Direct flames will not damage vitreous enamel, make it turn yellow or leave any burn marks | ISO 4530 |
| Resistance to temperature excursion | Enamelled surfaces do not alter in any way when subjected to sudden temperature excursion, even as much as 300°C | ISO 2747 |
| Easy to clean | Enamel is very easy to clean. In most cases, a damp sponge is enough to remove traces of dirt. Special self-cleaning enamels, both catalytic and pyrolytic, have been developed for oven linings, where charred food residues can be difficult to remove. | NF A 92-032 |
| Catalytic self-cleaning enamels | Absorb oils, fats and charred food residues during the food cooking cycle. | ISO 8291 |
| Pyrolytic self-cleaning enamels | Char food residues in a pyrolytic cycle run after the food has been cooked | NF A 92-031 |
| Hygiene | Enamel does not allow bacteria to proliferate or fungus and mould to take hold | Bacteriological survey conducted by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Chemical resistance | ||
| Resistance to acids | The acids contained in foodstuffs leave no stains or marks | EN 14483-1 EN 14483-2 ISO 2722 |
| Resistance to normal (pH>7) | Charred food remains can be removed using detergents either liquid or cream detergents, which neither scratch the enamel nor alter it | ISO 4533 EN ISO 4535 UNI 8026 |
| Mechanical resistance | ||
| Adherence | The enamel cladding must adhere to the steel support | UNI 8883 EN 10209 Annex D |
| Hardness 5 – 7 Mohs scale | An enamel cladding is hard and does not chip easily | EN 101 |
| Abrasion | Because it is a vitreous cladding, vitreous e namel does not abrade easily, even after a long time | UNI 7233 |
| Scratch resistance | Vitreous enamel is not scratched by normal kitchen tools | EN ISO 15695 |
| Shock resistance | Only quite significant shocks may chip enamel. As a general rule, a good enamel should have no surface damage whose Ø is greater than 2 mm 24 hours after a shock of 20 N. | ISO 4532 |
Pan Supports and Burner Caps
They may be small, but no cooker can be successful without these crucial components.
However beautiful, perfectly finished and costly it is, without pan supports and burner caps, even the finest of cookers would be unusable and certainly inconvenient, dangerous and, well, missing something. The fact is that what makes a complex object beautiful and functional is the beauty and functionalism of all its components. Otherwise, how would you explain away the fact that everyone who goes off to set up a new cooker factory abroad always tries to take his local pan support and burner cap manufacturers along with him? It’s because he needs to control the whole process – and because those components are simply so very important in their own right.
Pan supports look so simple in appearance and production, don’t they? In fact, you could hardly be further from the truth: they require loads of ingenuity and long periods of staff training – and that doesn’t come cheap. In addition, all those horizontal and vertical lines used in them make for all sorts of geometric variations that stand out against the white cooker and make your décor. Then there is their colour. The more courageous and innovative manufacturers have grasped it: they are now turning out unusual supports, designed to follow the flow of their more individual creations.
Pan supports have evolved and have a story to tell. Vitreous enamelled cast iron which as been used for decades has been joined by welded supports made from drawn steel wire strip, rolled with rounded edges, which users immediately appreciated because it is lighter and cheaper. Cast iron is heavier, it absorbs more heat and is rather expensive to produce. Recently, cast iron has come back into vogue for top-of-the-range products, while wire strip is very popular for the pan supports on free-standing cookers. The market also offers chrome-plated wire strip supports, but they do not look so good and tend to deteriorate rather easily.
All those much heralded flat glass ceramic hobs have failed to make many inroads into the trusty pan support: they are too expensive and too “cold”, so people are not satisfied with them. The pan support has all it takes to be a fully paid-up member of the “burner system”, while end users find it convenient and “warm” to see the burner’s flame. That is why there is a need for the pan support. Some sections of individual and group psychology still throw all the cool calculations of the marketing forecasters off track (luckily).
As long as all this holds true, everyone with an interest in the “burner system” can rest assured: users will continue to want to see the flame prominent beneath the pan support, split into light blue tongues of fire by the burner cap. So, manufacturers will continue producing pan supports and burner caps, always functional, with imaginative geometric shapes and enamelled colours.
The Italian Standard UNI 10822 (the only existing in Europe for time being) “Enamelled grids and burners caps” defines the quality requirements of grids and burner caps made of enamelled steel and cast iron and establishes the appropriate test methods.
| Enamel coating – Functional Characteristics | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | References |
| Resistance to high temperatures up to 400°C | Direct flames will not damage vitreous enamel, make it turn yellow or leave any burn marks. Its ability to withstand high temperatures makes vitreous enamel the only cladding material that can be used to line pan supports and burners cap | ISO 4530 UNI 10822 |
| Resistance to temperature excursion | Enamelled surfaces do not alter in any way when subjected to sudden temperature excursion, even when it is significant (320°C) | ISO 2747 UNI 10822 |
| Cleanability | Vitreous enamel can be easily cleaned. Generally a damp sponge is all it takes to wipe away any traces of dirt. | NF A 92-032 |
| Hygiene | Does not allow bacteria to proliferate or fungus and mould to take hold. | Bacteriological survey conducted by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Chemical resistance | Properties | References |
| Resistance to acids | The acids contained in foodstuffs leave no stains or marks | EN 14483-1 UNI 10822 |
| Resistance to normal detergents (pH>7) | Charred food remains can be removed using either liquid or cream detergents, which neither scratch the enamel nor alter it | UNI 8026 UNI 10822 |
| Mechanical resistance | Properties | References |
| Adherence | The enamel cladding must adhere to the steel support | EN 10209 Annex D UNI 8883 UNI 10822 |
| Hardness 5 -7 Mohs Scale | An enamel cladding is hard and does not chip easily | EN 101 |
| Shock Resistance | Only quite significant shocks may chip enamel. As a general rule, a good enamel should have no surface damage whose Ø is greater than 3 mm 24 hours after a shock of 10 N | UNI 10822 ISO 4532 |
The return of the enamelled Stovepipe
After years in the doldrums, stovepipes have started making a striking comeback.
Why? The answer is technical innovations, market evolution and changing tastes. And what only enamel can add is the combination of durability, beauty and safety.
Just recently, you have had to start being a bit more careful before launching into a joke about stovepipes and stoves in general.
Although it must be said that the product spent a fair time doing nothing to fend off defeatism: the way we have always seen it is as a rather thin, brown or white feature, clasped on one side, looking just a bit fragile and somehow rather neglected.
The change that has come about now is that stovepipes have been revamped and renewed, as their market has grown immensely. Concerned at the increase in the price of crude oil and petrol, diesel and natural gas, as well as at forecasts of shortage and even that the world will run out one day, many families have converted to wood-burning stoves and heating systems.
Equipment has now been perfected that guarantees an excellent degree of combustion and heat for all the rooms in the house. Plus, about fifteen years ago the Canadians first developed the convenient system of fuel pellets, little cylinders of compressed sawdust that can be used to make up the fire and keep it burning, sometimes for more than a whole day.
Looks have also evolved, upgrading stoves and fireplaces from the weakest features in the home to items of décor that are beautiful – and functional – enough to be made into conversation pieces.
Because they expel smoke under pressure and also for safety reasons, pellet stoves in particular required the development of thicker stovepipes, between 1.2 and 2 mm, together with special fixings and seals.
The market for them is growing all the time. And enamel is doing its part, ensuring resistance to everything and so durability, safety, luminosity and colour.
Well equipped and ready to face the competition, enamellers have developed thicker stovepipes that are welded along one side and enamelled with different colours and with a choice of shiny or semi-matt surfaces; as a result, they have taken the market by storm.
They are also enamelled inside, which means that they really are made to last far longer than other coatings. High temperatures do not change their colours by one iota, they are immune to corrosion by the acidic condensation of smoke and fumes, they do not scratch and they can be cleaned by just using a little common detergent and wiping a damp rag over them.
They are also ideal for chimney flues, another application where they guarantee an extremely long working life and enduring safety.
Additionally conventional stovepipes are holding their own and actually doing some catching up of their own, as the demand from the emerging markets of Eastern Europe grows more relentless.
All in all, stovepipes are making a comeback on all sides – and vitreous enamel has a lot to do with their return.
That is no mean feat: on the contrary, it is a triumph. The smoke issuing from these stovepipes is white, because they have won their battle.
Chimney flues and stovepipes are subject to the EN 1856-1, EN 1856-2 and EN 1859 standards.
Plumbing Ware
Bathtubs: the focal point of every bathroom
As bathrooms have evolved, bathtubs have evolved with them. But they are still the focal point in every bathroom: beautiful, functional and durable. Especially if they are coated with vitreous enamel.
Adopting an evocative image, the bathtub has been described as the centre piece of every bathroom. Quite simply, a bathroom would not be a bathroom without a bathtub, which has always played a focal role in the bathroom – and also in the history of the bathroom. With its changing styles and, above all, materials, the bathtub has always kept pace with that history, evolving from a status symbol to a typical and then an indispensable feature.
Nowadays, the bathroom has probably reached the peak in its evolution: gone are the times when its door was always kept closed, sealed off from the rest of the house, as it has now become a showcase venue where we pamper ourselves with fitness and bodycare, a place we exhibit to our guests with pride.
Evolving trends in furnishings and fittings (shower cabins, hydromassage tubs, cabins with gym equipment and even radio, TV and computer links…) that enable individuals to express their personal tastes have also affected the bathtub. Not by making it go away, but by persuading it to defend the focal position it has always occupied in the bathroom: those same demanding individuals can now choose from all sorts of new shapes and colours and a wide range of new functions that are constantly adding the qualities and services we have always enjoyed in a vitreous enamelled bathtub.
A bathtub needs to be more than just beautiful: beauty alone is of no use if the tub is not hygienic, easy to clean and durable. These are qualities that enamelled bathtubs can boast to a significantly higher degree than those with other coatings and materials, although consumers may not always be aware of the difference and may even end up buying without being fully and clearly informed. Vitreous enamel is a glassy substance and, like glass, it is hard, resistant to water, heat and sudden changes in temperature, to chemical agents (both acid and alkaline) and to abrasion. So you don’t need to worry: you can use any liquid or cream detergent to clean it, abuse it with all the shampoos, perfumes and soaps you like… Unlike bathtubs made of plastic or methacrylate, enamelled tubs will not fade yellow, adopt that stubborn, unsightly bathtub ring or change their colour as time goes by: on the contrary, they will last and last, as unchanging as the sanitary fittings they were designed to match.
Enamelled bathtubs may be made of steel or cast iron. Plus, there are new technologies available today that mean that you can change your tub without having to break all the tiles on your floor and walls.
To tell the truth, a great deal has changed in the bathroom in the last few decades. But – as we have seen – bathtubs are determined to defend the position they have occupied for such a long time, their status as the bathroom’s umbilical central feature.
| Enamel coatings for bathtubs and shower trays: functional characteristics | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | References |
| Hygiene | Does not allow bacteria to proliferate or fungus and mould to take hold. | Bacteriological study undertaken by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Cleaning | Enamel is very easy to clean and resistant to both liquid and cream detergents. | ISO 4533, ISO 4535 Test duration: 2.5 hours; max weight loss 20 g/m2 |
| Chemical and physical | Properties | References |
| Resistance to water | As enamel is a vitreous coating, it has the same chemical properties as glass and is not corroded by water, even hot water. | N. A. |
| Resistance to acids | Enamels used in bathtubs and shower trays must be at least class A. | EN 14483 – 1 ISO 2722 |
| Resistance to organic solvents | As enamel is a vitreous coating, it has the same chemical properties as glass and is not damaged or stained by alcohol, perfumes, bath foams etc. | |
| Mechanical resistance | Properties | References |
| Adherence | The coating must adhere to the steel support. | UNI 8883 EN 10209 Annex D |
| Hardness | The enamel coating is hard and is not chipped easily. | 5-7 Mohs Scale |
| Abrasion | As enamel is a vitreous coating, it hardly wears at all. | UNI 7233 |
| Shock resistance | Accidental knocks of a certain intensity may chip the enamel coating. This does not normally make the bathtub less functional, as the metal support is still protected against rusting by the base enamel. As a general rule, a good quality enamel coating should not have any more than a 2 mm Ø chip 24 hours after suffering a knock of 20 N. | ISO 4532 |
Sinks
The enamelled lavatory (Basin)
An object with a venerable history, with a host of ritual meanings and of memories. What today’s trade parlance knows as “lavatories” and the general public calls “wash basins” are simple and tasteful, technological and functional, largely due to the properties of vitreous enamel.
The lavatory: yet another fascinating, demanding exercise in style and design. Fascinating, because it is highly visible, which means that its presence and aesthetic qualities make a statement about the style of the bathroom environment. Demanding, because the space available for moving around in the bathroom is limited, which means that it is easy to get the impression that everything there is to be done and invented has already been done and invented. Partly because the lavatory as an object has a history that goes back far further than that of the bathroom, in the sense of the large room full of accessories and conveniences that we know and use today. The product’s very name confirms its antiquity: the lavatory was originally the basin used by the priest to wash his hands while celebrating mass and the term derives from the same roots as Italian and French lavabo, which in turn is pure Latin, meaning “I shall wash”, the first word in the formula (“Lavabo manus meas…” from Psalm XXVI) that the priest used to intone when he was about to wash his hands; the term was then also used to describe the lavatory in the sacristy, then the entire room reserved for ablutions and in the end the bathroom. Until running water was laid on everywhere towards the end of the fifties, most Italian homes still had a lavatory in the bedroom: it was an enamelled jug and basin resting on a metal or marble and stone stand, flanked by a towel rail.
As in the case of other domestic service and furniture elements, the lavatory has experienced considerable evolutions of style that have advanced in parallel with the evolution of the bathroom as it has become a far more central feature – both physically and conceptually – of our homes in recent decades.
The examples shown here – produced and distributed by Rubinetterie Ritmonio – illustrate very well how the combination brought about in the lavatory, between the basin and the surface that supports it, between traditional and ultramodern materials and between craftsmanship and sophisticated technologies, leads to results where simplicity and elegance blend smoothly with both taste and practical functionality.
Once again, enamel makes a statement that highlights the brilliant results it can achieve with all the strength of its celebrated qualities: hardness and resistance to scratches, to abrasion, to sudden changes in temperature, to acids … With all the versatility of its extensive range of colours, with increasingly diversified shades. All this makes it a far more pleasant experience to enter a bathroom and come into everyday contact with an object that is so ancient yet also so modern, so rich in history and ideas, one that we can use to take care of an important aspect of our well-being, yet one that is at the same time charged with memories and ritual meanings.
| Enamel coating – Functional Characteristics | ||
| Characteristic | Properties | References |
| Substrate: aluminium intended to be enamelled | Alloy 4006 | UNI EN 573 |
| Thickness of the Vitreous enamel finish | 40 – 80 micron | UNI EN IS0 2178 |
| Cleanability | Vitreous enamel can be easily cleaned. Generally a damp sponge is all it takes to wipe away any traces of dirt. | |
| Hygiene | The well-established qualities of enamel that derive from its vitreous nature and range from its hardness to its porosity-free compactness, offers a guarantee of hygiene, along with its resistance to abrasion, so important because it ensures that there are never any of the cracks and interstices that could then be used by germs and moulds to take hold and flourish. | Bacteriological survey conducted by the Modena Hospital Institutes |
| Chemical resistance | Properties | References |
| Resistance to acids | Acids at room temperature do not damage or leave stains or marks on enamelled surfaces. Hydrofluoric acid shall not be used on vitreous enamelled surfaces. | EN 14483-1 ISO 2722 |
| Resistance to normal detergents | Dirt can be removed using either liquid or cream detergents, which neither scratch the enamel nor alter it. | |
| Mechanical resistance | Properties | References |
| Adherence | The enamel cladding must adhere to the aluminium support | ISO 13805 |
| Hardness 5 -7 Mohs Scale | An enamel cladding is hard and does not chip easily | EN 101 |
| Abrasion | Because it is a vitreous cladding, vitreous enamel does not abrade easily, even after a long time | |
| Scratch Resistance | Vitreous enamel is not scratched by normal kitchen tools | EN ISO 15695 |
| Shock Resistance | Only quite significant shocks may chip enamel. | ISO 4532 |
IEI 