If there is one thing that can drive a first time bathroom renovator crazy, it would have to be the bazillion faucets and fittings for your tub and sink. From period styles to fancy faucet finishes, to center-set fittings and deck or wall-mounted faucets, there is no shortcoming of faucet choices. And while it may be common sense that tub faucets and fitting must be compatible with the bathtub that they serve, it is still tempting to select a bathtub faucet based on its looks alone. First and foremost you should be thinking about durability, you want to get a tub faucet that will stand the test of time. Comfort is another factor that should be taken into consideration; big graspable handles will come into play when trying to turn the knobs with slippery soapy hands. And let us not forget about selecting the appropriate size and design of spout to fit your tub.

"Summary: Bathtub faucets made of solid brass die-cast parts are better quality tub faucets than tub faucets with plastic handles or shells. Bathtub faucet finishes coated with physical vapour deposition PVD are extremely durable. Tub faucet handles are important for comfort. Washerless faucets for tubs require less maintenance but are more expensive to fix than bathroom faucets with washers."

Longevity is an important factor when selecting a bathtub faucet, so while the price of faucets with plastic handles or shells may be appealing to your pocket book, how long these cheap faucets will last is quite uncertain and will more than likely have to be replaced sooner, rather than later. Solid brass die-cast parts are a measurable sign of quality but unfortunately durability comes with a steeper price tag, ranging from several hundred to thousands of dollars. And if you want to keep a lasting shine on your tub faucets you can even spend more (add about 30%) and get a tarnish resistant “physical vapour deposition” (PVD) finish put on your faucets to keep them sparkling.

Most people expect a bathtub to be comfortable and relaxing. While the shape and depth of your tub are considerations, accessibility to tub handles and spouts as you lounge in your bathtub is very important to your level of comfort. The tub spout must be long enough to reach well into the bathtub yet far enough away so as not to be intrusive. Smaller hot and cold water handles make grasping difficult with slippery hands while lever handles are easier for children and the elderly to use. Also you may want to think about the type of tub spout you purchase, waterfall spouts deliver soothing flat streams of water to create a calming mood.

Depending upon the depth and size of your tub, a high capacity tub faucet will fill your bathtub a lot quicker than your conventional tub spout, but this may require you to get bigger water pipes which may not be an option for you. Gooseneck spouts are better suited for tall bath tubs since they are normally mounted higher up, their design will reduce the over-splash created by their greater height. Older types of faucets used a washer which wore out and needed to be replaced. Newer washerless tub faucet models require less maintenance but can be costly to repair if they do fail.

Some other options you may want to consider besides your tub faucet’s appearance is whether or not the flow rate can be adjusted or if it has ant-scalding features. With the advent of bathtub and shower technology, motion controlled faucets are readily available to make bathing even more enjoyable. If you shop around you can usually bring home a beautiful alluring and reliable tub faucet that won’t put you back too much and you can be proud of knowing it won’t need frequent repair.

Other conditional categories that teach you restoration tips for bathroom renovation, lavatory layout and design ideas to consider, renewal concepts to remodel your bathroom, discussion of current bathroom trends to keep you informed and general bathroom merchandise reviewed for your bathroom to get you started on your quest for bathroom nirvana.

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