Freestanding Bathtubs: Carved Stone, Stone Resin and Acrylic Soaking Tubs Compared

A freestanding soaking tub is a bathtub finished on every side, so it stands on the floor on its own instead of being built into a wall or a deck. Our collection has them in three materials: stone carved from one block, stone resin (also sold as solid surface), and acrylic. On the tubs here that list a weight, the 67 inch solid surface oval is 321.87 pounds empty and the acrylic tubs are 95 to 135 pounds. Carved stone tubs are heavier still, and their weights are listed in our marble and stone bathtubs guide.

Below, each material is shown with examples from our freestanding bathtubs, using the sizes, weights and capacities listed on each product page. Carved tubs have their own collection in stone bathtubs.

The three materials at a glance

Material	How it is made	Listed weight, empty	Surface	Examples below
Carved stone	Cut by hand from one block of marble, travertine or limestone	not listed for tubs 1 to 3	Polished or honed natural stone	1 to 3
Stone resin, solid surface	Ground mineral and resin cast in one piece	321.87 lb for tub 4	Matte or gloss, opaque or translucent	4 to 6
Acrylic	Formed acrylic, single or double wall	95 to 135 lb for tubs 7 to 9	Gloss	7 to 9

Specs of the nine tubs

Tub	Material	L x W x H (in)	Weight	Capacity
1. White marble, dark veining	Marble, polished	73 x 32 x 24	not listed	not listed
2. Imperial White	Marble, polished	70 x 32 x 20	not listed	not listed
3. Beige travertine ellipse	Travertine, honed	70 x 35 x 20	not listed	not listed
4. 67 inch oval	Solid surface, matte	67 long	321.87 lb	108 gal
5. 61 inch slipper	Solid surface, matte cream	61.02 x 31.5 x 25.2	not listed	not listed
6. 59 inch transparent oval	Resin, transparent brown	59 x 29.5 x 21.7	not listed	66 gal
7. Linear soaker	Acrylic, gloss	59.1 x 29.5 x 22.8 or 67 x 31.5 x 22.8	about 95 to 99 lb	not listed
8. Jacuzzi Celeste	Acrylic, gloss	70 x 32	110 lb	84 gal
9. Compact rectangular	Acrylic, gloss	43.3 or 47.2 x 27.6 x 24.8	127 or 135 lb	not listed

Carved stone freestanding tubs

A carved tub is one piece of stone with no liner, so the veining on the outside continues through the wall to the basin. On the tubs below, the listings give a wall thickness of 0.75 to 1.25 inches and a pre-drilled 1.5 inch drain hole, with the drain and filler bought separately.

1. White marble with dark veining, polished

A long, straight-sided tub, 73 inches by 32 inches and 24 inches high, with dark branching veins across a white ground.

2. Imperial White marble, polished

Imperial White is a quieter white marble with soft gray movement. The tub is 70 by 32 inches and 20 inches high, a lower rim than tub 1. Next to warm metal fittings or a darker floor, the white stands out clearly.

3. Beige travertine ellipse, honed

An ellipse with no corners, carved from beige travertine and honed to a matte surface with the stone's natural texture. At 70 by 35 inches, it is shaped to be seen from all sides.

Ten more carved tubs, with weights and a comparison of the stones, are in our marble and stone bathtubs guide.

Stone resin and solid surface tubs

Stone resin and solid surface are two names for the same family of material: ground mineral bound with resin and cast as one piece. Opaque versions have the color all the way through the wall, and clear tinted resin is also made.

4. 67 inch oval soaking tub, matte white

A tapered oval with a rim that rises at both ends, listed at 321.87 pounds and a volume of 108 gallons. At 8.34 pounds per gallon, 108 gallons of water weigh about 900 pounds, so the full tub is just over 1,200 pounds before anyone gets in.

5. 61 inch slipper tub, matte cream

A slipper tub has one or both ends raised higher than the middle, for a tall backrest. This one is 61.02 by 31.5 inches and 25.2 inches at the high ends, in a matte cream color.

6. 59 inch transparent resin oval

A clear tinted resin tub, 59 by 29.5 by 21.7 inches with a listed volume of 66 gallons. Light passes through the brown wall, which sets it apart from the opaque white tubs.

For how stone resin compares with carved stone and acrylic, with ten resin tubs and their soaking depths, see our guide to stone resin bathtubs.

Acrylic freestanding tubs

Acrylic is the lightest of the three in our listings. The surface is glossy and smooth, and some models are double walled, with an insulating layer between the inner and outer surface.

7. Linear soaker with a ribbed exterior

A rounded rectangle with fine vertical ribs on the outside, in a 59 inch size (59.1 by 29.5 inches) or a 67 inch size (67 by 31.5 inches), both 22.8 inches high and listed at about 95 to 99 pounds.

8. Jacuzzi Celeste 70 inch soaking tub

A 70 by 32 inch oval, listed at 110 pounds and a capacity of 84 gallons. It is the longest acrylic tub here, the longest acrylic tub in this guide.

9. Compact rectangular tub, 43 or 47 inches

A deep box shape 27.6 inches wide and 24.8 inches tall, in a 43.3 or 47.2 inch length, at 127 or 135 pounds. You sit upright in a tub this short, which is how it still gives a full soak. More tubs in this size range are in our guide to small freestanding tubs.

Shapes: oval, slipper, rectangular and upright

The shape decides how you sit in the water and how the tub looks from the door.

• Oval and double-ended: both ends slope and the tub looks the same from any side, like tub 4.
• Slipper: one or both ends rise high for a tall backrest, like tub 5.
• Rectangular or linear: straighter sides that line up with walls, tile joints and a window, like tubs 1 and 7.
• Upright or Japanese style: short and deep with a seat, for sitting in water up to the shoulders. Our Japanese soaking tubs guide covers this style.

Sizes

The freestanding tubs in our collection run from about 43 inches long for upright soakers to 80 inches for the largest carved stone tubs. Widths in this guide run from 27.6 to 35 inches, and heights from 20 to 25.2 inches. Alcove and drop-in sizes, depths to the overflow and capacities are compared in our bathtub sizes guide.

The tub filler

A freestanding tub has no deck for a faucet, so the filler is chosen separately. The two types are a floor-mounted tub filler that stands beside the tub, some with a hand shower, and a spout mounted on the wall above the rim.

The two above are brushed nickel and matte black. More finishes are in our bathroom faucets collection.

Building the room around the tub

A freestanding tub is the largest single object in the bathroom, so the floor, walls and vanity are chosen around it. A plain floor tile a shade lighter or darker than the tub keeps attention on its outline, and our bathroom tiles range covers marble, porcelain and mosaic options. For complete room plans built around a tub, see the Japandi bathroom with a Japanese-style soaking tub and the stone master bathroom with carved marble tubs.

Freestanding Bathtub FAQ

What is the difference between a freestanding tub and an alcove tub?

A freestanding tub is finished on all sides and stands on the floor by itself, so it can go in the middle of a room or under a window. An alcove tub is finished on one long side only and is built in between three walls, and it can have a shower above it.

How much does a full freestanding tub weigh?

Add the water to the listed empty weight, at about 8.34 pounds per gallon. The 84 gallon Jacuzzi Celeste holds about 700 pounds of water on top of its 110 pounds, so it is about 810 pounds full. The 66 gallon transparent resin tub holds about 550 pounds of water, and a bather adds their own weight to both.

Is stone resin the same as solid surface?

Yes, for bathtubs the two names refer to the same cast material of ground mineral and resin. The difference that matters is from carved stone: a carved tub is cut from one natural block, so its veining is the stone's own, while a resin tub is molded, so its color or pattern is cast into it and repeats from one tub to the next.

What size freestanding tub fits a primary bathroom?

In this guide, 67 to 73 inch tubs are the primary bath sizes: the 67 inch solid surface oval, the 70 inch Celeste, the 70 inch Imperial White and travertine ellipse, and the 73 inch marble tub. A 59 to 61 inch tub suits a smaller bathroom, and the compact 43 and 47 inch rectangular tub is the shortest here.

Do freestanding tubs come with a drain and overflow?

It depends on the tub. The carved stone tubs here come with a pre-drilled 1.5 inch drain hole, and the drain, overflow and filler are bought separately. Several resin and acrylic listings in our collection include a pop-up drain, and some include an overflow. None of the freestanding tubs here comes with a faucet.