Service · Bathtubs & basins
A bath that grows out of the room, not into it.
A microcement bathtub or integrated basin is built to the room rather than bought to fit it. The tub, the surround, the shower bench and the floor can all carry the same finish, so nothing reads as an object dropped into place.
A microcement bathtub or basin is a formed bath, shower bench or integrated sink finished in a seamless CimentArt Aqua skin, so the piece, the surround and the floor read as one continuous surface. There are no tile joints, no grout lines and no visible edge between bath and wall. Built and installed across Cornwall by Jonathan Heywood.
Most bathrooms are planned around what the tub and basin will allow. A formed, microcement‑finished piece reverses that: the bath is set out to the room's real dimensions, then given the same mineral skin as the walls and floor around it.
How the piece is built
The carcass is formed and rigidly supported — this is the part that decides whether the finish lasts. It is then tanked with a flexible waterproofing membrane, built up with mesh‑reinforced base coats, finished in two pigmented coats and sealed with a two‑component polyurethane formulated for permanently wet environments.
Integrated basins and vanity tops
The same approach suits vanities. A basin can be formed into the top so there is no rim, no sealant line and no lip collecting water — just one surface falling gently to the waste. Wall‑mounted brassware keeps the top completely clear.
Where it is not the right answer
A freestanding acrylic tub that flexes underfoot is a poor candidate; so is any shell that cannot be made properly rigid. In those cases a conventional bath with a microcement surround gives the same seamless look without asking the coating to do something it should not.
The measure of one of these rooms is that you stop being able to see where the bath ends and the wall begins.
Best for
- Built‑in baths finished flush with the surrounding walls
- Integrated basins and vanity tops with no visible join
- Shower benches, ledges and niches
- Awkward rooms where no standard tub fits properly
- Period bathrooms where a sanitaryware catalogue looks wrong
- Holiday lets wanting one memorable, photographable room
What you get
Features that set this installation apart.
- CimentArt Aqua system — rated for permanently wet use
- Fully tanked and mesh‑reinforced beneath the finish
- Two‑component polyurethane sealer over pigmented finish coats
- Bath, surround, floor and walls in one continuous colour
- Dimensions set to the room, not to a stock size
- No grout, no silicone seam to discolour
- Works with wall‑mounted, deck‑mounted or floor‑standing brassware
- Repairable and re‑sealable in place, years later
Selected work
Recent bath and wet‑room work
All photography is of work completed by Jonathan Heywood in Cornwall.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Can a bathtub really be finished in microcement?+
Yes. The bath is formed first — either a built‑in tub carcass or an existing shell — then tanked, mesh‑reinforced and finished with the CimentArt Aqua system and a two‑component polyurethane sealer rated for permanently wet use.
Is a microcement basin practical for daily use?+
It is. Sealed correctly, the surface resists soap, toothpaste, cosmetics and limescale, and wipes clean with a pH‑neutral cleaner. What it must not meet is bleach or abrasive cream cleaner.
Can you finish over an existing bath or basin?+
Sometimes. The shell has to be rigid, sound and correctly supported — an unsupported acrylic tub flexes and no coating survives that. We assess it on a site visit before quoting.
How do you handle the waste, overflow and taps?+
Brassware and wastes are set out before the finish goes on, so the microcement is dressed cleanly up to each fitting. Wall‑mounted or deck‑mounted taps both work.
How long does a bath or basin take?+
As part of a wider bathroom, it adds a few days. As a standalone piece it is typically a short, staged visit — build‑up, finish coats, then a cure period before first use.