Choice of material is fundamental to the long-term success and life cycle value of a water birth pool. Active Birth Pools are fabricated from FICORE® composite. FICORE® was the first material ever developed specifically for baths. Twenty five years ago our manufacturer took the strong points of vitreous enamelled metal, acrylic and glassfibre, and created a superior composite of materials.
Ficore is a composite of eight different materials chemically fused during the manufacturing process and then heat cured at very high temperature to provide the finished product. It is light in weight but ‘heavy’ in performance.
A cross section of FICORE® composite
1. The surface of FICORE is isophthalic neo-pentyl-glycol that is:
a) 50% harder than acrylic and fiberglass (from which other birth pools are made) when both materials are hot; i.e. when a bath is in use. This hardness of surface means that the bath can be kept clean of normal grease and dirt using only a soft liquid detergent.
Hard water stains are also easily removed.
American National Standard Institute ”Wear’ tests with abrasive slurry carried out by an independent laboratory show that after 10,000 cycles the loss of reflectance where acrylic is commonly 2% is only 0.5% for FICORE.
b) Able to withstand both continuous heat or hot water of 80 degrees Celsius/17 Fahrenheit, and thermal shock of alternating hot and cold water.
c) Despite the hardness of the surface it remains always tactile, warm to the touch and human friendly.
d) Resistant to most chemicals including acid or alkaline solutions (e.g. lime scale remover) which neither acrylic nor vitreous enamel can withstand.
e) Because of its ability to stand up to immersion in water, it:
* Is approved by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping for use in the construction of craft under their survey.
* Is approved by Wine Laboratories Limited for long term storage (20 years) of high alcohol content wines and spirits.
* Is approved by The Water Research Council and the Water Bylaws Advisory Service for the long term storage (20 years) of potable water.
f) It is resistant to cigarette burns.
2. FICORE’s high insulation quality means it keeps water hot six times longer than standard acrylic backed by glass fibre and twelve times longer than vitreous enameled cast iron. It also reduces noise.
3. Its structural integrity is very high. It is none flexing, and will not buckle, bow, or change shape under pressure as will acrylic. It requires no other material to reinforce it, nor chassis/frame to support it. It can be built in any sensibly commercial thickness.
4. It will not chip as will vitreous enamel.
5. It is fully repairable when other bath materials are not, can be made in literally any colour, is rigid, high gloss, and its composition and method of processing permits mores sharply defined detail i.e. tighter radii and curves, than any other bath material.
6. Active Birth Pools fabricated in Ficore are backed by a Lifetime Warranty. The guarantee is published in our literature or available on request.
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