Bathroom doors: types and tips for choosing

The bathroom is a rather specific room and has its own microclimate, which differs from the microclimate of other rooms in the apartment. It often has high humidity and regular temperature changes. In this regard, the room needs strong and durable doors that will not swell or deform in such difficult conditions. Let's take a closer look at the types and tips for choosing doors to the bathroom.

A bathroom door must be highly resistant to the negative effects of high humidity, must not change its size and can be easily opened / closed throughout the entire period of operation. Special requirements apply to doors for small bathrooms and small combined bathrooms. In such spaces, the bathtub is located close to the doorway and is not separated from it by a partition or decorative screen. As a result, the door leaf is constantly exposed to steam and splashes, and becomes covered with condensation.

In spacious bathrooms equipped with good ventilation or a window, as well as in rooms where a sealed shower cabin is installed instead of a bath, the requirements for the choice of doors are not so strict, which allows you to install any interior linens in them.

The classification of bathroom doors is made according to such characteristics as the method of opening the door leaf and the material of manufacture. According to the first criterion, the doors are divided into several types.

Doors of this type are the most popular type of construction. They are highly reliable and durable. The door leaf is fixed to the frame by means of hinges, which provide quiet and easy opening. Such doors fit tightly to the frames and can be installed with a threshold, which provides high sound and thermal insulation of the premises.

Among the disadvantages of swing models, one can note the impossibility of installing them in small rooms, since at least 60–80 cm of free space are needed to open them freely. Besides, the end of the door from the side of the hinges slightly narrows the width of the opening, which is why swing structures are inconvenient in narrow aisles.

This type includes sliding doors, arranged according to the principle of sliding wardrobe doors. Such models save space well and are intended for installation in tight spaces with a lack of free space.

According to the method of expansion, recoil models are divided into the following:

• rail tracks are equipped with rollers and run along a guide rail along the wall;
• cassette ones have a more complex device and slide into the wall.

Disadvantages of sliding doors for cassette models are minimized: they fit tightly to the box and do not allow sound and heat to pass through. However, such structures have one significant drawback - if the internal elements of the structure break down, the wall will have to be dismantled.

This type of canvases is a symbiosis of swing and sliding doors. It functions as follows: when the canvas is opened in the classical way, it begins to move sideways to the right or left jamb and becomes perpendicular to its original position. Such doors keep heat well, do not let in noise and look quite interesting.

Such canvases consist of several blocks and are folded according to the "accordion" principle. Folded models with a large number of sections take up quite a lot of space in the opening, therefore they are suitable only for wide door frames. Besides, they have low sound insulation characteristics and poor heat retention.

For the manufacture of doors for bathrooms, natural wood, plastic, metal-plastic, glass and wood-shaving materials, covered with moisture-resistant films, are used. It should be noted, however, that without limitation on the level of humidity, only metal-plastic structures and glass can be used.

Let's take a closer look at the basic materials for making doors to the bathroom.

• Natural wood. Doors from an array of noble woods look very solid, they speak of good taste and high prosperity of home owners. However, they are not very suitable as doors for the bathroom and are more often used as an interior sheet. They can be placed in damp rooms only with forced ventilation or a window.

The best option would be an array of oak or beech, impregnated with an antiseptic composition. The use of softer rocks is not recommended due to their high hygroscopicity.

• Metal-plastic. From the point of view of practicality, metal-plastic structures are an excellent option for bathrooms and toilets. They are not afraid of high humidity and temperature changes, they are easily cleaned of dirt and have high heat and sound insulation properties. Among the disadvantages are heavy weight and somewhat "breech" appearance, because of which it is quite problematic to fit such a door into the interior of rooms adjacent to the bathroom.

• Glass. Glass doors are the ideal solution for bathrooms and toilets. For their manufacture, several types of glass are used - duplex, triplex and tempered glass. Such canvases have a toned or matte finish, they are often decorated with a sandblast pattern.

Among the disadvantages it is worth noting relative fragility, high weight, the need for regular washing and compatibility with not all interior styles.

• Plastic. Plastic canvases are quite cheap, they are not afraid of temperature changes and they tolerate direct exposure to steam and splashes well. To fill the internal cavities, expanded polystyrene is used, which gives the door high moisture and soundproof properties.

The disadvantages of such paintings include somewhat rustic appearance and the risk of chloride release when external temperatures rise.

• MDF and chipboard. Door leaves made of pressed shavings and wood fiber are highly hygroscopic and do not withstand moisture well. To increase the water resistance of the products, they are covered with a moisture-proof protective layer. When choosing such doors for a bathroom, you need to pay special attention to the upper and lower ends of the canvases, which often do not have a waterproof coating.

If such a model is installed as an interior model, then nothing terrible will happen, and the product will serve for many years.

Among the advantages of doors made of chip materials, one can note an attractive appearance, a wide range of patterns and textures, light weight, ease of maintenance and low cost. The disadvantages include low moisture resistance and the susceptibility of the top layer to scratches and abrasions.

Several solutions are used as a protective layer for chipboards.

• PVC foil is the most popular and inexpensive coating. It perfectly imitates the wood grain pattern. PVC films are available on the market in a wide variety of designs and colors. The disadvantages of PVC include the release of a small amount of harmful substances into the surrounding space, which occurs when the temperature rises.

• Lamination is the process of covering the canvas with a layer of paper and a waterproof varnish, which as a result gives a high decorative effect and protects the chipboard from moisture.

• Natural veneer is a thin layer of valuable wood, which is glued to the canvas and makes it indistinguishable from a product made of natural wood. These doors weigh much less than solid wood models and are much cheaper.However, it is better not to put them in small bathrooms with no ventilation, since direct contact with steam or water is contraindicated for the veneer.

• Eco-veneer is a coating made from a mixture of wood fiber and harmless polymers, which looks very similar to natural wood. Unlike natural veneer, this material perfectly resists moisture and is perfect for the bathroom.

Bathroom door leaves are produced in accordance with the dimensions of the doorways: for old housing stock - 55x190, 60x190 and 60x200 cm, for new buildings - 70x200 and 80x200 cm. The increase in size is associated with changes in building codes, which are set in accordance with changing needs. This is due to the growth in the size of modern plumbing, the emergence of a jacuzzi and shower cabins.

When choosing a door to a bathroom, you should adhere to the general style of both the room itself and the spaces adjacent to it. Need to watch so that the canvas is in harmony with the wall cladding, plumbing equipment and furniture, both inside the bathroom and outside.

• For modern interiorsdesigned in the techno and minimalist style, the canvases should not stand out too much against the general background and have unnecessary details. Such models are often installed without platbands, and glass, eco-veneer and plastic are chosen as the material.

• Classic style never goes out of style and is often found in modern housing. Canvases from an array of natural breeds, as well as wood-shaving models with veneer and eco-veneer coating in a baguette frame, are well suited to the "classic". As for the color palette, browns will look good in retro styles, as well as pastel colors - beige, gray, pearl, golden, pink and light blue.

• Country style, which is characterized by simplicity and deliberate roughness of execution, any canvases, except for metal-plastic and glass, are well suited.

• For luxurious art deco canvases are suitable, emphasizing the sophistication and richness of the interior, made from an array of rare wood species. They are often complemented by hand-made stained glass windows, curly carvings and skillful forged decoration.

As for the color of the doors, its choice depends on the personal preferences of the owners. Usually it is matched to the floor covering or a few shades darker / lighter. If difficulties arose when choosing a color, then, according to the designers, as a win-win option, you can install a canvas of any of the pastel shades.that will look good in almost all interiors. If, next to the door to the bathroom, there are several more doors leading to other rooms, then it is desirable that they all be of the same color and design.

It is recommended to install doors in light colors in tight spaces.decorated with mirror and glass inserts. If you don't want to focus on the door, then you can choose a canvas to match the wall decoration. If, on the contrary, the door merges with the walls, and there was a desire to somehow highlight it, then you can install the platbands in color with the floor plinths.

When choosing doors for the bathroom you should pay attention to a number of important points.

• First of all, you should focus on the area and humidity level of the bathroom. In small rooms in which the air humidity exceeds 60%, it is better to choose a glass or plastic structure that is not afraid of direct contact with splashes and steam. In spacious rooms, the choice of doors depends on the preferences of the owners and the style of the bathroom.

• If you decide to purchase a door made of pressed shavings covered with a protective film, it should be remembered that for most canvases, the coating is applied first to the web and only then to its end part. As a result, at the junction of the two materials, a barely visible leaking gap is obtained through which moisture will penetrate into the slab and cause its deformation. In even more inexpensive models, the upper and lower end strips are generally absent.

• Pay attention to the fittings - handle, hinges and lock. Door hinges required for hanging swing panels are split and one-piece. The first ones are good in that they allow you to quickly hang or remove the door without resorting to dismantling the hinges themselves, but they sag over time, which is why they are recommended to be used exclusively for light structures, for example, plastic models. The latter are considered more reliable and hold heavy canvases well, but if such a door needs to be removed, then the hinges themselves will have to be unscrewed.

• As for the handle with a locking mechanism, the most inexpensive are knob handles. They have a latch, are easy to operate and easy to install, but they are not very convenient to open with wet hands, they break quite often. A more practical option is the rotary knobs, which are much easier to use and also have a latch.

• An important criterion for choosing a door is the presence of a ventilation hole located at the bottom of the door leaf. However, when choosing such a model, it is worth considering that such grilles are useless without good exhaust ventilation. Therefore, before buying such a door, it is necessary to equip the bathroom with a forced-type ventilation system.

The easiest option would be to install a fan in a wall vent. When it is turned on, moist air from the room is drawn out into the street, and dry air enters its place from the corridor through the ventilation grill of the door.

The bathroom door is an important element of the interior. In addition to its practical function, it plays a large decorative role. A correctly selected canvas can visually expand the space, level out errors in planning and focus on the details of the interior decoration of the bathroom.

Let's look at some stylish interior design examples.

• A glass door in a modern interior looks stylish and aesthetically pleasing.

• A solid oak door will be the best solution for a classic interior.

• The sliding structure is ideal for rooms decorated in a minimalist style.

• The pivot door blends harmoniously with any contemporary design.

• The metal-plastic model with a mirror surface looks very dignified and visually increases the space.

For tips on choosing bathroom doors, see the video below.