Bathroom doors: views and tips for choosing

The bathroom is a rather specific room and has its own microclimate, which differs from the microclimate of other rooms of the apartment. It often has high humidity, and regular temperature changes occur. In this regard, the room needs strong and durable doors that do not swell and do not deform in such difficult conditions. Let us consider in more detail the types and tips for choosing doors to the bathroom.

The door to the bathroom should be highly resistant to the negative effects of high humidity, not resize and be easy to open / close 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 spray, and is condensed.

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

The classification of doors for a bathroom is made according to such characteristics as the method of opening the canvas and the material of manufacture. According to the first criterion, the doors are divided into several varieties.

Doors of this type are the most popular type of construction. They are distinguished by high reliability and durability. The door leaf is secured to the box by means of hinges, which ensure silent and easy opening. Such doors fit tightly to the frames and can be installed with a threshold, which provides high sound and heat insulation of rooms.

Among the drawbacks of swing models, it is possible to install them in small rooms, since their free opening requires at least 60–80 cm of free space. Besides, the end of the door on the hinge side narrows the width of the opening slightly, which is why swing structures in narrow passages are inconvenient.

This type includes sliding sheets, arranged on the principle of sliding wardrobe doors. Such models save space well and are designed for installation in cramped rooms with a lack of free space.

By the method of extension, the retractable models are divided into the following:

• rail equipped with rollers and go along the guide rail along the wall;
• cassette tapes have a more complex device and slide into the wall.

The drawbacks of sliding doors for cassette models are minimized: they are tightly attached to the box and do not allow sound and heat. 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 cloth is a symbiosis of swing and sliding doors. It functions as follows: when opening the canvas in the classical way, it begins to move sideways to the right or left jamb and becomes perpendicular to its original position. Such doors hold heat well, do not let in noise and look quite interesting.

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

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

Let us consider in more detail the basic materials for the manufacture of doors to the bathroom.

• Natural wood. Doors from an array of noble breeds look very solid, they speak of good taste and high prosperity of homeowners. However, as doors for the bathroom, they are not very suitable and are more often used as an interior door leaf. In humid rooms they can be put only in the presence of 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 because of their high hygroscopicity.

• Metalloplastik. From the point of view of practicality, metal-plastic constructions are an excellent option for the bathroom and toilet. They are not afraid of high humidity and temperature extremes, they are easily cleaned of pollution and have high heat and sound insulation properties. Among the shortcomings can be noted heavy weight and somewhat "state" appearance, because of which it is quite problematic to enter such a door into the interior of the rooms adjacent to the bathroom.

• Glass. Glass doors are an ideal solution for the bathroom and toilet. For their manufacture, several types of glass are used - duplex, triplex and tempered glass. Such canvases are tinted or matte, they are often decorated with sandblasted pattern.

Among the shortcomings it is worth noting relative fragility, heavy weight, the need for regular washing and compatibility are far from all interior styles.

• Plastic. Cloths made of plastic are quite cheap, they are not afraid of temperature changes and they tolerate direct exposure to steam and spray. To fill the internal cavities, polystyrene foam is used, which gives the door high moisture and noise protection properties.

The disadvantages of such paintings include somewhat rustic appearance and the risk of chloride evolution with increasing external temperatures.

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

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

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

As a protective layer of chipboards, several solutions are used.

• Pvc film is the most popular and inexpensive coating. She perfectly imitates the pattern of wood fibers. PVC film is marketed 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 It is a process of coating the canvas with a layer of paper and waterproof varnish, which as a result gives a high decorative effect and protects the chipboard from moisture.

• Natural veneer represents a thin layer of valuable wood, which is glued to the canvas and makes it indistinguishable from a product made of natural wood. Such doors weigh much less than solid models, while they cost much less.However, it is better not to put them in small bathrooms with a lack of ventilation, since direct contact with steam or water is contraindicated for veneers.

• Ecointerline interval is a coating of a mixture of wood fiber and harmless polymers, which looks very similar to natural wood. Unlike natural veneers, this material perfectly resists moisture and is great for the bathroom.

Door leafs for bathrooms are produced in accordance with the dimensions of the doorways: for the 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 increase in the size of modern plumbing, the appearance of a jacuzzi and showers.

When choosing a door to the 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 harmoniously combines with wall cladding, plumbing equipment and furniture both inside the bathroom and outside.

• For modern interiors, designed in the style of techno and minimalism, the paintings should not stand out against the general background and have extra 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 made from natural wood, as well as wood-shaving models coated with veneer and eco-veneer in a framing frame, are well suited to the “classics”. As for the color palette, in retro styles they will look good brown and pastel colors - beige, gray, pearl, golden, pink and light blue.

• In country style, which is characterized by simplicity and deliberate roughness of execution, any canvas other than metal-plastic and glass is well suited.

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

As for the color of the doors, its choice depends on the personal preferences of the owners. Usually it is selected to match the flooring or a few shades darker / lighter. If there were difficulties when choosing a color, then, according to designers, as a win-win option, you can set the canvas of any of the pastel colors, which 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.

In cramped rooms it is recommended to install light-colored doorsdecorated with mirror and glass inserts. If you don’t want to focus on the door, you can choose a canvas in the tone of wall decoration. If on the contrary, the door merges with the walls, and there was a desire to somehow highlight it, then you can set the platbands in color with floor skirtings.

When choosing a door for a 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 where the humidity exceeds 60%, it is better to choose a glass or plastic construction that is not afraid of direct contact with spray 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 in most canvases, the coating is applied first to the canvas and only then to its end part. As a result, at the junction of the two materials, a leaky gap is barely visible to the eye, through which moisture will penetrate the plate and cause its deformation. In even more inexpensive models, the upper and lower end plates are generally absent.

• It is necessary to pay attention to accessories - a handle, hinges and a lock. The door hinges necessary for hanging oar canvases are detachable and one-piece. The first ones are good because 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 lightweight structures, for example, plastic models. The latter are considered more reliable and hold heavy sheets 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 the handle-knob. They have a latch, are easy to operate and easy to install, but they are not too convenient to open with wet hands, they quite often break. A more practical option is the rotary knobs, which are much more convenient to use and are also equipped with a latch.

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

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

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

Consider a few stylish examples in the interior.

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

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

• The sliding design is ideal for a room decorated in a minimalist style.

• The rotary door is in harmony with any modern design.

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

See the video below for tips on choosing a bathroom door.