How to choose the doors to the bathroom and toilet

The operating conditions of doors directly depend on the environment. In the bathroom, for example, even if there is a powerful ventilation system, the humidity level will be above the average for the house, or even will “walk”, then rising to maximum values, then falling below the norm. It is from this stereotype that people are repelled when choosing doors to the bathroom. In part, this is correct - after a couple of months, who wants to face the problem of an unlocked door or see treacherous traces of rust on gilded hinges.

On the other hand, manufacturers have long foreseen these moments and protected the products so that they function without failures in the most aggressive environment. True, this applies only to quality products. This means that buyers have the opportunity to install door structures with the same design throughout the apartment - deaf or with glass, hinged or sliding, leading to all adjacent rooms, including a bathroom, a bathroom, a dressing room, etc.
The isolated status of doors to the bathroom still has a place to be, but it does not concern design and price, but other factors. When choosing, pay attention to the following characteristics:

• Dimensions: depend on the opening, which can be standard or non-standard;
• door covering;
• Comfortable constipation;
• Type of opening, and how suitable it is for your room.

These questions, as well as how to choose a bathroom door according to the material, will be covered in detail in the following paragraphs. This article was written by specialists from the V Dom online store, who will help you choose interior doors for any room.

How to order bathroom doors of the right size and not overpay?

How not to overpay for interior doors to the bathroom, toilet is one of the key issues, because it is these structures, or rather the openings for them, that do not always fit into the standard dimensions.

So, let's go in order - there are 2 options for the development of events:

• Doorways conform to common standard sizes;
• The opening is too narrow and low.

Which opening is considered standard

It would be correct to consider the standardization of the dimensions of interior doors from two sides.

Firstly, the parameters given in the regulatory documents - GOSTs are taken into account.

Secondly, this is a line of standard sizes installed at a particular manufacturer. When choosing doors, we are interested in this moment, because. if some size is considered non-standard at the factory, then when ordering doors of this size, the overpayment will be from 30 to 50%.

What do GOSTs say?

In the regulatory documentation, standards for interior doors are conventionally divided into 2 categories:

• For a height of 1900 mm - doors can be 550, 600 mm wide;
• For a height of 2000 mm - 600-900 mm (in increments of 100 mm).

But at enterprises producing interior doors, the height is 1900 mm. in half of the cases it is considered non-standard, and requires an additional payment.

Attention! If overpaying is not included in your plans, look for your favorite models from those manufacturers who make doors 1900 mm high. without additional payments.

Most modern apartments are equipped with openings according to the second standard size, leaving a height of 2 m.

The width of the doors is usually selected in accordance with the purpose of the room:

• In rooms - 80 mm;
• To the kitchen - 70 mm;
• In the bathroom, bathroom - 60 mm.

That is, for bathrooms and toilets in some types of typical houses, a minimum opening is left. This option is no longer considered inconvenient for buyers today. For most manufacturers, each series of interior doors is available in the entire existing line of sizes that fit within the standards. This means that you can order 3-4 or more doors of the same design in one place at once to be installed in the hallway at the exits to the bathroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen and other rooms (in accordance with the layout).

Conclusion: you are lucky if all doorways, including those for utility rooms, have the same height and approximately the same width. Before you is a huge assortment of models from all existing materials, at a price of 2 to 50 or more thousand rubles, of any color and style.

If the opening does not fit into the established standards - what to do?

Doors to the bathroom in 137 series houses often do not fit into any standards at all. In special cases, the issue is such that it is no longer a matter of price. We need to find a factory that can even make doors of this size.

Factories that manufacture too high (low) or wide (narrow) canvases can be found on the Internet if you type “interior doors to order in non-standard openings” into the search box, and the city in which you live. Of course, such products are not put into circulation, they are not among the finished designs, so get ready for the fact that:

• Doors will be made to order, from 2 weeks to 2 months;
• The price for 1 position will increase by 30-50%;
• The installation cost will also increase.

The production of standard doors in factories has been put on stream. Accordingly, the equipment is configured for a certain standard size. To obtain a design with larger or smaller parameters, it will be necessary to change the settings of the machines, and possibly the technology, which will lead to even greater labor costs and an increase in cost.

What to do if doors of non-standard sizes are required for the bathroom and toilet, and there is no way to overpay?

1. Search for manufacturers that produce models of the required sizes, and then select factories among the selected names where the price for non-standard sizes will be with a minimum overpayment.
2. At the repair stage, you can expand the opening, if the project allows. This is the best option, because it will solve the problem of choosing doors once and for all, will allow you to bring in overall furniture and plumbing without any problems, and will provide a lot of options for choosing a design.
3. Cut the door leaf to height. The method is not suitable for film-coated models, and for solid wood doors it is considered a reasonable solution if a professional does the work.

What materials can doors be installed in the bathroom, and which ones should not be used?

Why did we decide to highlight the problem of choosing bathroom doors? Of course, it's not just a matter of a few drops of water that can accidentally fall on the canvas: the drip option just doesn't do as much harm as the cyclically changing atmosphere. Even with powerful supply and exhaust ventilation, it is almost impossible to maintain the humidity and temperature in the bathroom at the same level.

What does the room look like after taking a shower… The steam literally hangs in the room, the humidity reaches the limit values, and the walls and other surfaces, including the door, are filled with jets of condensate. To eliminate the consequences of taking a shower or a bath, a whole range of devices is used - from ventilation to heated towel rails and a "warm floor" system. Within a few minutes things are back to normal. Abrupt changes in the atmosphere negatively affect surfaces and surrounding objects, and given that such “cataclysms” happen several times a day, then the choice of finishes, furniture, doors should be approached with particular scrupulousness.

What doors are installed in the bathroom?

In general, interior doors differ from each other in three key features:

• base material;
• coated;
• By design.

The moisture resistance of the canvas depends on each of them. That is, some models are categorically not recommended to be installed in places with a changing atmosphere, while others, on the contrary, are able to withstand direct water ingress for a long time and the constant presence of condensate.

Of the three factors listed, it is the base material that has the least effect on moisture resistance. Great importance is given to the choice of coating - it creates protection and prevents the penetration of moisture into the inner layers.A lot also depends on the quality of assembly and the type of construction, because if a microgap remains at the junctions of the panels and the base or at the edges, it will thus become a “moisture bridge” and over time, from a small defect, it will turn into a huge gap in the form of a swollen non-closing canvas.

However, the door to the bathroom is not always PVC or eco-veneer. Modern materials and processing technologies make it possible to use solid wood structures for this purpose. Which models are able to constantly withstand the onslaught of high humidity - let's discuss in detail:

Inexpensive film doors

This:

• Laminated with an inexpensive smooth cellulose film with a wood pattern;
• Covered with a thin eco-veneer 0.1-0.3 mm thick based on paper, imitating the texture and pattern of the array.

Their main advantage is low price. Nevertheless, if there is some cash reserve, we do not recommend installing such models in the bathroom, especially in a small one, where humidity manifests itself in two ways - in the form of steam and with direct droplets. Even very high-quality protection weakens over time, the paper gets wet, moisture penetrates to the MDF, which, although it is considered moisture resistant, will still swell after a year or two. The door will change in size and you will have difficulty closing. Yes, and the appearance of the model will suffer. Therefore, if it is a laminate, then it is worth refusing, or it will not last long.

Film doors of the middle price segment

This:

• High-quality, durable PVC films;
• Polypropylene coatings, including high-class eco-veneer with a thickness of 0.4-0.5 mm.

Films protect the internal contents by 100% in the event that effective technologies were used during their application and there is not the slightest defect on the surface. The strength of synthetic materials is sufficient to repel impacts and small scratches. And this is important, because in the case of interior doors made of PVC and eco-veneer, you should pay attention to the level of their performance. Water can hit them if there is a loophole for it.

Film doors are divided into 2 groups by design:

• Panel boards - from a single piece of fabric, possibly with a decor applied by milling;
• Prefabricated - paneled and tsargovye, consisting of a base (frame) and inserts from MDF, glass.

Paneled bathroom doors with quality assembly are the right choice.

These are canvases made from a single sheet of MDF or milled. The second ones look like paneled ones (when the inserts go separately from the frame), yet this is their imitation, which is performed for the purpose of decoration.

Coating of panel doors with films is carried out in stages. First, the material as a whole sheet (PVC films and eco-veneer are sold in the form of rolls) is applied to the facades. After that, narrow sidewalls (edges) are glued. As a result, a seam is formed at the junction. This is the first weak point of panel structures. The susceptibility of the door to moisture will depend on how well the connection is made, how tightly the overlap is made.

Milled doors are covered with a film using the same technology.

There is a third version of panel models - with glass inserts. In the places where they are installed, an MDF plate is cut out, and a beam is laid inside for attaching glass. The joint where the wood board meets the glass is the second weak point of the structure.

When choosing a panel film door to the bathroom, carefully inspect the edges and the junction of the glass. You can take them only if there are no defects on the surface - even the smallest ones.

Paneled and tsargovy PVC doors, eco-veneer in the bathroom - 100% your option!

In this case, too, all attention is on the quality of the product. In fact, such a door is a prefabricated constructor. The advantage lies in the technology of coating with protective materials: not the entire finished door is wrapped with rolled films, but each element separately. At the same time, the joints at the panels are left on the side that will be hidden inside the groove of the frame.

The second point is the edges: for paneled structures, the frames are wrapped completely, without creating joints on the sidewalls, so they are completely devoid of those weak points that panel sheets have. But for both, the upper and lower ends remain open - as a rule, they are not covered with films, because they are not visible.

Veneered doors

This refers to doors covered with natural veneer. The same wood that is known to be very hygroscopic (especially some varieties). Moisture resistance depends on the quality and type of protection. For veneered doors, this role is played by varnish - they carefully cover all surfaces, except for the upper and lower ends. If glass panels are used, then they are mounted together with seals, achieving a tight and reliable connection.

Enamel doors

In the rating of materials for protecting canvases from water and moisture, this is the undisputed leader. Enamel lays evenly on all parts of the structure. The glass installation method is similar to that described above. Weak points are the ends at the top and bottom.

Is it possible to install solid wood doors in the bathroom

Segment of the most durable, reliable and expensive interior doors. Given the tendency of wood to absorb moisture, is it worth it to spend a lot of money on a product that may not be suitable for use in the bathroom. Or did the producers cope with this task?

Different types of wood are used in the production of doors. The most common are 5 types (in decreasing order of cost):

• Oak;
• Ash;
• Beech;
• Alder;
• Pine.

How the finished product will react to increased humidity depends on the type of wood and on the protection option. We will deal with the varieties of the array and the level of their hygroscopicity a little later. First, about protective coatings - they are of two types:

• Breathable - paint, wax, impregnation;
• Non-breathable - primers, enamels, varnishes.

The first to produce a deeper processing of the array. Substances - stronger or weaker - penetrate into the inner layers, leaving open pores, so that the tree "breathes" and ensures normal air exchange in the room. Materials from the second category clog pores, thereby providing a more reliable natural protection of wood from moisture.

Now - about the moisture resistance of wood species.

Pine

Its advantages are low price, beautiful pattern, high thermal insulation, a huge amount of resins in wood, which make it relatively resistant to moisture. It is for this reason that doors made of untreated pine are often found. But living material with open pores will react to moisture. Given the friability of wood, it will expand or contract strongly. To close the pores and give additional water-repellent properties, it is impregnated with wax. Often it is tinted and varnished. It is not recommended to paint with enamel, because. due to the high expansion coefficient, it may crack.

Alder

Alder is slightly denser than pine, but without resins. Therefore, it absorbs moisture much more strongly. As coatings, it is necessary to choose denser compositions: primer, enamel, varnish. The breed is often used for surface finishing in saunas. Wood does not overheat, thereby preventing burns. People are also attracted by its beautiful reddish hue and pleasant smell, similar to the aroma of cognac.

Oak

Suitable breed for the manufacture of doors to the bathroom. It behaves well in conditions of high humidity, provided that the wood is well dried and securely coated with the right compositions. Oak absorbs moisture well, but does not change much in size due to the density of the wood. It is not necessary to cover it with dense opaque coatings. Great for paint or varnish.

Ash

Ash is similar to oak, but if the latter becomes as strong as metal under water (remember bog oak), then ash begins to rot. Therefore, ash trees are not placed outdoors.In damp areas, antiseptic treatment is required, but this is normal for natural wood. In general, when used in apartments and houses, it is no different from oak and the outer coatings are generally identical.

Beech

As strong as oak, but unlike the latter, it is very hygroscopic, much like alder. If we talk about pure untreated wood, then it is not recommended to use it even under normal conditions, not to mention high humidity. Solid beech doors should be finished with as dense coatings as possible. In the bathroom it is better to install doors in enamel.

Fittings for bathroom doors - hinges, handles, wraps

Bathroom, bathroom - the most visited places in an apartment or house. Doors to these rooms are under increased stress, especially in large families or communal apartments. It turns out that when choosing fittings, attention should be paid not only to its moisture resistance and corrosion protection, but also to the reliability of the opening and locking mechanisms.

Locks

There are three models of locks that we recommend installing on bathroom doors:

• Plumbing wrap;
• Handle-knob with built-in wrapping;
• Latch or latch.

Plumbing wrapping is considered the most convenient. It is a standard mortise lock. Unlike the mechanisms installed in the entrance doors, it has a simple design and one tongue that flies into the groove and is locked with a latch. The advantage of this design is reliability, although installation requires more effort than installing a simple latch, and the service is relatively expensive.

Plumbing locks are so called because they do not have special secrecy, but perform a single mission - they prevent accidental opening of the room when it is occupied. In some mechanisms, a small hole is provided. It is necessary for an adult to be able to open the door with a hairpin if a child who has played too much suddenly locks the door.

The knob is a mechanism with a ball-shaped handle, in the center of which there is a small rotating latch. It is worth installing it perpendicularly, and the mechanism is blocked, it becomes impossible to open it from the outside. Installation is carried out in 2 holes - one through is drilled in the canvas, the second is right there, but from the end.

Latch or latch - why not? Such devices are inexpensive, for installation it is not necessary to drill holes. The downside is that if the child is locked inside, the door will have to be broken.

loops

They have a triple load - from high humidity, frequent opening and the weight of the structure.

So that the hinges do not corrode, choose stainless steel or brass components, but nickel-plated or chrome-plated.

Of all the types of hinge designs, one should not stop at the butterfly models. Suitable here:

• Card;
• Mortise;
• Hidden.

Card loops are the cheapest. If you focus on strength, take brass ones - they are stronger and able to withstand a lot of weight. They look like 2 metal plates connected to each other by a pin inside the cylinder. Installation is made on self-tapping screws.

Mortise models are similar to card models, but for their installation at the ends, at the attachment points, a recess is cut out the size of a loop bar. The fittings are inserted into the resulting niche and fastened to the screws.

Hidden hinges are the most expensive and difficult to install. They create a more aesthetic appearance, because they remain invisible in any position of the canvas.

Do you need a threshold?

Threshold on the door to the bathroom is not necessary. A small gap below performs the function of natural ventilation. Some argue that the threshold in the bathroom is necessary so that in the event of a flood, it will hold back the water for some time and prevent it from pouring into the living area. Experts say that for these purposes, the bathroom provides a low laying of the floor.Indeed, the level of flooring in the bathroom is lower than in the rooms, which means that the threshold, as a restraining element, is not needed.

What size gaps to leave

When installing doors in the bathroom, the size is usually calculated taking into account the gap not 2 mm, as in the paintings in the bedroom or hall, but 3 mm. This improves ventilation so that the materials react less to high humidity. As mentioned earlier, it is on the hinges that the entire weight load falls, which means that their installation and selection should be entrusted to a professional, and he, in turn, will ensure the stability of the mechanisms.

What is the most convenient way to open the door to the bathroom

The option of opening the door should be chosen in advance, especially when it comes to the bathroom. In this case, several factors must be taken into account:

• User comfort;
• The presence of free space around;
• The absence of other doors nearby or their rational arrangement so that when open they do not interfere with each other and do not create inconvenience to the owners;
• Hermetic closing of the room so that steam and moisture do not go beyond the bathroom and do not create a negative background in the adjacent area.

Which of the existing options for closing doors optimally solve all 4 designated tasks. Recall that there are 5 varieties in total:

• Swing.
• Sliding - on a roller mechanism installed along the wall.
• Sliding - in a pencil case.
• Folding (books).
• Rotodveri.

Swing doors to the bathroom - the best solution

The classic version of the door, which is used in large-scale and individual construction. The swing door is more suitable for use in the bathroom than other designs. The main thing is to choose the right material, fittings and opening side (left, right), assessing the situation around in advance. For example, if the bathroom and the bathroom are nearby, and the entrance to the kitchen is located on an adjacent wall (a traditional variant of many standard projects), you should consider the location method so that the open doors do not interfere with each other.

Benefits of swing doors:

• Relatively low price due to a simple and understandable hanging mechanism;
• Simple, fast installation;
• High degree of tightness (if installed correctly): achieved through high-quality seals;
• Soundproofing: outside you can not hear the sound of a water jet knocking on the bottom of a steel bath;
• Reliability and maintainability of fittings, which are also easy to replace.

Sliding systems - pros and cons

General advantages of all types of sliding doors:

• Easy opening of the sash - no effort is required even for a child;
• Space saving;
• External attractiveness, stylish design;
• There is no threshold;
• The ability to install automation systems to fix the web in a certain position;
• The kit includes stoppers, limiters that prevent automatic closing.

Flaws:

• The high cost of fittings, locks;
• Minimum soundproofing;
• Difficult installation, especially "pencil case" systems;
• Special requirements for adjacent walls - they must be free so that nothing prevents the canvas from moving.

Both types of sliding structures are installed in the bathroom - ordinary (along the wall) and “in a pencil case”.

Sliding along the wall

The simplest system of existing sliding options. Top and bottom guides are mounted. The overlay cloth on rollers moves to the left/to the right. The design is not suitable for installation in very cramped hallways, where the entrance to the bathroom and the bathroom are located on the same wall at a distance of several centimeters and are separated from each other by a thin partition.

The second point - nothing can be put or hung on the wall: a table, a picture, a vase - everything will prevent opening.

The third disadvantage is that it is impossible to achieve tight closure. The lack of tightness in our case is not an unimportant factor.Water vapor in the form of condensate will accumulate on the walls and ceiling of the adjacent room. This can render the finish unusable if wallpaper is used in the design.

Yet compared to alternative sliding models, this one is the cheapest and easiest. Sometimes you don’t even need to buy a new canvas - you can simply remove the old one from the hinges and install it on the rails: the fittings are available and inexpensive.

Sliding in a pencil case

Not suitable for all rooms, because it requires even more space around the opening for installation. As a rule, it is necessary to leave at least 1 m on the left and right sides, and also provide for a distance from above where the cornice will be installed.

Installation options:

• Break the wall, expand the opening by about 2 times;
• Install the "pencil case" in the opening, where there was previously a double-leaf swing door;
• Build a false wall to make a "pencil case" out of a swing door.

Please note that the mechanism that ensures the movement of the web will be built into the wall and operated in high humidity conditions. Pay attention to its quality, because if the hardware breaks, you will have to break the wall to repair or replace it.

Folding doors

2 models available:

• Book;
• Harmonic.

Advantages:

• Saving usable space;
• Not demanding on adjacent walls, because they do not move to the side;
• They allow the door to be opened to the desired distance - it is not necessary to open the entire canvas if it is not necessary.

The structures are equipped with seals to achieve hermetic closure. Disadvantages - complex installation and expensive mechanism.

Rotodveri

The rotor system is a synthesis of a hinged and sliding structure. Opening inward and outward is allowed, as in pendulum options. When the canvas is opened, it rotates around an axis installed in the center, and also shifts to the side. That is, being open, the door remains in the opening, but one half is in the bathroom, the other is in the hallway or bedroom.

Disadvantages - minimal tightness and humidity, constantly affecting the expensive mechanism. If we consider such systems for the bathroom, then with great care, in the presence of good ventilation and a large area where the sink and shower are at a decent distance from the entrance.

Conclusion! Which door to choose in the bathroom - today practically does not depend on the material. Manufacturers have long removed this issue from the agenda and provided customers with an unlimited range of designs, colors and prices. Only one thing depends on us - to control the quality of the assembly and decorative coating, as well as what accessories are attached to the product and whether it meets your ideas of beauty and comfort. The main point that hinders the free choice of doors is the issue of non-standard sizes. If you have any questions or need help in choosing, please contact us, the specialists of the door store "V Dom" will answer all your questions.