How to choose the doors for the bathroom and toilet, taking into account the features of these rooms
The first difference that catches your eye when choosing a door to the bathroom or toilet is their size. If in height they are the same as for the other rooms, then their width is usually 55 or 60 cm. But this is far from the only parameter that you need to pay attention to when choosing which doors are best to put in the bathroom and toilet - you will also have to decide on the material from which they are made, think over the ventilation system, the method of closing and select the fittings, due to which this will happen. It is also necessary to decide whether to install a blind door leaf or with glass - in this matter there is not only an aesthetic, but also a rational moment.
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Doors with which coating and filling are best installed in the bath and toilet
This question equally depends both on the desire to install a door leaf of a certain material, and on the size of the bathroom itself.
If it is so large that it has the ability to place a closed shower, bath, toilet, bidet, washstand and in between all this, there is still space to take several steps, then the door material is not limited by anything, since water splashes onto it are more likely just do not fall at all.
If in the bathroom one step cannot be taken, since there is a bathtub near one wall, a washbasin near the other, and a washing machine standing behind, then it is clear that high humidity will constantly affect the door leaf and you need to select the appropriate material and its method finishes.
Why interior doors can warp from moisture
All interior doors consist of an internal frame and exterior decoration. The basis of the inner frame can be such materials as: an array of low-value wood species, particleboard and MDF. All specified materials are afraid of moisture. Manufacturers guarantee the resistance of doors to humidity up to 60%. If the humidity is higher, then you need to look in the direction of glass and plastic doors, we will talk about them a little later.
Particleboard doors coated with MDF panels.
Doors from the massif covered with MDF panels.
Doors from MDF.
The door's resistance to moisture will depend on how well-filled their internal filling is from moisture access. Most of all, a door made of solid wood reacts to humidity. Doors from a chipboard and MDF are more steady.
There are several weak points at the doors regarding their moisture resistance:
1. For some doors, a protective coating is separately applied to the canvas itself, and then to its edge. Thus, between the edge and the web a little visible joint is formed. An unsealed joint can cause moisture to enter the door leaf. Which will gradually lead to damage to the canvas.
2. The upper and lower end of the door is never covered with protective material. Direct moisture in these areas of the door is unlikely, but through them the doors can accumulate moisture from the room. It is best to process the upper and lower end of the door with a protective varnish. This is especially true for doors installed in the bath.
Next, we will analyze how this or that coating is able to protect doors from moisture.
Laminated Doors
One of the most attractive coatings. It is a paper glued to the base of the door and coated with resins. Manufacturers claim that such doors can be freely located in rooms with humidity up to 60%.
High-quality laminated flooring is quite wear-resistant material, but the problem is that many manufacturers of interior doors use low-class flooring. It is quite thin, easily damaged, and moisture falling on the damage can lead to swelling of the door leaf.
Laminate The same laminate, but with improved performance. For its manufacture, thicker paper is used and varnishing is performed in several layers. This is reflected in the quality of the final product and its cost, which is slightly higher than that of a standard laminate.
PVC coated doors
In this case, the door frame is made of wood and MDF, and PVC is applied to its surface, which after that is not afraid of moisture, can be cleaned using chemically active substances and has good wear resistance. The film can be of different colors and textures, so the task of how to choose the door to the bathroom and toilet by color is not as relevant here as is the case with all-plastic door leafs. The disadvantages of such a coating include the same presence in the composition of the chloride (within normal limits, according to manufacturers) and the probability of delamination of the door leaf - after which moisture will start to get into the frame.
Eco-veneered doors
The same plastic, but made using a different technology - it is based on wood fibers, and plastic compound that does not contain harmful substances is used as a binder. Externally, the eco-veneer imitates the structure of the tree, but it is much stronger than its “prototype” in terms of wear resistance, completely immune to moisture and even when heated it does not emit harmful substances into the air - such doors can be installed even for allergy sufferers.
Veneered Doors
Internal filling can be made from budget types of wood or chipboard. Outside, the doors are covered with veneers of precious wood. It is generally accepted that a wooden door cannot be installed in rooms with high humidity, but if it is covered with good varnish, enamel or paint, then humidity will not have a large effect on its internal components. However, if in your bathroom there is increased humidity, it is better to give preference to veneered chipboard doors. Veneer is the most expensive coating, because it is a natural material, but in terms of resistance to moisture, it is not the best coating for doors.
Plastic doors
More recently, completely plastic doors appeared on the market. They have nothing to do with doors made of PVC profile, which look like a window. These are interior plastic doors that have the same appearance as other doors made of other materials. They are made of inexpensive and durable material that is not susceptible to mold, fungi and is not susceptible to moisture. The door cavity can be filled with polystyrene foam, so they have excellent sound insulation, thermal insulation and are completely resistant to moisture.
Such doors have only two drawbacks - basically all the proposed models are white, although you can find a different color, as well as the presence of chloride in the components of the material. However, certified products have passed all the necessary tests and have the appropriate quality certificates.
Glass doors
Ideal for the bathroom in every way. This material will give odds to the rest for practicality and aesthetic reasons, but has two drawbacks - such a door leaf is quite heavy, which means it requires high-quality fittings. You will also have to pay for quality - at a price such a door is superior to all other analogues.
Which way to open the door is better
By the methods of closing, the most popular are swing-open, sliding and folding doors. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages that must be considered before deciding on a purchase.
Swing
This is the classic solution used most often.In addition to the familiar design, they have a separate advantage - the ability to set thresholds, which improves sound insulation. This solution has only one drawback - such a door always requires a certain amount of free space around it, but frankly, it is difficult to imagine what else to do.
Movable
Yes, they save space, but when deciding which doors to put in the bathroom and the toilet, you should not immediately opt for them, especially if they are offered in a classic version. The fact is that there is always a gap between such a door leaf and the floor, which means that such doors have practically no sound and thermal insulation, which are critical drawbacks for bathrooms.
If there is an urgent need to install just such a model (for example, when the bathroom doors open when opening the room or the corridor is too narrow), it is better to choose cassette doors that open when sliding into the wall. For such models, the drawbacks of sliding doors are minimized, but when buying, it is necessary to discuss the conditions of warranty service, because if they break, you will have to disassemble the wall.
Folding
They can be considered as a type of sliding, but with one important caveat - they do not need additional space for opening - neither in the wall, nor near it. Structurally, they are made in two varieties of a book and accordion. In the first case, these are two halves, and in the second - three or more parts. In addition to poor soundproofing, the disadvantage is that such doors “eat up” part of the doorway, which they occupy when folded. As a result, 40-45 remains from 55-60 cm.
Door leaf transparency
Of course, this does not mean transparency in the literal sense, but the presence of frosted or tinted glass inserts on the door - nothing is visible through them, but they at least make it possible to understand whether someone is in the bathroom or not.
If you approach this issue from an aesthetic point of view, then there can be no recommendations - this is exclusively a matter of taste - many doors with glass look simply magnificent.
If you consider such doors exclusively from a practical side, then you need to pay attention to such points:
- Soundproofing. Its good level is provided only by a thick and dense door leaf. Glass inserts, if they are not made of several layers, will necessarily impair sound insulation. If this moment is one of the key, then you need a blank door.
- Free Busy. In the presence of glass inserts, this issue will be resolved without further ado, which will be especially appreciated in large families.
- The light seems to be off everywhere. If the opinion is wrong, then you can verify this without opening all the doors in turn.
As a result, the ideal option is a high-quality door with small thick glass inserts. Such a variety as triplex is made of two or three-layer.
In which case is a ventilation grill for doors
If the bathroom has poor ventilation, then the signs of this phenomenon will appear after each bath - it is condensation on the walls, doors and a fogged mirror that must be wiped to see its reflection.
Condensation occurs due to the temperature difference between the door leaf and the air that heats up in the bathroom. To reduce this difference, you must either purchase a door with ventilation grilles, or install them separately later. This issue must be resolved before choosing the doors for the bathroom and toilet. A separate installation will require drilling the door, which is not desirable.
If for some reason natural ventilation does not cope with its task, the only way to get a dry bathroom without fungi and mold is to install artificial (forced) ventilation. Her task is the same - to ensure the movement of air in the bathroom, so that hot and cold layers are constantly mixed. Most often, a fan is used for this purpose, which is installed on the ventilation hole.It can be switched on manually, along with bathroom lighting or at the appointed time, if the model is equipped with a timer. This method of ventilation is called exhaust, when warm air is drawn from the room to the street, and a new one replaces it from the corridor.
If there is a problem with the air exhaust, forced ventilation is done - when the air is pumped into the room from the outside, and then circulates in a natural way due to the difference in pressure.
In especially severe cases, when there is no way to establish the natural movement of air masses, resort to the creation of mixed ventilation. In this case, fresh air is taken in from the outside through one ventilation channel, and exhaust air is discharged through another. If there is a need and the ability to install a mixed type of ventilation, then you probably will not need to install ventilation grilles or bushings in the doors.
What hardware is better to use for doors to the bath and toilet
If it is not necessary to install a handle with a lock in the living room, then this is an urgent need for a toilet or bathroom. There are several varieties of locking devices, and which one to choose should be decided on the basis of the door material and personal preferences:
Integrated lock
This is the most economical option for packaging and installation costs. It is an ordinary handle inside which a latch is integrated, which in one of the positions prevents the mechanism from turning. To install it in the door, it is enough to drill two holes with a drill - one through the door leaf, and the second from its end.
Separate latch
In this case, the door handle and latch, which can be mortise and patch, are separately purchased. In the second case, often instead of a lock, a valve (latch) is installed, which has an almost unlimited service life. This type of hardware is considered the most unpretentious and reliable.
Plumbing lock
In fact, this is a standard mortise lock, only of a simplified design and with only one tongue - it simultaneously locks the door in the closed position and, in turn, is locked with a latch, which is located inside the lock mechanism. The principle of operation is the same as that of a lock with a built-in lock, but the mechanism itself is more reliable and requires a bit more effort when mounting in the door leaf - if you order this service separately, the price difference will be almost two times.
The difference between latches for interior doors, including those that are installed in the bathroom and toilet - there is no need for high secrecy of the lock mechanism. The maximum that it should provide is to prevent accidental opening of the door if it seems that there is nobody inside. Often in such locks there is a special hole that allows you to open it with a hairpin - this precaution can come in handy if a child accidentally closes in the bathroom.
