The first difference that catches your eye when choosing a door to a bathroom or toilet is their size. If they are the same in height as for 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 choose the fittings, thanks to which this will happen. You also need to decide whether to install a blank door leaf or with glass - there is not only an aesthetic, but also a rational point in this matter.
Doors with which coating and filling are best for installing in the bath and toilet
This question is equally dependent on the desire to install a door leaf made of a certain material, and on the size of the bathroom itself.
If it is so large that it has the ability to arrange a closed shower stall, bathroom, toilet, bidet, washstand, and in between all this, there is still space to take a few steps, then the door material is not limited by anything, since water splashes on it rather everything will not get at all.
If it is impossible to take even one step in the bathroom, since there is a bathtub near one wall, a sink near another, and a washing machine in the back, then it is clear that high humidity will constantly affect the door leaf and it is necessary 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 an exterior finish. The basis of the internal frame can be made up of such materials as: an array of low-value wood species, chipboard and MDF. All of these materials are afraid of moisture. Manufacturers guarantee doors resistance 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.
The resistance of the door to moisture will depend on how well its internal filling is protected from moisture access. The door made of solid wood reacts most of all to moisture. Chipboard and MDF doors are more stable.
There are several weak points at the doors regarding their moisture resistance:
1. For some doors, the protective coating is separately applied to the leaf itself, and then to its edge. Thus, a hardly noticeable joint is formed between the edge and the blade. A leaky joint can cause moisture to enter the door leaf. That will gradually lead to damage to the canvas.
2. The top and bottom edges of the door are never covered with protective material. Moisture is unlikely to penetrate directly into these areas of the door, but through them the doors can accumulate moisture from the room. It is best to treat the upper and lower end of the door with a protective varnish. This is especially true for doors installed in the bath.
Laminated doors
One of the most attractive coatings in terms of cost. It is a paper glued to the base of the door and coated with resins. Manufacturers declare that such doors can be freely located in a room with a humidity of up to 60%.
A high-quality laminated coating is a fairly wear-resistant material, but the problem is that many manufacturers of interior doors use a low-grade coating. It is quite thin, easily damaged, and moisture that gets into damage can lead to swelling of the door leaf.
Laminatin. The same laminate, but with improved characteristics. 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.
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 doors to the bathroom and toilet by color is not as relevant here as in the case of completely plastic door leaves. The disadvantages of such a coating include the same presence of chloride in the composition (within the normal range, according to the manufacturers' assurances) and the likelihood of delamination of the door leaf - after which moisture will begin to enter the frame.
The same plastic, but made using a different technology - it contains wood fibers, and a plastic compound that does not contain harmful substances is used as a binding material. Externally, eco-veneer imitates the structure of a tree, but much stronger than its "prototype" in terms of wear resistance, completely immune to moisture and even when heated does not emit substances harmful to humans into the air - such doors can be installed even for allergy sufferers.
Internal filling can be made of budget wood or chipboard. Outside, the doors are covered with veneers of valuable wood species. 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 the humidity will not have much effect on its internal components. However, if there is high humidity in your bathroom, then it is better to give preference to veneer doors made of chipboard. Veneer is the most expensive coating, since it is a natural material, but in terms of resistance to moisture, it is not the best coating for doors.
More recently, doors made entirely of plastic have 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, mildew and moisture. The cavity of the door 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 offered models are white, although you can find other colors, as well as the presence of chloride in the components of the material. However, the certified products have passed all the necessary tests and have the appropriate quality certificates.
Swinging
This is the most common classic solution. In addition to the usual design, they have a separate advantage - the ability to install thresholds, which improves sound insulation. There is only one drawback of this solution - such a door always requires a certain amount of free space around it, but frankly, it is difficult to imagine how you can still occupy it.
Sliding
Yes, they save space, but when deciding which doors to put in the bathroom and toilet, you should not immediately stop at them, especially if they are offered in a classic design. 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 heat insulation, which are critical disadvantages for bathrooms.
If there is an urgent need to install just such a model (for example, the bathroom doors block the room when opening or the corridor is too narrow), then it is better to choose cassette doors that open by sliding into the wall. In such models, the disadvantages of sliding doors are minimized, but when buying, you need to negotiate the terms of warranty service, because if they break, you will have to dismantle the wall.
Folding
They can be considered as a kind of sliding, but with one important caveat - they do not need additional space to open - neither in the wall, nor near it. Structurally, they are made in two types of book and accordion. In the first case, these are two halves, and in the second, three or more parts. In addition to poor sound insulation, the disadvantages are added to the fact that such doors "eat up" the 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 matte or tinted glass inserts in the door - nothing is visible through them, but at least they make it possible to understand whether there is someone in the bathroom or not.
If you approach this issue from an aesthetic point of view, then there can be no recommendations here - this is purely a matter of taste - many doors with glass look just great.
If we consider such doors exclusively from the practical side, then we must pay attention to the following points:
- Soundproofing. A good level of it 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 a blind door is needed.
- 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 lights seem to be off everywhere. If the opinion is wrong, then you can make sure of this without opening all the doors one by one.
As a result, the ideal option is a high-quality door with small thick glass inserts. Such a variety as triplex is made in two or three layers.
When do you need a ventilation grill for doors?
If there is poor ventilation in the bathroom, then signs of this phenomenon will appear after each bath - this is condensation on the walls, doors and a fogged mirror that must be wiped to see your 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 then install them separately. This issue must be resolved before choosing 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 mold and mildew is to install artificial (forced) ventilation. Its 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, together with the bathroom lighting, or at the appointed time if the model is equipped with a timer. This type of ventilation is called exhaust ventilation, when warm air is drawn from the room to the street, and a new one comes to replace it from the corridor.
If there is a problem with air removal, then forced ventilation is done - when 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, they resort to creating mixed-type ventilation. In this case, fresh air is taken in from the outside through one ventilation channel, and the exhaust air is removed through the other. If there is a need and opportunity to install a mixed type of ventilation, then it is most likely not necessary to install ventilation grilles or bushings in the doors.
Which fittings are best for bathroom and toilet doors
If it is not necessary to install a handle with a lock in a living room, then for a toilet or bathroom this is an absolute must. There are several types of locking devices, and which one to choose should be decided based on the door material and personal preferences:
Built-in retainer
This is the most economical option in terms of packaging and installation costs. It is a simple handle with a built-in latch, 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 retainer
In this case, a door handle and a latch are purchased separately, which can be mortise and overhead. In the second case, a latch (latch) is often installed instead of a lock, which has an almost unlimited service life. This type of hardware is considered the most unpretentious and reliable.
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 latch, but the mechanism itself is more reliable and requires a little more effort when installed 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 locking mechanism. The maximum that it should provide is to prevent accidental opening of the door, if it seems that there is no one inside. Often, these locks have 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.
