How to choose the right door for your bathroom and toilet?

What to consider when choosing?

To understand which door to install in the bathroom, you should answer 5 main questions:

1. Do you need decorations? A smooth door leaf is easier to care for, but often looks worse than a relief one. To prevent the panels from swelling over time, pay attention to the material they are made of. HDF is considered the best option.
2. Is glass necessary? Perhaps such models look better, but have reduced sound insulation. To neutralize sound transmission as much as possible, choose multi-layer glass inserts.
3. What size should it be? Everything is simple here – measure the height and width of the doorway. Standard dimensions are 60 * 204 cm, but there are wider or higher options. Bathroom doors can be made to order according to your size, but their cost is ~ 15-25% higher than their analogues.
4. How much time and effort are you willing to spend on cleaning? Matte dark and too light (white) canvases require special care. The most practical are considered to be shades of medium saturation with a wood texture.
5. Should the door close from the inside? In combined bathrooms or apartments where more than 1 person lives, a lock is required. Which fittings are the most practical will be discussed at the end of the article.

The photo shows a model with glass and ventilation

Which material should you choose?

The material of the bathroom door should have the following characteristics:

• Wear resistance. According to statistics, the doors to the bathroom and toilet are opened and closed most often.
• Water resistance. Due to constant use, the doors will have to be washed more often, and splashes may fall on the surface while taking a shower.
• Stability in humidity. A poor-quality canvas will swell in 6-12 months even in a well-ventilated bathroom.

MDF

Medium-density fiberboard is a glued but environmentally friendly material widely used in the production of doors and furniture. Variations in textures and colors are due to the PVC film, which, unfortunately, somewhat reduces the environmental friendliness of the material and can release dangerous chlorides when heated.

The disadvantages include relative instability to high humidity. Of course, MDF is denser and stronger than laminated chipboard, but if water gets under the edge, it can also swell and delaminate. Most often, the problem appears on budget doors.

The photo shows bright accents in the bathroom

Veneer

If the classic version of natural wood veneer for the bathroom is not the best fit, then more modern doors with eco-veneer can be installed in the bathroom without fear.

Doors made of eco-veneer can be cheaper – with a honeycomb filler, and expensive – veneered MDF. The second option, provided it is of high quality, is more reliable.

Wood

Many people are afraid to use wooden furniture and doors in the bathroom: it is believed that temperature changes and constant humidity significantly reduce the service life of the solid wood. In fact, everything depends on 2 factors: the type of wood and the coating.

Among the types of wood, larch and oak stand out: these species only become stronger when in contact with water and can last for decades, up to a century.

But if you don’t want to spend money, choose inexpensive pine and be sure to cover it with varnish in 2-3 layers. The varnished door leaf does not require special care and is not afraid of water. If the natural color of the wood does not suit you, paint the door frame with enamel and varnish it.

Lamination

Laminated doors are usually the cheapest of all possible and may seem unsuitable for installation in a bathroom. In fact, a definitive answer can only be given by knowing what kind of film is used for the coating.

The most budget models are usually covered with paper film or, at best, melamine. The base of both is paper, so using it near water is prohibited.

But there is another laminate: two-color laminatine, which has a second name – artificial veneer. The film sticks to the surface incredibly firmly and is absolutely not afraid of water or moisture. Such doors are suitable for bathrooms.

Plastic

Installing a plastic door is the most budget-friendly, but not the most aesthetically pleasing option for decorating a doorway.

• Firstly, plastic structures are mainly made in white or gray.
• Secondly, their design will not fit into every home.

But if the appearance does not compete with the decoration, feel free to use plastic doors in your interior.

Glass

Glass doors (triplex) have all the advantages of plastic doors (absolute water resistance, sound insulation), but at the same time they look more expensive and sophisticated. To prevent the outside visibility of what is happening in the bathroom, choose matte, mirrored or colored models.

The photo shows a glass panel with a pattern

Which design is more practical?

The second important nuance that should be taken into account after choosing the material is the opening mechanism.

Hinged

A classic model familiar to everyone. In the bathroom, it must be installed so that the panel opens outward – this is even provided for in SNiP. According to safety regulations, it will be easier to leave a small room (bathroom, toilet) by pushing the door away from you.

Another important factor is opening from the outside in case of an emergency. For example, a person in the bathroom who has fainted or is unable to move for another reason will not block the entrance to the room with his body.

Sliding

If you have a small amount of extra space on the outside of the wall, you can install a sliding door in the bathroom – a compartment or a barn door. It does not require space to open in front of it, but it will be quite problematic to close it from the inside.

Advice! If the wall length on one side is not enough, use two barn doors that slide towards each other.

The photo shows a barn design for a bathroom

Folding

When there is no space at all and you have to save every centimeter, pay attention to folding designs. They do not require a free section of the wall or space outside to open, because when you pull the handle, the mechanism simply folds like an accordion.

The main disadvantage of folding doors is the high noise level when opening and closing. The loud sound is caused by the folds shifting on each other or opening.

Do you need a ventilation grille?

The main condition for the correct microclimate in the bathroom is free air circulation. Air flows reduce the level of humidity, equalize the temperature and reduce the likelihood of mold.

If you notice that after taking a shower condensation remains in the room for a long time (water stains on mirrors, tiles) – provide emergency and constant ventilation in the bathroom.

Emergency ventilation includes a forced exhaust system installed near the exit to the shaft. A special grate at the bottom of the door can serve as a permanent one. This solution will allow you to keep the bathroom door permanently closed, without worrying about ventilation of the room.

What fittings are suitable?

The choice of fittings is as important as the selection of the door leaf and frame. The quality of the “fittings” will determine the convenience of using the door: easy opening and closing, absence of extraneous sounds, etc.

If the hinges are almost invisible, then you will use the handle and lock every day – so you should approach their choice with all responsibility. Fittings of the correct geometric shape, for example, look stylish, but in a small bathroom there is a risk of getting hurt on sharp edges.

Round handles are safer, but opening them with wet hands is extremely inconvenient. The most suitable option is a regular push handle of a smooth shape.

What should be taken into account in the appearance?

The appearance of the door plays an important visual role: models that are inappropriate in color and style can ruin the design of the entire apartment. For example, for high-tech or minimalism, the best choice would be smooth white or gray panels with smooth glass. And doors with natural veneer covering, decorated with stained glass, are better left to a classic interior.

If the furniture in the entire apartment is of the same color and style, select doors to match it. If the walls in all the rooms are of the same shade, let them become the main one to which the canvases are selected.

Read also: Tips for choosing a door color: combination with walls, floors, baseboards, furniture

The doors to the bathroom do not necessarily have to be different from the rest of the rooms. To install the same doors throughout the entire apartment, first choose the doors to the bathroom, and then order the same ones for the other openings.