What should be doors for the bath?

Equipping a bathhouse is a serious and responsible matter. The owners must take care of all the details, including the selection of suitable door panels. In this article, we will learn about what should be the doors for the bath.

First of all, sauna doors are designed to protect rooms from negative external influences. These elements allow you to maintain a comfortable microclimate in the steam room, sauna or pre-bath. Without properly selected high-quality doors, the main purpose of these premises is not fulfilled. The right door for the bath must be made in accordance with certain requirements.

Selecting a suitable door leaf, they must be taken into account.

• Moisture resistance. The door design should seamlessly tolerate operation against a background of high levels of humidity. Otherwise, it can become a real breeding ground for mold and fungi, getting rid of which will be very difficult. In addition, doors that are not moisture-resistant can quickly begin to deform under the influence of moisture and humidity.
• Reliability and tightness. One of the main functions of a sauna door is to retain heat in the room. The panels protect the interior of the building from the penetration of cold air and prevent drafts. It is necessary to buy doors that have high-quality thermal insulation lining, as well as provide the tightest possible fit.
• Resistance to the effects of temperature jumps. It is important that the door leaf be resistant to low temperature values at times when the building is not used by people. Also, the canvas should not be subject to deformation when the temperature values in the steam room rise.
• Safety and durability. High-quality and practical sauna doors must meet the basic requirements concerning fire safety. These are the ones that will guarantee their long life.
• The door should be characterized by a narrow device, so that at the time of opening the heat escape is the smallest. The ideal size is 1.5-1.7 m in height and 0.6-0.7 m in width. An additional threshold with a height of 10 to 15 cm will also help to keep a comfortable temperature in the space.
• The door construction must be easy and unobstructed to open and close. This requirement is explained by the rules of fire safety. It is very important to install a quality and strong locking mechanism to keep the leaf from attack by intruders.

Equipping the sauna, it is important to intelligently select the appropriate door leafs. Entrance and interior options will differ in a large number of characteristics. Let's take a closer look at both the first and the second.

Many sauna owners wonder which door is best suited for exiting the building to the outside. For such purposes, the canvas must be of impeccable quality, reliable and durable. Entrance door must protect the sauna not only from heat loss, but also from possible burglary. Such products are made of different materials, such as wood, metal, plastic, MDF or particle board (chipboard). Entrance leafs must have excellent insulating properties.

The entrance doors made of metal are considered the least "capricious". They do not rot, do not swell, do not deform and are not exposed to mechanical damage. Such door leafs serve for many years without causing any troubles or problems to their owners. Metal doors effectively retain heat inside the building due to the additional thermal insulation lining.

Some users prefer to choose a plastic or solid wood door as their entrance door. Each option has its pros and cons, which we will talk about below. More often than not, standard blank doors are chosen for the entrance area. This is the most reliable and closed leaf, well protecting the bathing rooms from heat loss or external damage.

Most modern baths consist of several rooms designed for complete rest and relaxation. In such environments, it is fundamentally important to have a high density of doorways that isolate the rooms from each other. It is very important that moisture access to certain rooms is fully blocked. Do not forget that moisture can adversely affect the operation of many entertainment systems, electrical appliances, located in the bath.

For example, The door that leads into the steam room, should be designed for extreme limits of operation. The canvas should not suffer from the effects of hot steam, high levels of humidity, high temperatures. Models made of wood, plastic or glass will do. They will not suffer from overheating and contact with moisture.

The standard height of doors that lead users into the steam room is 1.6 m. It is mandatory to have a threshold with a height of 18 to 20 cm. Common indicators of the width of door leaves for the steam room are 700x1900, 800x1900 mm. Doors for the washroom can have the traditional dimensions in accordance with the standard, although often their width is more modest in order to prevent the spread of moisture. The recommended width of the doors leading into the sink is 0.60 cm.

Bathroom doors also differ directly in their device. Let's learn more about the most popular options.

• Reliable and wear-resistant are the following types of doors: wedge with a solid web, glued in a microslot, as well as with two wedges, well fixing the boards. This type of assembly prevents the possible appearance of cracks and deformation of products in not the easiest bathing conditions.
• Panelled with several components - the door leaf, the frame, the platband and the boarding. No less popular options found in many baths.
• Sliding and hinged door leaves are in demand nowadays. They can be equipped with a special roller system that allows the structure to open and close without hindrance. The compartment door is usually placed inside the bathhouse, does not perform the role of the entrance part.

Doors for sauna construction can be created from different materials. This parameter affects the performance characteristics of the panels, as well as their cost and design. Let's take a closer look at the most popular and high-quality copies.

Wooden doors in the bath is a classic solution. You will be able to see them both in small bathhouses in the country, and in modern chic buildings. There are several main advantages of such cloths:

• they are environmentally safe, do not emit hazardous substances and pungent chemical odors;
• have good thermal insulation properties and low level of thermal conductivity;
• the pleasant aroma of natural wood promotes relaxation, and some species can boast a number of healing properties;
• wooden doors look neat and attractive.

As for the disadvantages, it is worth noting the following:

• high probability of shrinkage and deformation of the door leaf due to endless contact with hot steam, moisture and simply high temperatures;
• If there is no bactericidal and antiseptic protection on the product, the wood is vulnerable and unprotected against fungus, mold and insects-parasites.

Wooden doors are made not only from the usual tongue-and-groove board, but also from a variety of species - both expensive and budget.

• Lime. Characterized by low heat capacity. Doors made of linden look aesthetically pleasing and valuable useful properties. Linden doors are very durable, they are not subject to cracking. Characterized by low resin content and light honey aroma.
• Aspen. The material is soft and easy to work with and relatively inexpensive. Doors made of aspen have nice colors, but over the years can darken. The material is characterized by low resin content, but is prone to all kinds of wood diseases.
• Alder. Breed that has medicinal properties. Under the influence of high temperatures, alder doors acquire a spectacular ruby tint.
• Pine. Durable, inexpensive and wear-resistant species. It boasts excellent resistance to fungus.
• Expensive doors are made of African oak, abacha. The constructions are light and heat-resistant. This type of wood is characterized by low resin content.
• Expensive are also constructions made of beautiful Canadian cedar. We get chic products of chocolate hue, exuding a pleasant, soothing aroma.

Many home craftsmen decide to make their own door for the bath from wood. Pine boards are mainly used for this purpose. To make the model more aesthetic and attractive as a result, it is supplemented with tongue and groove cladding.

The most reliable, wear-resistant and durable variants of door leafs. Usually they are used as entrance elements. The steel models are considered the most high-quality and durable. They are more reliable than ordinary iron doors.

It is possible to increase the functionality of metal doors by means of a good quality insulator. Cladding may be made of euro linings or wooden slats.

Plastic doors are rarely chosen for the equipment of the entrance, street area, because they poorly protect the structure from possible burglary. If there is no need for such a reliable door leaf, you can also give preference to a plastic model. On sale you can find good cloths, the surface of which imitates wood - it is ideal for the bath.

You can identify plastic in these products only if you touch them. If the furnishings in the bath are styled like an antique, plastic canvases should be rejected. Here their appearance will be disharmonious and will be sharply out of the overall ensemble.

Beautiful door leafs are made of 8-milimeter tempered glass. Products can have both glossy and frosted surface. They have the following advantages:

• are heat-resistant and moisture-resistant;
• Safe, characterized by high strength properties;
• resistant to vibrations;
• impact resistant;
• have good light transmission and light absorption properties.

Glass doors are relatively light and therefore easy to open. They look attractive and retain their original appearance for many years. Guarantees the smallest heat losses because they are supplemented with silicone seals when installed in a prepared opening.

Affordable and attractive material for creating door panels for baths. It is distinguished by such positive qualities:

• good soundproofing properties;
• Felt durable, is not subject to destructive external influences due to special impregnation;
• it is not exposed to deformations;
• is not exposed to the appearance of fungus and mold;
• looks attractive.

Suitable materials are panels of lime, cedar or alder. Doors with the specified finish calmly withstand the effects of high temperature and humidity levels.

Almost all bathing doors are accompanied by a number of necessary accessories. These include:

• magnetic latch (very popular doors, the latch of which is a magnet);
• handle (fittings can be made in different designs and styles);
• hinges and pivots (indispensable detail of constructions).

Choose a door for the bath is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. The buyer should be guided by several basic criteria, looking for the optimal leaf.

• The size of the future door is important. This means both the width and the height of the leaf. The door should fit perfectly into the opening prepared for it. Before you go to the store, you must carefully measure the necessary areas in the bath. Some companies do this themselves and send a measurer to the customer's home.
• The type of door you want to buy is also important. We must take into account the fact that for the entrance and the space between the rooms in the bath suits very different door leaf. Clearly defined for what areas you are looking for a door, choose the best product will be much easier.
• Pay attention to the material from which the construction is made. Mostly on sale there are wooden and iron models. Each of them has its own distinctive characteristics and properties, which the buyer should keep in mind. It is possible to find a chic glass door, which will become a real decoration of the interior of the bath. Try to choose products of quality, resistant to wear and tear materials, which will be easy to look after.
• Do not forget about the appearance of the selected product. Pay attention to the style and color of your bathhouse. It is advisable to choose such a door, which will fit harmoniously into the existing ensemble. For example: a plastic or ultra-modern glass door with original decorations will look ridiculous in an old-style interior. In some environments, simple doors look better, while in others - more expensive and flashy.
• Before buying, the consumer should always examine the door leaf for defects and damage. The product must be made qualitatively, to the conscience. Make sure that the door is built from the declared material. It should not emit an unpleasant chemical odor. If you notice that the door is present defects and shortcomings, it is better to refuse to buy.

Let's take a closer look at some of the nuances associated with the installation of bath doors.

• Usually, factory door constructions consist of the leaf itself and the frame. The latter have holes already made, but wooden models often have only the markings for them.
• The frame can be made of wood or metal. If this component is made of metal, it must be mounted before the final stages of wall finishing. Wooden structures are installed after that.
• The wooden box is mounted with some peculiarities: it is necessary to install the threshold and leave a small gap between it and the door itself.
• Disassembling the package with the glass door leaf, the latter is carefully detached from the frame base by loosening the system of fasteners with hinges. Then the door is placed on wooden slats.
• Then move on to the installation of the doorway. It is necessary to keep control of the sections both vertically and diagonally, so as not to encounter misalignment. The frame is installed, using a wedge. Gradually tighten the screws in the bar at the top, aligning it with a level. Then the screws should be tightened to a stop. If it is necessary, then it is necessary to install the threshold.
• Then you can move on to the installation of the door leaf itself. It is inserted into the hinges and tightened. If the product is made of glass, it is better to have an assistant do it. For safety reasons, the door must open outward. It is necessary to measure all the gaps at the closed leaf. They must be the same all around the perimeter.
• The final step is to install the latch and handle. Usually in glass panels, the holes for these components are already provided in advance. If the door is made of wood, it may be necessary to drill the holes yourself.

For the Russian bath is very important to choose a good insulated door. If necessary, the canvas can be insulated and sealed by your own forces. Most often such manipulations are necessary when it comes to the installation of simple wooden doors. If they are not pre-insulated, you can face serious heat loss, for example, in the steam room as much as 60%.

To refine the sauna door must correctly select a suitable sealant. It must be environmentally friendly, resistant to moisture and dampness. Vapor permeable, high-quality material is necessary.

Some of the most popular and high quality seals are these options.

• You can use a felt sealant in combination with a lime fir cladding. This is a very simple but effective solution.
• Often the entire perimeter of the door leaf is sealed with energy-flex. It is also used to insulate sewer pipes. If the tightness of the leaf is not perfect and somewhere is broken, it is necessary to form an additional frame or build a coating of foil insulation.
• Effective will be the creation at the entrance of the so-called thermal curtain. It is about upholstery with felt in combination with a curtain made of high-strength sod. The latter can be replaced with a tarpaulin. This method is considered the neatest way possible.
• A popular and effective solution - upholstering the door of the sauna leaf with felt and a warming roller on the edges of the leaf, combined with battens and lining with lime linings. The design is not only practical and durable, but also very aesthetic.

How to choose a door for the bath, see below.