The question of which way the front door opens is not at all as simple as it seems at first glance. This is due to the fact that the answer that seems obvious is not always the correct one. In this case, the problem needs to be considered in two aspects, where and from which side the steel structure installed in an apartment or house should open.

Current rules and regulations

The current SNiPs and Technical Regulations, approved by the relevant Federal laws, clearly define the location and method of opening entrance structures only in buildings for public and industrial use. In such buildings, steel and other types of doors must open strictly in the direction of movement towards the exit of the building. Moreover, this applies only to those structures that are installed on evacuation routes.

It is important to note that in the regulatory documents in force today, the answer to the question in which direction the front door should open in apartment buildings and private residential buildings, is simply absent, since this parameter is non-standardized. This situation looks somewhat strange, however, it has developed quite a long time ago. Therefore, in most cases, choosing the opening option entrance structure common sense and practical considerations should be relied upon.

Rules for determining where a steel door should open

When determining which way to open the front door, you need to follow fairly simple and unspoken, but effective rules. They state that in most cases the structure should be installed so that the sash swings outward. Thanks to this location, the homeowner receives a number of significant advantages:

• when leaving the room, you do not need to stop and take a step back to open the door;
• it becomes possible to install an additional internal entrance structure, which is often used to increase the thermal insulation parameters of the exit;
• The useful space of the hallway of the room, which in most cases is not enough, is not wasted.

An important advantage of opening a steel door outward is that this arrangement increases the burglary resistance of the structure, which becomes more difficult to knock out. However, when deciding on the type of opening, it is necessary to take into account the ease of use of the installed product. In particular, if the sash, when opening, touches counters located in the corridor, other parts or interior items, it is advisable to use a design whose sash swings inwards.

As another example, when is it appropriate to choose steel doors, which open into the room, we can cite this often encountered situation. A vestibule is created on the site where several apartments are located. It fences off residential areas from the rest of the entrance space. The door at the entrance to it, which is quite natural, swings outward. However, the designs of each apartment in this case are usually chosen to open inward. As a result, the vestibule area is much more convenient and efficient to use.

How to choose the opening side of the front door

The opening side of the front door is also not regulated in any way by current building codes. Therefore, when choosing a product option, the following factors are taken into account:

• convenience and comfort of use. Main criterion which must be followed first. The sash must be opened in such a way as to exclude the possibility of injury or interference with movement. In this case, the structure should occupy the minimum possible space;
• location and opening side of adjacent doors. Probably every person has ever faced a situation when incorrect choice entrance structure led to problems in relations between neighbors. Although it is quite simple to avoid such a development of the situation - you just need to correctly select the necessary door;
• the presence and option of opening a second door installed in the opening. The main thing that needs to be taken into account in this matter is to ensure a convenient entrance to the apartment.

Most often, when choosing a product option, if any of the problems described above are absent, the owners of residential premises settle on the right-hand opening of the leaf. This means that the door swings open upon entry. right hand, and when exiting - accordingly, to the left. This option is considered traditional, however, it can be changed to the opposite for any of the reasons and circumstances listed above.

Medical doors must meet the requirements of hygiene, safety, and practicality. Therefore, they are most often made of plastic and metal.

Important parameters

It is no secret that most healthcare facilities, including hospitals - hospitals, emergency departments, first aid stations - were built back in the days Soviet Union and require updating. Medical doors are one of the cost items for the refurbishment of premises, for which quite extensive requirements are put forward. They concern not only technical characteristics, but also put forward special strength criteria.
Doors for medical institutions is a concept that is not limited to entrances to wards, operating rooms or office premises. In many cases, steel or wooden structures With special requirements. Eg:

Hospital elevators for transporting bedridden patients;

Fire exits;

Entrances to high-risk areas, such as laboratories containing biological samples or valuable equipment.

In such cases of use, doors for medical institutions must first of all comply with the conditions of use. That is, to provide sufficient strength, the possibility of visual control, as well as a level of protection. Other requirements that these doors must meet fade into the background, but do not disappear.

Specifications

It should be remembered that medical doors are constantly under load. It's hard to imagine a more intensive use mode. Visitors, multiple openings and closings, exposure environment, mechanical damage - all these are harsh working conditions.
Therefore, for medical purposes, frame structures with linings that are hollow inside are not used. Most often, these are either canvases made from slats, or filled with honeycomb filler.
Key Features, which these products should have, look something like this:

High strength of the fabric;

Hinges selected with a reserve of sash weight and designed for long-term operation;

The use of coated fittings is not recommended; most often hinges and handles made of brass or stainless alloys are used;

For the safety of visitors and staff, the use of glass for inserts is discouraged. If this is necessary, reinforced materials, high-strength transparent plastic or tempered glass, does not form large fragments.

Similar requirements for the level of glass safety are imposed on technical doors equipped with openings for observation. In addition, there is often a requirement to separate safety zones. For example, the use of complex latch-lock mechanics is not encouraged. Separate blocks are installed. This is not necessary, but is advisable because it simplifies actions in the event of a breakdown.

User characteristics

Medical doors must comply with certain institutional rules, as well as sanitary and environmental safety requirements. Short list approximate requirements looks something like this:

The coating and material must be certified for environmental safety and produce no emissions harmful substances or foreign odors;

The surface material must have good resistance to active chemicals without changing its appearance or breaking down;

Doors must have a coating that does not interact with household cleaning products;

The surface of the valves must have sufficient strength to resist mechanical stress, including impacts;

The coating must be well resistant to abrasion and scratches;

The materials from which the doors and frames are made should not absorb odors or various substances.

Decorating fireplaces with artificial stone

Such requirements are due not only to the huge number of hand touches, the presence of various odors, and sometimes potentially dangerous substances. Elements of the interior of medical institutions require mandatory wet cleaning several times a day, which is due to regulatory approved cleaning schedules for operating rooms and wards.

Plastic products

It is difficult to find modern medical doors made from classic materials, such as a tree. Also, linings made of MDF or other rather fragile materials are almost never used. Today, plastic and metal are widely used. This is very convenient, in addition, it is justified from the point of view of spending money, compliance necessary requirements.
Plastic doors became popular due to the following properties:

absolute moisture resistance, zero absorption of liquids and odors;

environmental safety is confirmed by numerous certificates and studies;

excellent sound insulation due to the strength of the canvas, tight closure, and the use of high-quality seals;

high stability of geometry, reliability of hinges, which eliminates the effects of temperature, humidity, increases the reliability of the mechanisms;

good ability to retain heat, no drafts;

the surface, as well as the material, is neutral to almost all chemicals: PVC doors tolerate maintenance well with simple household products cleaning and sufficient caustic substances based on chlorine;

zero reaction to radiation, in particular, plastic surfaces on the side of the ward or operating room will not change their appearance for many years, even if the room is quartzed daily.

A coating that is applied to modern medical doors made of PVC profile, has antibacterial properties. In case of use laminated coating films have the same positive characteristics as plastic, and the technology used guarantees perfect application.
Not the least important role is played by the ability to give plastic doors any shape, as well as use overhead decoration elements. Such structures are installed much faster than wooden ones, the setup is more convenient, plus it is possible to adjust almost any parameters of the position of the sash in the frame.

Composite solutions

Although PVC doors are quite convenient and practical, from the point of view of saving resources, you can resort to the use of composite structures. This door leaf frame structure, on which linings made of plastic sheets are applied. This reduces cost, increases user performance, without complicating installation. Such canvases are more common, and they can also be mounted in existing boxes.
Modern medical designs boast not only excellent properties, but also pleasant appearance.
Despite the emphasized utilitarianism and emphasis on durability, you can easily find products that are pleasant to look at. Moreover, they will be durable in the same way as simple smooth canvases. Also quite widely used glass inserts made of reinforced or tempered glass, safe for people.

The question of which direction they should open, at first glance, seems secondary compared to their reliability, convenience and appearance. But in fact, errors in choosing the direction of opening doors can result in problems with both comfort and safety.

IN public buildings this issue is regulated by the Building Codes and Regulations. This standard does not apply to private houses and apartments, but the owner of the house should still not completely throw aside the requirements of the standard related to where to open interior doors, otherwise inconveniences and unpleasant situations cannot be avoided in a house or apartment.

General rules

There are three simple rules regarding opening swing doors inside a building.

In most cases, designers are guided by them when developing their projects.

Compliance with these rules is dictated by standards and is quite consistent with common sense:

• When moving from a smaller room to a larger one, the door should swing open in the direction of movement.
• If the door is not located in the middle of the wall, then the direction of swinging should be facing the majority of the room.
• If two interior doors are located next to each other, they should not touch each other when they open simultaneously.

The appropriateness of these rules is obvious. Swing door differs in that it requires a certain space for itself. And if you position the door so that it opens towards a smaller room, then from this smaller one it will take away part of the space, which is already small.

Following the second of the rules allows us, upon entering a room, to be able to immediately take a look at it, which is very convenient in most cases.

By the way, the switch should be located so that the door does not interfere with turning on the light when entering the room, and turning it off when leaving.

In other words, the location of the switches and the direction of the doors swinging must be consistent. As for the third rule, it is clear that failure to comply with it can lead to interior doors being damaged by knocking against each other when opening, or blocking each other, which can be extremely undesirable in certain situations.

In public buildings

In buildings where many people gather - shopping malls, business centers, hotels, etc., most of the rules are dictated by considerations fire safety. Not everyone can remain calm in the event of a threat to life. Often in emergency situations panic arises, and interior doors should swing open so as not to prevent people from leaving the room.

Therefore, the red thread running through fire safety rules is general requirement: the direction of opening the doors should not impede evacuation in the event of an emergency.

This means that doors from office rooms or, for example, hotel premises must open outwards. In particular, Building codes and the rules prescribe this for premises where more than 15 people work. But in practice this condition is not always met. If the door of an office or hotel room swings open towards the corridor, then there is always a danger of sharply opening the door and injuring a person passing along the corridor.

The same applies to the halls of institutions, where a large number of visitors can accumulate. To prevent them from getting hurt when opening office doors, they are made to swing inward. But the small ones toilet rooms must open outwards.

If done differently, a situation may arise in which the person inside, losing consciousness, blocks the door.

Everything related to the direction of opening interior doors can be seen in the following video

In houses and apartments

The location and direction of opening doors in private houses and apartments is determined not by standards, but by the designer’s recommendations and the wishes of the owners. Nevertheless, general principles are most often observed. This also applies to those mentioned general rules, and recommendations regarding which direction doors should open in small rooms ah - toilet, bathroom, storage rooms.

The most controversial question is about the door to the children's room: where to open it. On the one hand, there are recommendations to make this door opening inward. Proponents of this solution argue that if a situation arises in which the child urgently needs help, and the door is closed, then it will be easier to enter the nursery if the door opens inward.

On the other hand, a child may accidentally block the door, for example, with a fallen bookcase, and if the door swings inward, it will not be easy to enter the room, and there is a danger of hurting him when opening the door. From this point of view, it is better for the door from the nursery to open towards the corridor. Therefore, each family decides for itself which arguments seem more convincing to it.

Basically, the location of doors in apartments is projected in such a way that they open towards the corridor. This rule must be adhered to especially strictly in public institutions and offices.

During the construction of a private house, the owner himself decides where his doors will open. Here the design of the room and the placement of rooms are taken into account.

Door options

First you need to decide on the type of door. They are:

• swing;
• sliding;
• tilt and turn;
• foldable;
• swinging.

In houses and apartments, sliding, folding and swing doors are more often used. The latter are most often installed. They fit tightly to the door frame, so they reliably protect against noise and prevent heat loss.

Installation Rules

During construction, hinged structures are installed to open into a larger room. This applies to the bedroom or living room. Rooms such as the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet have a smaller area, so the doors mainly open into the corridor.

According to fire safety rules, swing structures must open so that in the event of a fire people can easily leave the premises.

If the apartment small size, then all doors should open outward. This will save space for furniture. In small apartments you need to put limiters on them.

They will protect glass, walls, and interior items from damage. Very often in such apartments they use options in the form of coupes, adjustable or folding types.

Doors should not be positioned so that they completely block the corridor. This will make it difficult to move around the house. It will also be inconvenient to bring large furniture into rooms.

In the living room you can use swing structures of two halves. It is desirable that they rotate in both directions. This saves space and looks beautiful.

Doors leading from the bathroom, toilet and kitchen should not interfere with each other. If this cannot be achieved, then other types can be considered. Some people use folding options in such situations.

In which direction, left or right, the doors will open depends on the preferences of the owner. Just take into account the location of the switches. Open doors should not block access to them.

When choosing doors, you should pay attention to their system. Quality designs will help you use them easily, conveniently and safely. Take into account the handles too. They should be comfortable for all family members. It is worth noting that most people prefer to open doors with their right hand.

It is better to install an accordion or sliding doors on a pantry or dressing room. So open design in the corridor will not interfere with the passage.

If several doors open into a corridor in one area at once, then some of them can be replaced with arches. They usually decorate the openings of the hall, dining room and kitchen.

And what door designs are the most convenient for you? Tell us about it in the comments.

The importance of building regulations

Building codes determine all the nuances of the layout, including even such little things as the direction in which interior doors should open. The requirements specified in SNiP are based on fire safety technology.
They are observed during installation door frames for safety in emergency situations (fire, smoke, gas leak, etc.), for quick evacuation of residents. The door should not be an obstacle to exiting the building.

On this basis, in all crowded places - shopping centers and office buildings, factories, hospitals, etc. – it is prohibited to install interior doors without complying with fire safety regulations.
The main thing is to adhere to the rule: the door should open in the direction from the room to the corridor leading to the main exit from the building.
With residential buildings, everything is not so simple.

• IN apartment buildings doors opening into common corridor, are installed in strict accordance with the project. If you want to change the opening direction, you should make sure that this will not prevent neighbors from leaving their apartments.
• Building regulations do not apply on the territory of the apartment. Here the owner decides which side to install the interior door. This usually depends on preferences and layout features.

Available models

When deciding which side to install interior door panels, owners of apartments and private houses are usually guided by considerations of convenience, which depend on specific situation. There are a few possible options depending on the model of door structures:

• Single-leaf swing doors are a popular, familiar design. Tight closure around the perimeter eliminates drafts and provides good sound insulation. The installation is standard, and the direction for opening can be any - whatever is more convenient for the owners.
• Double-leaf hinged interior doors are also suitable for any type of premises, be it a residential building or an office big company. The best option installation - in spacious rooms with an area of ​​more than 15 square meters.

• An accordion door with a folding mechanism is recommended for small rooms and narrow corridors, where swing models would take up useful space, which is already in short supply.
• Sliding compartment doors are also suitable for rooms where space is limited and fit perfectly into large doorways.

Mounting options

In most cases, residents move into apartments with pre-finishing finishing, but often housing is purchased in a brick-and-mortar condition. This means that there are not even partitions in it, not to mention doorways. In such situations, owners have to organize the space themselves or hire a designer to solve the problem.
If you are developing the layout of the premises yourself, when considering options for opening interior doors, consider several important points:

• Door leading from small room into a spacious one, should open towards a large room.
• The exit from the toilet or bathroom should also be directed outward. This recommendation is based not only on safety precautions, but also on considerations of saving space in bathrooms.

• The door leading from the kitchen should open into the corridor, but this is not necessary if the kitchen area is large, and the corridor, on the contrary, is narrow and cramped. Here you need to focus on the specific conditions of the situation.
• If the opening is located next to the wall, then you won’t have to think long about which side to install the interior door. The best choice – swing design, the canvas of which will be pressed against the wall when opened.
• When designing, take into account the location of switches and sockets: the open door leaf should not block them.
• If there are several windows in the room, try to plan the space so that the door is opposite one of them. window openings. This will add natural light to the corridor.
• Doors leading from the corridor to adjoining rooms and located close to each other, should open inward. Otherwise, when opening at the same time, you can disturb other people passing by by blocking the corridor.
• Usually the doors to the loggia open inward living rooms. If the width of the balcony allows, you can install an interior door that opens inward. This way you will save useful living space by freeing up the area near the loggia for furniture.

Attention! Interior doors that open to the side can be mounted in any way you like. Another thing is moving the doorway. If you want to change the location, you will have to coordinate the redevelopment with the BTI.

If you have any doubts about the installation of interior doors, please contact Rada Doors employees. Consultants at branded salons will provide detailed advice on this issue.