Glass door to the bathroom: options, do-it-yourself installation, glass doors for the bathroom.

The character of the room depends on how skillfully all the components of the interior are selected. Original design solutions will help give it a little sophistication and elegance. Today in trend: pastel colors, natural materials, smooth lines and curves. Of all the materials available to designers, it is glass that meets all modern requirements and technical characteristics.

Durable and environmentally friendly, it is often used to make partitions and doors. Today, glass bathroom doors are becoming increasingly popular. Their use is not just a fashionable trend, but a great opportunity to create an interesting modern interior in any style - from classic to high-tech. Glass doors can have a matte, glossy, or textured surface, of different thicknesses and dimensions.

Specifics of bathroom doors

Unlike ordinary living rooms, the bathroom is a room with high humidity, steam and, more often than not, a small volume. These two factors must be taken into account when choosing a door.

If the room is of impressive size, it has a shower stall with a good partition, and the washbasin and everything else is located far enough from the door, then it can be made of any material. In the case where the bathtub and washbasin are located in such a way that splashes from them will fly onto the sash, then it should be made of moisture-resistant material.

Wooden products perform well at a humidity of no more than 60%; at higher values, the coating begins to swell on them and cracks appear. The most vulnerable places are the ends at the top and bottom, since not all manufacturers cover them with a protective layer. This does not happen with glass and plastic. Therefore, you should give preference to these materials.

Ventilation is also of great importance. If it does not exist or it does not function well, then the most inert material is all the more necessary. There are special door models with a small ventilation grille.

Which ones are better to choose?

How long the doors will last depends not only on the material and design. The quality of ventilation, the area of the room, the frequency of use, the presence of a hood, the correct installation and maintenance - when selecting a door, you need to take all these factors into account. It is better to resolve the issue with ventilation before starting repairs. Condensation is formed due to different temperatures of the sheet and hot air in the bathroom.

To reduce its occurrence and protect the door material, it is more practical to buy a door with installed ventilation grilles or to provide separate types of ventilation, then you will have to drill the door.

If the area of the room is large enough, then the door material is not in danger. For a small room, it is better to choose a more moisture-resistant material and coating. Returning to the structural features of doors, the following points can be noted.

The swing design is familiar, easy to install and use, has an affordable price, a large assortment, can open on the left or right and in both directions, but takes up a lot of space when opened;
Sliding model , on the contrary, does not take up much space; the niche does not require additional space in the room. Quiet in use, however, sound insulation is insufficient. If two doors are close to each other, for example, a bathroom is next to the kitchen, and the corridor is narrow, then sliding doors made of the same leaf will be the optimal solution. If the opening to the bathroom is wide or the toilet and bathtub are combined, then the option of sliding doors made of two panels is suitable.

Folding structures also do not clutter up the space, but they do not provide a full sense of privacy, as there will be problems with sound insulation and thermal insulation. But the doors will provide good ventilation. If the toilet and bath are combined, then folding structures can be installed inside the bathroom to delimit the space.
Rotary doors do not differ in appearance from ordinary doors, they open easily in different directions and are silent. They can be installed in any openings, and rubber gaskets guarantee good sound insulation properties. Suitable for narrow spaces.

As for the fittings, its main function is to ensure convenient opening and closing of the door, and to prevent accidental opening of the door. The most economical option is a handle with a built-in lock. The handle has a built-in latch. The handle is installed by drilling two holes on both sides. In addition to the built-in latch, there is also a separate option where the handle and latch are purchased separately. The latch can be embedded or overhead. When the invoice is placed, a latch is installed.

A plumbing mortise lock of a simplified design closes the door and is secured with a latch. If the doors slam shut, they can always be unlocked with a thin wire or pin.

What's special about glass doors?

Transparent fabrics have many positive characteristics, which makes them quite popular when arranging a bathroom, as well as combined bathrooms.

Among other things, we can highlight:

Resistant to water and temperature. Unlike wooden structures, glass is not afraid of high humidity, and it is also not afraid of steam or temperature fluctuations.
Sufficient strength. If you make a door from tempered glass with a thickness of 7-10 mm, then it is quite difficult to break it. The canvas will crack only if brute force or strong impacts with metal objects are used.
Small thickness and space saving. Since the doors are not too thick, compared to plastic and especially wooden panels, the entire structure is not massive. And if you install a sliding system, the space savings will be significant.
Original form of construction. Glass, due to its formation in a heated state, allows you to create convex shapes; radial glass doors for the bathroom can be made from it.
Endless finishing options. The color and texture of glass vary. Some finishing methods are carried out only in the factory, some can be done at home by updating the glass door to the bathroom on your own.

In addition, such partitions are easy to care for and simply wash. The most common glass cleaner will keep your door clean in one minute.

Traces of water, detergents, and fingerprints are easily removed from the transparent fabric. Unlike chipboard, when the temperature rises, glass does not emit any toxic compounds, it is odorless, and does not cause allergies.

Since the door is transparent (even partially), the light is clearly visible through it, and you can easily determine whether the room is occupied or not. No need to knock or pull the handle. For an apartment where a large family lives, this point is important, and a bathroom with a glass door becomes a practical option.

What to look for when choosing

There is no single right solution. First of all, it is worth deciding on the design features and stylistic design of the glass. Much depends on the style of the interior, the effect that is planned to be achieved, the features of the bathroom and the apartment as a whole. The following points are worth considering:

arrangement of plumbing, furniture;
dimensions and width of the doorway;
stylistic design of the room and apartment;
room area, etc.

In a small room, the best solution would be to install a glass sliding door. Such products save space, which can be used more rationally, for example, by installing plumbing fixtures in this place.

The hinged design is suitable for conservative people who prefer classic solutions and have fairly spacious bathrooms. Translucent swing doors look great in modern and classic styles.

Sliding and hinged doors are the most popular options for decorating the doorway of a bathroom and toilet. Radius products are used in spacious houses if you want to give the room a special charm and sophistication. Accordion-shaped structures are most often used as partition doors inside the bathroom. They are used to isolate the area for receiving introductory procedures from the rest of the room and other purposes.

Installing a glass door is a process that requires maximum precision. This is not a difficult job for a professional who knows all the intricacies and installation features, but it is difficult to carry out installation work on your own. Even minimal inaccuracies can lead to problems in operation, so it is better to entrust the work to specialists.

But caring for such products is not difficult; it does not require any knowledge or skills. You just need to wipe the glass sheet from dirt as needed using glass surface cleaners.

A few disadvantages

Compared to wooden doors, which are often installed in the bathroom, a glass system will cost more. Because finishing and fittings, as well as installation, contribute to the price of renovation work.

Another disadvantage of glass is its tendency to collect condensation. But this defect can be easily eliminated if the bathroom is equipped with good ventilation. Without it, the bathroom will not be able to function normally in any case, and fungus will quickly begin to appear. By the way, it “does not take root” on a smooth glass surface.

Another disadvantage of the material is that glass is a material with poor sound insulation. If the bedroom is located close to the bathroom, then this point will have to be taken into account.

Rules for choosing designs

At the preliminary stage, the material and type of door are selected. First, you need to take into account the specifics of the room, constantly high humidity. In second place is sufficient noise and heat insulation (if the slopes were sheathed, repairs were carried out). The materials used must be coated with protective compounds that increase resistance to changes in temperature and humidity.

The door must match the design of other interior systems

Sliding views will look stylish and save corridor space, but their installation requires a free wall near the opening. Another disadvantage of such doors is low sound insulation and reliability. Opening and closing is performed by a pair of metal-plastic doors. It is better to install them if there is free space on both sides of the opening.

Additionally, you can install a reliable latch. Sliding doors can be hidden, similar to a cassette design. Sliding systems save usable space, but they cannot be chosen for the bathroom. They serve as a screen rather than a door, do not have a threshold, and are not able to create decent noise and heat insulation.

Sliding option

A popular option are swing structures, which are more reliable, easy to operate, provide sound insulation, and can be used in any opening location . They are available in standard sizes, so the dimensions match the installed box. By installing a swing door with a threshold, you can eliminate blowing. But compared to other analogues, they require more space to open them.

Also for the bathroom, folding systems in the form of an accordion can be used, the operation of which does not require much space.

Their main advantage is the additional installation of panels, creating the optimal opening width.

There are also pendulum structures that swing open in both directions.

Glass, stylish door option

What does the price depend on?

The cost of a glass bathroom door is not the smallest compared to other options, but such products look beautiful when installed in pairs: at the entrance to the toilet and bathroom. Such systems are durable, so they manage to earn back the money spent.

The cost of a glass door is influenced by a combination of the following parameters:

architectural specifics of the room, the need to manufacture not flat, but curved canvases;
geometric dimensions: the larger the opening, the more expensive the door will cost;
opening method;
the type of material used, its thickness, which greatly affects strength;
quality and quantity of fittings, their material and finish;
installation method (on your own or with the assistance of a service team), the required amount of preparatory work;
decorative finishing of the canvas.

If the room is non-standard, the decor is original, the product is additionally decorated with exquisite fittings, then the price of a glass door to the bathroom will be higher.

To buy or not to buy?

The price of glass doors ranges from two to two hundred thousand rubles.

If the cheapest glass models, as a rule, do not carry any artistic value, are made of tempered satin material, and have standard sizes, then even models starting from twenty thousand are produced using more complex innovative technologies.

They can resemble an ice covering, the entrance to a magical cave, or an artistic canvas of classic painting.

Such doors are made according to individual sketches, have a very special surface, which plays with all its facets in the light and creates a feeling of a real miracle. At the request of the client, they are decorated with various curls and vignettes.

But decor is not the main thing. The more expensive the doors, the better the fittings and the longer the warranty. With proper use and care, such doors will last for many years not only for you, but also for your children.

How does the installation work?

There are different designs of glass doors to the toilet, but they all have approximately the same installation scheme.

Its main stages are as follows:

Installation of fasteners. For swing doors you need to install awnings, for sliding models you need to fix the rails. In this case, it is important to carry out the markings accurately, otherwise it will be impossible to adjust the position of the fasteners later.
Door installation. It is hung on hinges or inserted into guides. Since the glass sheet is quite heavy and yet fragile, installation itself should not be carried out. The weak points of glass are the corners; if installed carelessly, they are the first to suffer.
Installation of fittings. Handles must be mounted on the glass partition; they can be combined with a latch. It is also worth considering installing a stopper so that the opening door does not hit furniture, objects, or the wall.

As for the fittings, for installation in the bathroom you can choose handles with a latch or mount locking elements separately. A rather convenient combined option is round knob handles. They look neat and are easy to install. Such products are suitable for hinged glass doors for bathtubs and toilets. A separate lock can be mortise or overhead, made in the form of a latch. If it is made of moisture-resistant material, it will last forever due to its simple design.

Recommendations from professionals

If the door will be stored for a long time before installation, then place it on pads; the floor surface should be flat. When performing installation work, it is advisable to use special gloves with rubber elements. These gloves prevent the glass from slipping while working with the blade.

Wear gloves when working

It is strongly recommended to involve an assistant during installation work. Do-it-yourself installation carries great risks.

Only experienced professionals can install doors alone.

As standard, all hinges are right-handed. If you need to change the direction of door opening, then the hinges will have to be disassembled and the position of the side planes into which the glass fixing bolts are screwed in can be swapped. This is not difficult to do. If your door has a standard frame, then changing the direction the door opens is a little more difficult. You need to remove the horizontal support rail, move the seals to the edge (future bottom) of the other horizontal and fasten the horizontal crossbar in its place.

Some manufacturers sell glass doors in a partially assembled state. Carefully remove packaging and check the integrity of structures and elements. Before starting work, prepare the workplace, remove all objects that interfere with free movement.

In the photo the master takes out a set of accessories

A horizontal door handle is unusable if the distance between the frame and the wall is less than three centimeters. The short distance prevents the door from opening 90°.

An example of a convenient door handle

The more often you check the spatial position of the load-bearing elements, the more reliable and durable the glass door will be. Most manufacturers provide the possibility of precise adjustment of the door leaf with special bolts installed on the fittings.

Adjusting fittings

The exception is that the glass was made to order for you and not all dimensions were met with the required accuracy. In such cases, you will have to move the loops in one direction or another. It's quite difficult to do this the first time. If you adjust the position of the glass sheet with loose fasteners, be sure to work together. It is very difficult for one person to both hold the glass and unscrew/tighten the bolts. Watch the video for installing a shower tray yourself by following the link.

Materials used

The main element of the design is a glass sash, but it is not ordinary, since the simplest types of material will crack from the first pop.

To ensure that glass doors for bathrooms and toilets are durable, safe, and last a long time, the following is used for their production:

Strained glass. It is obtained from the usual one through special processing: heating almost until melting with fairly rapid cooling due to air blowing. This temperature contrast increases the mechanical strength of the material by 6-8, sometimes 10 times. Another important characteristic that glass acquires during the tempering process is the formation of blunt fragments. It is difficult to break a bathroom door made of tempered glass, but even if this happens, there will be no injuries or cuts. The only disadvantage of this material is the impossibility of cutting and drilling after hardening.
Triplex. It is also obtained from ordinary glass, forming sheets and a polymer film between them like a pie. The layered structure makes the fabric thicker and more durable. The film that is inside glues the layers together so firmly that when cracking, not a single fragment falls out of such a monolith. The material turns out to be completely safe. But if you decide to buy glass doors for the bathroom with a canvas of this particular type, then it is worth remembering that its weight will be greater than the previous one, as well as the cost.

Metals are used to produce accessories, primarily canopies and handles. The most durable option is stainless steel. It is not afraid of moisture; its hinges can withstand significant weight of the door leaf.

Aluminum is also moisture resistant. It looks attractive and is inexpensive. This is the best option for light weight partitions.

Among non-ferrous metals, brass is in demand when equipping a bathroom. It looks beautiful, and due to various additives in the composition it will acquire the necessary strength. Both steel, brass, and aluminum do not rust and tolerate different temperatures and exposure to water and detergents.

Operational Features

For safe operation of plastic structures, you should not apply excessive force when using them, or add additional weight to the doors. Do not place solid objects under the sash or between it and the frame. This may cause the plastic product to warp.

The entire structure must be regularly cleaned of dirt with soapy water or products for plastic surfaces. Once a year, the sealing rubber must be lubricated with silicone oil to maintain its elasticity. Once a year it is necessary to apply lubricant to the moving parts of the fittings. To distribute the oil evenly, it is recommended to open and close the doors several times.

If you are planning a bathroom renovation, you need to protect the plastic doors from damage. The best solution is to secure the plastic film over the entire surface of the canvas with masking tape. If particles of building mixtures or paint do get onto the surface of the structure, it is better to use special PVC cleaning products without mechanical impact to remove them.

Welding work is especially dangerous for plastic surfaces, as sparks can burn through the canvas, profile and glass decorative elements. Therefore, in the case of welding work, it is better to first remove the door leaf from the awnings.

If the operating rules are followed, the seal will last 10 years, the fittings will last up to 15 years.

What to do with transparency?

The thought that the bathroom door is glass horrifies many, since this material is primarily associated with transparency. But completely transparent partitions in bathrooms, as a rule, are not installed. No more than 5% of buyers agree to such doors. Most people prefer canvases whose transparency is about 40%.

This can be achieved in various ways:

Matting. A frosted glass door to a bathroom is most often installed. This system looks stylish and insulates the bathroom well. Roughness is achieved on the surface of the material by treating it with sand particles under high pressure or chemical reagents. A completely matte canvas looks boring. Partially processed doors, in which matte areas alternate with transparent elements, are more in demand.
Toning. At the glass manufacturing stage, pigments can be added to it, giving it shades. If you want to completely protect yourself from prying eyes, then it is enough to cover the door with a dark or even mirror film.
Engraving. Laser processing allows you to create original patterns and curls on glass. At the same time, the lightness and airiness of the material is not lost.
Pasting with film. The easiest way to change the appearance of a door, which you can do yourself. The film can be of any color, plain, with a pattern.
Creating a stained glass window. A decorative panel made from pieces of multi-colored glass is a very beautiful interior element. Such canvases are difficult to produce, even if the stained glass window is just a small insert, so the price of a glass bathroom door with such a finish is quite high. A more affordable way to create stained glass, or rather to imitate it, is to paint (fill in the contours) with durable paints on glass.
Embossing. When heated, glass can be given any shape and texture. If you install a door made of corrugated material in the bathroom, your stay in this room will be comfortable.
Photo printing. The modern method of applying patterns is good because the coating is durable. This method allows you to recreate any image on the glass door to the bathroom and toilet.

If we talk about color and pattern, then it should match the style of the bathroom and apartment or house as a whole. You can purchase not completely glass products, but only with small inserts made of this material.

Doors that are located in the same hall or corridor should be in the same style and color, so it is better to immediately buy designs for the toilet, bathroom, utility room, if it is located nearby.

Glass doors: myths and reality

Considering that the bathroom is a rather intimate place in the house, the transparent properties of glass sometimes become a significant obstacle to the introduction of interior innovations.

In fact, the absolute transparency of doors of this type is another myth. In the production of glass doors, tempered glass or “triplex” has long been used, which significantly reduces or completely eliminates transparency.

In addition, statistics say that there are also ardent supporters of absolutely transparent glass, but they are only 5%. The rest, contrary to popular belief about the popularity of completely frosted glass, prefer a degree of transparency of up to 35-40%.

Therefore, many ways have been developed to make glass for a door matte, mirrored, or sprayed.

Methods for decorative processing of glass surfaces:

Samples made to order can be made in relief, corrugated, with convex or concave shapes; glass is perfectly shaped to suit any texture.
Stained glass - decorating the glass surface of a door with a mosaic of multi-colored glass elements. Also, fusing is now popular - fusing together various parts of a multi-colored glass “puzzle”.
Painted drawing with stained glass paints on glass.
Matting, spraying, tinting.
Artistic engraving.
Photo printing.
Gluing embossed and colored films onto glass.

Pasted colored film onto glass is the cheapest way to remove unwanted transparency

Different types of doors

The door at the entrance to the bathroom is not just a rectangle. It all depends on the architectural features of the building, the location and shape of the entrance, and its dimensions. If necessary, you can buy a glass door for the bathroom with a convex or concave panel. There are special radius designs that follow the curve of the bathroom walls.

More often, two types of structures are used for arranging bathrooms:

Swing. A familiar option for everyone. If you need to buy glass doors for the bathroom and toilet, swing doors are most often chosen. They open in one direction: outward or inward. This depends on the size and other parameters of the room. The sash is hung on hinges, with which you can adjust the opening angle. The design of the doors is simple, no different from products made of wood or plastic. A box is mounted in the opening, hinges are installed on which the glass sheet is hung. The disadvantage of this type is the need for sufficient space so that the door can be opened. Since bathrooms often open onto the corridor, given its small area, there may be problems with the functioning of this type of system.
Sliding. In this case, in the upper part or simultaneously at the top and bottom of the opening, strips (rails) are mounted along which the sash will be moved to the side. Since it moves parallel to the wall, it does not require any space to open. This allows you to install such doors in small rooms, when everything around is filled with furniture. The sash can slide into a niche equipped in the wall or simply behind a cabinet against the wall. Installing such models is a little more difficult.

Bathroom doors with glass inserts, depending on the width of the opening, can consist of one panel or two. For large passages, two sashes are used to more evenly distribute the load on the hinges and avoid distortions.

When choosing a box for the bathroom, you need to remember that the walls in this room are not too thick.

The height of a standard glass door is 1980 mm. Width may vary. It starts from 610 mm. If the need arises, you can always order glass doors of non-standard shape and size. The radius parameters are different. This is due to their specific design. The minimum width of such products is 1 meter. The height of such doors can be standard 1980 mm.

Since glass doors have a smaller height compared to others, this should not be forgotten if you plan to install the same structures in different rooms. Also, a threshold must be installed in the bathroom to prevent possible flooding. Its minimum height is 5 cm.

Kinds

On the modern market, the choice of interior entrance structures is huge. Doors for toilets and bathrooms must be very durable, moisture-resistant and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Therefore, before selecting a door, it is important to study the classification of doors by opening mechanisms and materials used. Based on the manufacturing design, the following types are distinguished.

The traditional swing door is still popular today. It is easy to install; if it breaks, the fittings can be quickly replaced. The canvas is quite easily removed and inserted into the loop; it can open inward, outward, left or right. Additional advantages are price and range. Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting that with a small bathroom, this mechanism will cause inconvenience and take up a lot of space when opening.

Sliding or sliding doors. Such a door, on the contrary, saves square meters; when opened, it moves (rolls) to the side. It has two opening mechanisms - open and closed. When the type is open, the structure moves and remains outside; when it is closed, the sliding structure opens and disappears into the niche. This model is quite silent, has no threshold, and therefore safer.

Folding doors have been known since ancient times. They are vertical panels that slide along top guide profiles and fold, so they do not have a threshold. The canvases are connected to each other with textile or leather tapes and loops. There are two types of folding design. A door with one leaf made of many sections is called an “accordion”; it folds like a blind, only horizontally. The canvas with two doors works like a “book”. This type of door is undoubtedly interesting as a design solution, but buyers note that they do not provide a full sense of privacy. Moreover, due to frequent use, the structure quickly loses strength.

Doors with a rotating mechanism can open 180 degrees in different directions, which reduces the exit of the leaf when opened by half. This sample is suitable for use by people with disabilities and the elderly.

Doors for insulating the riser. To hide sewer and water pipes, a cabinet with doors is often installed in the plumbing room. This design combines three advantages at the same time: sound insulation, storage of things, ease of opening when checking pipes. Louvre shutters (otherwise known as slatted doors) are perfect for installation. Thanks to the lattice design, they are capable of air ventilation.

In addition to cabinets, hatches and screens are installed, the doors of which can be lined and the metal structure can be left under the tiles. They can be installed both in the toilet and under the bathtub. This solution, coupled with interior doors, will provide double sound insulation for the bathroom.

Basic rules of care

The method of caring for and cleaning glass doors in the bathroom and toilet is not much different from washing windows and any other surfaces made of this material.

Here are the main recommendations:

Wipe the surface with a damp cloth or any window cleaner. Only powders with abrasive particles should not be used. This applies to ordinary glass, and especially decorated canvases (covered with film, stained glass).
There are special products that repel water and allow the sashes to stay clean longer. They must be used to care for the door once a week.
Metal fittings also need cleaning. It is better to wipe it with a cloth. You should not use serious “chemistry”: it slowly corrodes the coating and often leaves stains on metal surfaces.
Door hinges need to be adjusted from time to time, especially if the door begins to squeak. Canopies, as well as all moving parts of the handle and latches must be periodically lubricated with machine oil.

Following these simple rules will allow you to maintain the attractive appearance of your glass partition longer.

A bathroom with a glass door is a modern design solution. This is also a very practical and convenient option, because for rooms with high humidity, glass is the material that can withstand specific conditions better than others. Doors made from it in the bathroom look beautiful, they do not deteriorate from water and steam, and are easy to care for. To make your stay in the bathroom comfortable, the canvas can be decorated in various ways, reducing its transparency.

Product parameters

The dimensions of structures for glass bathrooms have the same standards as other types of interior doors. As a rule, typical indicators (excluding box size) range from 1980 millimeters in product height and up to 860 in width in increments of 50 mm. The width of radius models must be at least 1000 mm and not exceed 6000 mm. The only exceptions are unique custom-made items. Such requirements are related to the manufacturing method of these systems.

Glass doors are easy to install even in a small bathroom.

In addition to functionality, they themselves are a striking detail of the bathroom interior. Most successful design solutions involve a combination of glass and metal. Shiny chrome elements, faucets, showers and other details in combination with mirrors and translucent doors allow you to create a cohesive, complete image of the room.

Glass door with decor

Although the glass of the door leaf will border the corridor or other part of the apartment adjacent to the bathroom, many owners do not give up the idea of installing such doors. For transparent materials, many decorative finishing options can be provided; glass can be made matte or mirrored, and special films and stickers can be used. In this case, it all depends on your preferences and creative imagination. Glass doors fit into a variety of bathroom design styles. Therefore, they are often used to create original designs.