Glass doors for saunas and baths - main sizes, types and tips for choosing

A bathhouse is a room constantly exposed to significant temperature changes and the influence of moisture. Therefore, the selection of door structures and their installation must be approached carefully. They must comply with established safety requirements. Due to their characteristics, glass doors for saunas and baths are the most popular. Therefore, they are presented in a fairly wide range on the market.

What is a glass door and why does it stand out?

Glass is one of those materials that in most characteristics is not inferior to wood, and in some respects, even surpasses it.
It is worth saying that the use of glass doors in saunas and baths has practically no disadvantages. First, you should point out the three main disadvantages of using glass doors:

• high cost of material, which corresponds to excellent performance characteristics;
• ordinary glass has increased thermal conductivity, but usually glass sauna doors are made from tempered glass that has undergone heat treatment. This material does not heat up to extreme temperatures, therefore it is absolutely safe to use and acts as an excellent heat insulator;
• The increased fragility of the material again concerns ordinary glass, but tempering partially eliminates this problem. Tempering also increases the safety of door operation, since broken glass does not form sharp fragments. Naturally, the glass door for a bathhouse is also strengthened by increasing its thickness. The most optimal products will be those with a thickness of 8 millimeters or more.

As mentioned above, the positive aspects of using glass doors for saunas and baths predominate:

• The transparency of the material allows you to inspect the steam compartment without difficulty. This advantage concerns the safety parameter: you can always come to the aid of those whose health has failed them in the steam room;
• the level of illumination in the steam compartment increases, but the uniformity of the distribution of light rays is maintained;
• Doors for saunas made of glass have practically no service life, unless of course they are broken;
• caring for a glass door is very simple and you can use any detergent;
• glass is not exposed to various negative factors: the formation of fungus, mold, etc.;
• the temperature and humidity conditions of the rooms, which are separated by a glass door, do not have any effect on the material;
• finally, the glass door looks original and beautiful in the photo and during visual inspection, regardless of the combination with what materials it is used.

Considering the positive qualities that sauna doors and glass baths have, there are still those who consider their installation impractical. Some experts believe that glass doors do not retain steam very well. To protect the steam compartment from leaks, it is necessary to create a high threshold (from 10 centimeters) and mount the door leaf in such a way that its maximum seal is maintained.

However, this is necessary exclusively in baths, but saunas, on the contrary, require a small gap to ensure a constant flow of air. Accordingly, when choosing a door for a sauna, glass is the optimal material.

Most reviews indicate that the glass door can still be used in a Russian bath and no steam loss will be observed. Doors should be installed so that they open outward.

The threshold described above is best installed in a steam room and then during the procedures all the steam will be used to the maximum. If we talk about the junction of the glass door leaf with the door frame, then in a high-quality product there will be no gap, and steam will be preserved.

Professional bath attendants highlight the following operational advantages:

• glass is an excellent indicator of indoor humidity;
• glass can be easily cleaned from all types of contaminants;
• glass is not exposed to any negative factors.

Features of glass door installation

So, when installing glass doors for a sauna and bathhouse, the dimensions of the canvas must be selected taking into account the following criteria:

• if we are talking about a sauna, then there should be a small gap between the floor and the door leaf, through which air will flow into the steam compartment;
• in the bathhouse, on the contrary, there should be no gap so that the maximum amount of steam is retained in the steam compartment.

Once the dimensions of the glass door to the sauna have been selected, it is necessary to take into account the installation features of the door frame. If we are talking about a wooden element, then it can be mounted on the doorway only after finishing, and the metal frame must be installed in advance on the rough wall. The work must be carried out with an assistant, since the standard dimensions of glass doors for a bathhouse are such that with a glass thickness of 7 millimeters, the weight of the leaf reaches approximately 25 kilograms.

After purchasing a door, it is recommended to lay out the wooden elements from it on the floor when disassembling the packaging. They can act as supports under the glass sheet. The glass itself must be freed from the frame, which is done by loosening the fasteners on the hinges and bending them in the opposite direction. After the glass is not held in place by anything, it must be placed on supports that will allow it to be easily lifted from the floor.

All about installation

When installing glass structures you will need the following materials and tools:

1. door leaf and frame;
2. polyurethane foam;
3. roulette;
4. electric drill;
5. anchor bolts:
6. wooden wedges;
7. level;
8. liquid Nails;
9. masking tape.

Installing glass structures is not an easy task; it requires certain skills and, of course, desire. The door to the steam room is installed without a threshold, at a distance of 10-20 cm from the floor to ensure proper air circulation.

Be careful when working with glass structures. Before installation, store the panels in a well-ventilated area on a flat surface. When installing, make sure that the edges of the doors do not touch the floor! For protection, place a carpet or other soft covering between the floor and the door leaf. Use gloves when working with glass to reduce the risk of the door slipping.

The door frame in the steam room can be wooden or metal. The latter is installed before finishing the walls, the first - after. This is their main difference.

The most important and sensitive point in installing glass doors is the correct installation of the door frame. It must be positioned strictly vertically and have a flat plane. If this is not provided for, then a glass door leaf with a perfectly regular geometric shape will not be able to fit tightly into its place, which is fraught with negative consequences.

The door frame is attached using self-tapping screws, the installation accuracy is controlled by a level or laser level. When calculating the opening, the gaps (about 15-20 mm) necessary for high-quality installation of the plane should be provided. Wedges of the required thickness must be inserted into these gaps in the places provided for fastening.

After proper installation of the box, you can begin hanging the canvas. Here it is better to enlist the help of a partner, because thick glass has a lot of weight. The fabric needs to be inserted into the loops, and then pulled together. Here one person holds the glass, and the second tightens the fasteners.

Checking whether the door is installed correctly is quite simple. You need to close the doors and compare the gaps; if installed correctly, they are the same, and the “glass rectangle” fits snugly against the seal. If the door is installed perfectly, then the next step is to install the latch and handle.

The cavities between the box and the opening are sealed with a special material: polyurethane foam or mineral wool. On both sides, these inconspicuous cracks are closed by a door casing. At this stage, the installation of glass doors in the sauna is considered complete.

Accessories

When choosing glass doors for a steam room, give preference to models with a large number of hanging holders. A canvas with a thickness of 7 mm weighs quite a lot, so two loops may not hold up and break. Even if there are only two canopies, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of their rotation or the installation of a spare set of holders. Hinges for a glass door to a sauna must be made from a corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel.

Pen

The latch also deserves due attention. Cheap glass doors are equipped with a ball latch. Their main disadvantage is that they often jam and cause some inconvenience. The best choice for a steam room is latches that hold the door leaves under the influence of a magnetic field and consist of 3-4 elements. Their performance is beyond doubt.

Sauna handles are often purchased from wood. When choosing this element of fittings, pay attention to its ergonomics. For greater practicality and comfort, silicone gaskets are installed between the handles and the glass.

Performing markup

Before installing glass doors in a bathhouse, a design project is created, the parameters of the product are determined, and the area where it will be located is marked. This is the first and most important stage of construction work. Not only the period of operation of the facility, but also the preservation of heat in the steam room will depend on the accuracy of calculations and the quality of installation work.

To measure the door structure, you must use a construction tape. For installation of guide elements, an additional 150 mm is added to the results obtained.

After all the necessary measurements have been taken, markings are made in the wall opening where the door block is planned to be installed. On each side it is necessary to draw straight lines under a wooden batten or ruler. To check their horizontalness, it is recommended to use a building level.

When the marking of the opening is completed, it is necessary to insert the finished door structure into it and check the accuracy of its placement and, if necessary, adjust it.

There must be a technical gap of at least 50 mm between the door frame and the walls of the opening.

Fixing the guides

When installing glass door blocks in a bathhouse, you need to prepare 2 guide elements. To ensure the stability of the canvas when moving, it is recommended to install it on rollers.

There are several options for fixing the guide components, but they must be installed exactly horizontally. There should be no third-party objects in the path of the door when opening. When fixing guide parts on wood bases, self-tapping screws are used. When fixing them on concrete or brick bases, dowels are used. For them, holes must first be drilled in the concrete.

Experienced craftsmen do not recommend taking dowels from kits. Such connections are not of high quality. It is better to separately buy plastic dowels and screws with a slightly larger cross-section.

After preparing the fasteners, the carriages are assembled. It is necessary to tighten the mounting bolts in them and install them on the guide elements. However, it is not recommended to clamp them tightly. To secure the glass sheet as securely as possible, you can additionally use fastening brackets.

At the next stage, the transparent panel of the glass door to the bathhouse is installed. The product is inserted into the carriage of the upper guide element. The product must be inserted into the grooves, secured with bolts and at the same time adjusted its position.

When installing door blocks with a glass panel in a sauna, it is better to use paranite gaskets to press them. This is important to consider when purchasing a product at a hardware store. The density of paranite also needs to be taken into account. It should not be too soft, as the door will not last long on such pads.

After installing and fixing all components of the structure, preliminary adjustment is carried out and the correctness of the installation work is checked. For this purpose, a mounting level is used. After leveling the door block, the necessary fittings are installed on it. Additionally, you can decorate the structure with various decorative components.

Loops

Hinges - as a rule, two pieces are installed per door. For larger fabric sizes, three loops are used. Also, if you wish, you can add a third to any door, but this is true for Russian-made doors and to order.

The colors of the hinges are as follows: chrome, matte chrome or bronze.

The location of the loops can be on the left or right. On some doors, the location of the hinges can be changed independently, that is, the door turns out to be universal: both left and right opening.

Pens

Handles are made of wood or aluminum. They can also be combined, vertical, horizontal and of different lengths, up to the entire height of the glass.

The handle on the inside can be either plastic or aluminum, or wood.

Lock or latch

Methods for fixing the door in the closed position are a roller or a magnet. Depending on the manufacturer, the magnet can be located in one place, in the center or along the entire perimeter of the glass.

An optional latch lock is available. But for security reasons, we do not recommend installing a lock on saunas or hammams, but they are usually necessary on showers or toilets.

Platband

Doors with wooden frames and aluminum frames do not have platbands included in the kit. They must be purchased separately, as with any interior door. We recommend selecting the material of the trim according to the material of the box. Platbands vary in width. The wooden frame has a standard width of 70 mm, but there are also wider ones. Aluminum casing is available in 20 mm and 50 mm. and 70 mm.

Classification of glass doors

Canvases

• By type of opening - sliding, swing, pendulum. The latest modification is not suitable for a bath, only for a sauna. Why will become clear below.
• By manufacture - solid or combined. The second ones, in fact, are only partly glass, since the main material of the canvas is wood or plastic.
• By design - transparent, matte, with patterns or shades (silver, bronze, etc.).

Door frame

There are few options - wood or metal (usually aluminum). The difference is in the specifics of installation. A wooden frame for a glass door can be installed both before and after finishing the room. Metal - only before work begins.

Glass

The glass thickness at the doors in our store is always 8 mm. and always seasoned. There is no need to choose the glass size; it fits the size of the selected box. I think this is understandable.

You are required to select the color and glass treatment. Standard colors:

• Transparent - ordinary transparent glass
• Satin is a frosted transparent glass that feels slightly rough to the touch.
• Bronze - clear glass with a bronze tint or tan color
• Matte bronze - similar to clear glass: bronze-colored frosted glass
• Patterns on glass – you can choose a door with a pattern, and the color of the glass can also be different.

Peculiarities

Wood was always used for the construction of baths and their interior design; sometimes there were buildings lined with brick on the outside. Today, this trend has continued, and work is being done tirelessly to improve the quality of the main raw materials. However, in addition to wood, saunas and baths are decorated with no less impressive materials - this applies to glass products, in particular doors.

The quality of glass panels and their operational parameters are not inferior to wooden door structures for baths, and in some respects they are even several times superior.

Their main feature is their visual appeal, thanks to which the products not only fit harmoniously into any style and design, but also give the room a certain charm, decorating and acting as the main accent in the interior.

Glass door structures stand out from other analogues for bathhouses and steam rooms with the following advantages:

• The raw materials are resistant to corrosion and are not subject to rotting. This resistance of glass to various destructive processes makes it possible to use products made from this material in rooms where the humidity level regularly increases;
• products do not lose their original shape when subjected to temperature fluctuations, unlike some wooden structures, which swell and dry out due to high temperatures, thereby losing their shape;
• environmental friendliness of glass - due to which, during the use of such structures in a bathhouse, the development of harmful microorganisms and mold on their surface is not expected. Which helps to improve the level of hygiene in the room;
• heat resistance - the specificity of such a structure as a bathhouse requires, first of all, compliance with fire safety standards. Glass doors are fire resistant, so they can be installed near heating units;

• aesthetic component - a variety of types of design and decoration of glass structures using inserts made of wood, metal, with painting or ornamentation on the canvas is the main advantage of the products;
• long service life - this is due to its resistance to the peculiarities of the microclimate in the room, due to which it does not have a destructive effect on glass doors during their operation in the bathhouse;
• ease of maintenance - the designs do not require the use of specialized cleaning compounds; to care for a glass door, non-aggressive cleaning compounds and a damp rag are sufficient;
• glass door models have an excellent ability to transmit light into the room, unlike solid wooden products. Due to this, you can save on electricity, which is necessary for lighting the steam room.

In order to create an objective picture, it is necessary to identify the disadvantages of glass door panels.

• Mass of products. As a rule, high-quality glass doors have quite an impressive weight, so several people will be needed to install the glass.
• The structures are highly expensive. However, the high cost of products is fully justified by the high quality of the product, for the production of which advanced technologies were used.
• The fragility of glass , due to which the product will have little resistance to mechanical stress. But this drawback is successfully minimized during the production of doors thanks to special processing associated with hardening of the material, after which the strength indicators of the product increase significantly.

Based on the fact that the existing disadvantages are quite easily corrected, glass doors for baths are popular among consumers.

Kinds

Modern manufacturers of glass door panels use the latest generation technologies in their work, which allows them to assemble high-class products. Glass production occurs when it is heated to +700 degrees and cooled sharply. This method provides the material with heat resistance, which affects the safety of operation of the raw material, as well as resistance to damage.

The standard door thickness is about 8 mm. The production features eliminate the formation of sharp fragments if the glass breaks. In such cases, the fragments of material will contain obtuse angles, which virtually eliminates the possibility of cutting yourself on them.

Taking into account the technological features of the production of glass bath doors, we can say that such products are a solid or combined sheet of fire-resistant glass.

Products are classified as follows:

• Based on the opening method - the designs are sliding, swing or pendulum type. The latter variety is used only in the sauna;
• according to the production method - the canvases are made entirely of glass or with the inclusion of decorative elements. Usually wood or plastic is used;
• by type of design - the material can be matte, transparent, colored, or contain an image or pattern.

Door frames for glass bath doors also come in the following types, taking into account the type of raw materials used:

• most often wood is used to create a structure;
• There are models made of aluminum alloy.

The first type of structure can be installed at any time, regardless of what stage the work on decorating the bathhouse is at. The metal box option requires its installation and adjustment before finishing the room. For a Russian bath, experts recommend choosing the latest type of door frame.

Choosing the right door hardware

The choice of fittings is one of the important stages in preparing the door for installation. The minimum permissible thickness of the canvas is 8 mm, weight 1 sq. m. m of glass - up to 30 kg, so powerful holders (loops) are required to hold such a structure suspended.

Experts recommend installing 3 hinges - two at the edges and one in the middle.

Important! Metal hinges are susceptible to corrosion, so it is better to choose products made from a ferrous metal alloy or stainless steel.

Particular attention should be paid to the latch for reliable fixation of the canvas. The doors of the cheap segment are equipped with ball latches, which are subject to deformation, which often leads to jamming of the structure.

The best option for a steam room is magnetic latches. They are practical, reliable and durable.

Another element of the fittings is the handle. Traditionally, canvases are equipped with wooden handles that are resistant to heat and deformation.

The main requirement for products is a convenient location. In many door models, a silicone gasket is used between the leaf and the handle to protect the glass from mechanical damage.

Dimensions

The standard sizes of glass doors from foreign and Russian manufacturers are almost the same. When choosing a canvas, you should proceed from the following parameters - the height and width of the box, as well as the similar dimensions of the glass product itself. Usually measurements are taken in centimeters.

Products come in the following sizes:

• the width of the box is 59–79 cm, the door is 52–72 cm;
• The height of the frame is 189–209 cm, the door – 184–202 cm.

Almost all manufacturers offer customers services for the production of glass bath doors, taking into account individual sizes based on the customer’s sketches and functional design objectives. There are designs with dimensions of 700x1700 cm, 1700x700 cm, 1800x700 cm.

Design

As a rule, matte or transparent raw materials are used for the production of doors. For a more harmonious combination with the overall style of the bathhouse, matte material can have a bronze tint; in addition, such products will help create a more private atmosphere in the steam room, which in some cases is important. The white matte canvas will also allow you to see only the outlines of a human silhouette in the steam room.

Manufacturers give doors made from transparent raw materials a wide variety of shades and textures. On sale you can find products with a corrugated or perfectly smooth base, with an ornament or a complex pattern.

For baths, canvases with multi-colored photo printing are in demand. This method of decorating the canvas will help decorate the interior with an original door. In some baths decorated in ethnic style, glass items painted in the style of Khokhloma, Arabic script, or intricate abstraction would be appropriate. Expensive canvases are decorated using exclusive elements. An interesting solution is mirror structures in combination with an aluminum frame.

The design of the door frame plays an important role, since it is this detail that largely determines the possibility of a harmonious combination of the door with one or another direction of room design. For example, for baths made in the traditional Russian style, it is better to install a wooden box. Modern style may require the use of a metal door frame.

Doors for hammam: basic materials

For such rooms, a solid wood option is suitable, as well as a combination of materials. A good solution is wooden swing models with glass from Sawo. They are provided with a cedar or aspen frame and base. The bronze savo successfully complements the interior.

Bravo products are made of tempered glass and are completely safe. Fully transparent options are available, as well as a choice with photo printing. The matte Vesuvius model will emphasize the space with the right combination of shades. Stability is provided by a larch box, which blends well with the rest of the decoration in the premises.

Aldo doors are available in reliable sliding and hinged designs of various sizes. The frame is made of linden, protecting against heat loss and penetration of cold air. They are well suited for a hammam, as they feature interesting decorative elements. The patterned option transforms a neutral space.

Attention is paid to the selection of handles. The hammam uses wooden handles

An exception is the Tylo series - wood is used inside and aluminum outside. Easy opening is ensured, and your hands do not get burned.

Typical sizes of glass doors

Many companies manufacture them. Glass doors are mainly installed in administrative and public buildings, and are used much less frequently in saunas or baths. Therefore, manufacturers take into account the demand, and do not produce such a wide range of special “bath” doors. Although there is still a choice. What can you focus on?

All dimensions are in mm.

• Height: boxes 1,890 – 2,090, canvases 1,840 – 2,025.
• Width: boxes 590 – 790, canvases 520 – 720.

Glass door manufacturing companies accept custom orders. You can submit your own drawing, based on the characteristics of your bathhouse. But such a glass door will cost much more.

Optimal sizes of doors in a bathhouse

Doors and windows are the main sources of heat loss in a bathhouse. Therefore, they are traditionally made small in order to retain heat for as long as possible. The optimal door sizes depend on the purpose of the room.

The door to the steam room from the dressing room is usually the smallest:

• it should not exceed 190 cm in height;
• width - no more than 70 cm;
• thickness - 7–10 cm, if we are not talking about glass;
• The minimum thickness of a tempered glass door leaf is 6 mm.

The smaller the size of the door leaf, the less precious steam and heat will leave the steam room when it is opened. Previously, in a traditional Russian bathhouse there was a high threshold, which prevented the formation of unpleasant drafts creeping along the floor. In modern baths and saunas with efficient continuous heating stoves, on the contrary, a hole under the door of several centimeters is often desirable. There should be about 70 cm left from the upper border of the door leaf to the ceiling of the steam room - this allows you to create a pocket in the room in which a “steam cake”, characteristic of a Russian bath, will be formed.

The dimensions of the door between the steam room and the washing room are the same. With the exception of one subtlety: there must be 5 mm larger gaps between the door leaf and the frame, otherwise the door may swell and even jam under the influence of moisture.

The entrance door to the bathhouse should also be small, but for it the dimensions are not so critical. Usually it is made 10 cm higher than the height of the tallest member of the family, and the width is kept to the standard 60–80 cm. A small threshold is desirable - this way less dirt from the street will get into the dressing room. Unlike internal ones, the entrance door can be double.

Sizes of doors to the steam room

For the sauna to operate as efficiently as possible, it is important to ensure that hot air is retained in it, and in a Russian bath - a hot mixture of steam and air. As a rule, the hottest layers of air mass are located under the ceiling of the room.

The smaller the glass door to the bathhouse, the more efficiently it works. The optimal dimensions of the door structure are 1700x700. Smaller doors are made in traditional village baths. And in city steam rooms, structures measuring 1800-1850 are installed, since in them the main volume of hot air is supplied directly to the upper zone of the room.

But the parameters of the door installed in the Turkish bath do not matter. In this case, the main thing is to provide a ventilation gap between the canvas and the floor base. A small flow of cold air is necessary to dilute the hot and humid air mass in the steam room.

How to choose

On the modern market there are a huge variety of types and design options for glass doors.
As mentioned earlier, glass doors for baths and saunas are made of tempered glass, but you are free to choose the appearance yourself. Tempered glass for doors can be transparent, frosted, with various colors and patterns.

By the way, at the moment, drawings on the glass doors of a steam room are very popular, because, in addition to the external beauty and aesthetics of such doors, the drawings help to avoid a collision with a glass door, which is simply not noticed, which often happens.

In terms of appearance and design, you can only be stopped by the limits of your imagination, because even if you don’t find exactly the model you imagine, it’s very easy to make it to order.

Also, combined doors, namely those made of glass and wood, would be an excellent alternative. Quite an unusual and aesthetically pleasing option.

The dimensions for the glass door to the steam room are determined by the ratio of the size of the door to the building itself. Obviously, a small glass door to the steam room will look quite stupid and ridiculous against the backdrop of a large bathhouse complex, and also vice versa - massive doors will not fit a mini-sauna.

According to standards, the size of glass doors in a steam room does not exceed 180 cm, the ideal option is 165 - 170 cm. The same applies to the width of the doors. It is known that in ordinary interior doors the opening width is 800-900 cm, and the size of a glass door in a sauna should not exceed 700 cm.

These standards go back to the times of ancient Russian baths, when the doorway was no more than one and a half meters high, which is why you had to bend down significantly when entering and exiting.

These inconveniences can be explained quite simply: when opening small doors, heat escapes much more slowly.

Also, a threshold 15-20 cm high will be an assistant in maintaining heat in a sauna or bathhouse.

This is especially true for winter baths. The glass chosen is tempered and its thickness is not less than 7-8 mm.

This allows glass doors to be quite resistant to changes in high temperatures and humidity.

Among other things, this thickness of glass helps to avoid emergency situations in the form of broken glass.

Attention! Don't forget about choosing a door frame. It is preferable that it be made of wood, even better if it is made of hardwood

You should not choose a door frame made of pine, because when heated, such material releases resin.

When choosing a glass door, you should give preference to those with three or more awnings.

The thickness of the glass required to erect a door to the sauna must be at least 8 mm, but not less, otherwise the door will have high thermal conductivity, and there will also be a risk of breaking such a door.

Since this thickness of the glass used implies a rather heavy weight of the door in general, it is worth considering that two hinges for glass doors to the sauna will not be enough and they will not be able to withstand this weight and provide extra hinges. Even if there are two fasteners, it is worth considering the possibility of replacement in case of breakdown. The material for the hinges must be stainless and non-corrosive.

Next, you need to take a responsible approach to choosing latches for such doors. Ball ones are usually used. Not a very good option, since they often jam and can cause quite significant inconvenience. For such purposes, magnetic latches are best suited; they are more convenient and always work.

In addition to all other door fittings, handles for glass sauna doors are quite an important accessory. Wooden handles are an excellent choice, as they have low thermal conductivity and look quite aesthetically pleasing. Metal handles are definitely not suitable for such purposes, since no one wants to get burned after spending time in a hot room.

For convenience, a lining is placed between the handle and the glass sheet.

Features of the design of the door to the steam room

Regardless of what style of steaming you prefer, the door to the steam room must meet six requirements:

• Opening - outwards. This is not only safe, but also practical: this way you won’t take up space in an already small steam room.
• No locks, deadbolts or hard latches - the door should open easily without the need to turn the handle. Conventional roller latches or magnetic latches are suitable for this.
• The canvas material is wood or glass, the box is only made of wood. If the bathhouse is at home, it is better to choose a transparent door.
• The door leaf should be light so that even a child can open the door without any problems.
• The door should not forcefully fit into the frame - yes, a tightly fitted door will reduce the loss of heat and steam, but this is fraught if someone becomes ill in the steam room. To ensure that the door fits tightly, it is better to use rubber or silicone seals along the contour (not on the sides!) of the leaf.
• The handle is made of wood, otherwise you risk burning your hands. Modern stylish handles made of tempered glass are also suitable, but metal is unacceptable.

In addition, during installation, provide a small gap between the door and the threshold. Through it, fresh air will flow into the steam room.

Main characteristics

A glass door to a bathhouse or sauna is often a solid swinging panel made of heat-resistant glass, which is used to create doors for fireplaces and stoves. This is tempered glass with heat-resistant insulation attached to the edges.

The material of the box depends on the type of sauna. In a steam room or Finnish sauna, with high temperature (+70-110°C) and low humidity, a wooden box (pine, alder, linden, aspen, etc.) is installed. Even the handles are wooden!

In the Russian steam room and Turkish hammam, the temperature is much lower (+35-60°C), but the humidity is high. Under such conditions, wood quickly gets wet, so in this case it is safer to use glass doors with an aluminum profile.

Steam room door dimensions:

These parameters are standard, but if you need a completely different size of door to a sauna with a frame, then it’s not a problem, because today many companies manufacture doors to individual orders. The average price for glass structures ranges from 7,000 to 15,000 rubles.

Construction of doors, frames, openings

It was already mentioned above that three types of dimensions are taken into account - canvas, box and opening. The latter is finishing and wall, the first is the amount of free space between the jambs, and the second is the space between bare walls without a frame.

The door leaf is attached to the frame using hinges; the frame is secured in the opening in various ways (see our article about the simple and straightforward installation of doors in a bathhouse). The gaps between the canvas and the box do not exceed 2-3 mm, and between the box and the opening the gap unfilled with foam can be several centimeters (but no more than the width of the platband that covers it).

Reference. An important aspect is the insulation of doors to the bathhouse.

When laying an opening in the wall, you can be guided by either standard or non-standard dimensions of future doors. Usually it is 10 centimeters larger than the size of a bath door with a frame, which gives 5 cm on the sides and 10 on top (if without a threshold).

In the photo: uncut and not covered with casing foam holding the door

IMPORTANT! The gap between the box and the wall may be smaller, but it is required, and the minimum may be one centimeter.

Dimensions with box

Very often, the main dimension that is taken into account when choosing a door is the external size of its frame. Below we provide a table showing new options for the interdependence of the dimensions of the module, box and opening:

Table 4. Door to the bathhouse: dimensions with frame

Advantages and disadvantages

A glass door, unlike its wooden relative, has a lot of advantages that require detailed consideration:

• Resistance to rotting and corrosion, which is important when installing doors in bathhouses with high humidity.
• Guaranteed geometric shapes regardless of temperature changes and the influence of other negative factors. The glass structure does not swell or shrink.
• Hygiene. Compliance with all sanitary safety standards. Since a sauna is a health resort, the main condition is to minimize possible areas of fungi and mold growth.
• Fire resistance. Compliance with all fire safety standards is a big plus in view of the nearby working furnace.
• Long service life. Due to the absence of the influence of adverse environmental factors, glass structures have been serving their owners for several decades.
• Aesthetics. Sauna glass can have a wood pattern, a sandblasted pattern, or be transparent.
• Easy to care for. You can return the door structure to its former appearance quickly and manually using a damp cloth and household chemicals.
• Light transmission capacity. Allows you to save on light in the steam room, where the presence of a large number of wiring is dangerous.

You should also be aware of three main disadvantages:

• High price tag.
• Heavy weight. Installation of the glass structure is possible with the participation of two people.
• Fragility. This problem is solved thanks to tempering: the treated glass is more reliable and even if it breaks, it will break up into multiple fragments with rounded edges. In order to increase strength, manufacturers of sauna door structures use glass whose thickness is at least 8 mm.

Useful tips

Opinions about the advisability of using glass doors in such specific buildings are very contradictory. They are definitely suitable for a sauna, so they can be installed without restrictions. The bathhouse is a little more complicated. In its classic version, when everything is done using traditional technology (read about how to make a door for a bath here), the steam room should be closed “tightly”. That is, a gap between the threshold and the canvas is not allowed to prevent the circulation of air flows. In a sauna this is quite possible. What should I do?

Experts recommend that when installing a glass door in a bathhouse, fasten it so that it swings outward. Additionally, a higher than usual threshold (at least 100 mm) is mounted on the inside. This solution will not allow air to enter the steam room from the outside under the door leaf.

Glass, by definition, is fragile and breaks easily. Therefore, for the manufacture of bath doors, a special, hardened version is used. And, nevertheless, despite all the features of the product, it is not recommended to install sheets up to 8 mm thick in a sauna or bathhouse. Thick glass is very expensive, but reliability, safety and durability will be ensured.

You need to understand that thick canvas is quite massive. Therefore, it is better not to rely on products that are attached at two points. At least - under 3 canopies.

The elements of fixing the canvas require special attention. Taking into account the specifics of using glass doors, you should choose locks with magnetic parts rather than ball ones. These latches will never let you down. But the ball modification is less reliable and often jams.

Sources

• https://banyaspec.com/dveri-i-okna/kak-vybrat-steklyannye-dveri-dlya-sauny-i-bani-sovety-po-vyboru-i-ustanovke.html
• https://ProRemontVideo.ru/steklyannye-dveri-dlya-sauny-i-bani-osnovnye-razmery-vidy-i-sovety-po-vyboru.html
• https://dekoriko.ru/banya/steklyannye-dveri/
• https://AtelieSaun.ru/dveri-v-bane-kakie-dolzhnyi-byit-razmeryi-i-konstrukcziya.html
• https://o-dveryah.ru/dver-v-banju/steklyannye-dlya-sauny-i/
• https://MisterDver.ru/types-of-doors/razmery-i-sekrety-montazha-steklyannoj-dveri-v-saune/

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