Ease of maintenance, absence of deformation under the influence of dampness and temperature changes, resistance to the development of bacteria, the possibility of visually increasing the volume of the room - this is only an incomplete list of all the advantages of these canvases. Those who are not embarrassed by the high price of products should carefully understand the types of glass doors supplied to the market and their sizes before purchasing. The reason is that it is difficult to adjust glass doors for a sauna or bathhouse to the size at the installation site, taking into account their manufacturing technology, and doing it yourself is quite problematic.
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.
Door block installation
Self-installation of doors in a home steam room will significantly save your own money. But you must have certain construction skills and follow the recommendations of specialists.
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.
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.
Insulated doors for baths
If you plan to install a glass door at the entrance to the building, then you should give preference to combined options, when the door leaf is made of wood and complemented with transparent “windows”. In this case, you can make the structure insulated.
The main differences between a bath door and a regular interior door:
- Frame material. In the bath you need to use only natural wood, no MDF or veneer, they will not withstand high humidity or constant heating. You need to choose hard wood species: oak, larch, aspen.
- Insulating material. For an ordinary room, you can choose any one; for a bathhouse, resistance to fire and non-toxicity when heated are of great importance. Therefore, there is only one option for insulation - basal wool.
- Frame covering. Wood is also used for this. In addition to linden, coniferous species are useful, which, when heated, will release a pleasant aroma and beneficial compounds. That is why fir and larch are often used in baths. Over time, when the casing wears out, it is easy to replace. It's much cheaper than buying a new door.
- Vapor insulation. Mineral wool is good for everyone as insulation, but it is afraid of moisture. Therefore, a vapor barrier layer must be installed under the casing - a polymer film is laid.
As for glass inserts, there are no differences: they can be of any size, texture and color, degree of transparency, with or without a pattern.
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.
Selection of materials for bath doors
Modern bath door designs are made from practical and durable materials: wood, metal, glass, plastic, combined materials (MDF, chipboard and plywood). Each of them has exceptional performance characteristics.
Made from wood
A classic version of door designs for a private bath. Wood has a number of significant advantages: safety, environmental friendliness, high thermal insulation, ease of processing and maintenance, and attractive appearance.
Since wood is prone to moisture absorption and is partially susceptible to temperature changes, certain tree species are used to make the structure:
- Oak. Durable and practical, but prone to cracking when overheated.
- Larch. It has antiseptic properties, is resistant to rotting and insect damage.
- Linden. It has a mild tonic effect, has a pleasant odor, but is prone to darkening and rotting when exposed to moisture for a long time.
- Pine. Strong and durable, with a light pine aroma, resistant to temperature changes and overheating.
- Aspen. Cheap and easy to process. Resistant to cracking and deformation when dry.
- Spruce. Capable of quickly absorbing excess moisture, so it needs frequent drying.
Increased demands are placed on a wooden structure: it must withstand temperature changes and high humidity, but at the same time retain heat indoors. All this can lead to condensation accumulation and rotting of the wooden surface.
The best solution to the problem is to treat the wood with moisture-proofing compounds or install a frame structure with internal thermal insulation.
From glass
Glass doors are often installed in hammams and saunas. They are distinguished by aesthetics, convenience, resistance to high temperatures, humidity, rotting, and ease of use.
The steam room and washing room can be equipped with glass doors.
Among the design disadvantages are the following: the high cost of raw materials and components, the difficulty of manufacturing the product on our own. In addition, the glass sheet requires a technical gap of 3 cm from the floor level, which can lead to constant drafts.
Made of metal
Entrance doors are often made of metal due to its high strength, wear resistance and durability.
In addition, the metal structure is easy to use, resistant to deformation, mechanical damage, rotting, changes in temperature conditions, and high-quality thermal protection reduces the likelihood of corrosion and heat loss.
Insufficient insulation can lead to the formation of condensation, so for a private bath it is better to use a door made of a metal frame with a heat-insulating layer. It is a metal base, the interior of which is filled with insulation, and the outer surface is sheathed with plywood, board or chipboard.
Thermoplastic
The thermoplastic product is highly resistant to temperature changes, high humidity, hot steam, practicality and durability. The door leaf can have a classic design or be an imitation of wood, glass and metal surfaces.
Plastic doors can be installed for any room - washing area, steam room, relaxation room and dressing room.
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.
Manufacturer
There are Finnish doors - Harvia and Sawo. Swedish - Tylo. Russian – Aldo
Harvia doors have a gap of 10-15 mm from the bottom edge of the glass to the bottom edge of the door frame. Door frames can be made of pine, alder or aluminum.
Sawo doors have special supports at the bottom, creating a gap of 50 mm from the glass to the floor. Door frames of rectangular section. Material: aspen, Canadian cedar and aluminum.
Tylo Swedish doors – the highest quality in detail. Hinges with brushed stainless steel plates, solid door frame. On some models, the magnetic seal is located around the perimeter of the glass. There is a 30mm gap from the bottom edge of the glass to the bottom edge of the door frame.
Russian Aldo doors – reasonable price, large number of door frame and door handle models. The door frame profile can be rectangular or rounded. Door frame materials: beech, heat-treated beech, aluminum.
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.
Which is better: wood or glass?
In addition to glass panels, you can install a wooden door in the steam room. Canvases of this type have been used to decorate baths and saunas since the time such buildings appeared
Many people who decide to build a bathhouse are faced with the question: which door to install? Should you choose the classic solid version or purchase a model made of tempered glass?
Experts from the field of design and decor have developed a list of principles with which you can choose the ideal fabric for a steam room:
Regardless of the material, the door must have increased resistance to moisture and high temperature
Products made from special glass or certain types of wood can have all of the above parameters. The price of the product and its appearance depend on the raw materials.
Use of glass
As soon as glass door panels appeared on the domestic market, they immediately gained immense popularity. It was said above in the article that a special material is used to make doors. Now let's talk about it in more detail.
There are certain requirements for raw materials. It must be hardened, shock-resistant and heat-resistant. These characteristics are unchanged, regardless of the price and appearance of the product. The thickness of the material should be 8 millimeters. In specialized stores you can find the following models: mirror, transparent and translucent, matte, colored, patterned.
Despite the heavy weight of the product, due to its texture and thickness, the glass looks light and weightless. It creates an atmosphere of freshness and space in the room. This material is actively used to add a touch of sophistication to the overall decor. Glass doors harmoniously combine with various modern elements installed in baths or saunas.
Characteristics of wood
Long before glass appeared as a raw material, wood was used to make steam room doors. Despite the development of technology and the creation of artificial substitutes, the array does not lose its relevance. Today it is an expensive and high-status raw material.
Linden is actively used in production. This tree grows in Russia and neighboring countries. Therefore, the price for such products is affordable. Some manufacturers use Canadian cedar, abash.
Sometimes you can find products made from ash. Each of the above varieties has high performance properties. It is worth noting that products made from abasha almost do not heat up, do not deform and do not rot. The only negative is the high price, which is not affordable for everyone. As a more profitable alternative, you can choose products made from linden wood.
In large stores you can find doors made of solid oak. This type of wood is famous for its strength, reliability and wear resistance. He looks stylish and masculine. Despite their strength, oak doors are massive and bulky products. This option puts off some buyers.
Combined options
In addition to products made from a specific material, combined models are available for sale. The tandem of “warm” wood and shiny glass creates a unique and expressive duet
Advantages of choosing tempered glass over wood:
- Easy care.
- Resistant to rot, moisture, dampness and temperature.
- Safe to use.
- Easy opening.
- Huge selection of products (different texture, color, shape).
- Any image at the customer’s request can be applied to the glass using diamond engraving or sandblasting.
- Preservation of heat due to reliable docking. The door comes with a special silicone seal.
- Simple installation process compared to solid models.
- Better price.
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.
Optimal entrance sizes, what they depend on and which ones to choose
The main purpose of the entrance door to the bathhouse is not only heat preservation, but also reliability. It can be performed in the following options:
The choice of the size of the entrance door to the bathhouse is purely individual, but if you stick to the classic version, the following dimensions of the doors for the bathhouse are considered the most optimal - 1.80 x 0.65 cm, it should only open outward. It is imperative to install a threshold with a height of at least 15 cm. If possible, from the inside it should coincide with the upper edge of the floor, only in this case a gap will be formed that will work as a hood.
There are no strict requirements for the material, so you can use classic 5-centimeter tongue-and-groove boards or use ready-made samples. For better heat retention, you can additionally cover the door with insulation or make a box at least 10 cm wide.
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.
To a Russian and a Finnish bathhouse - is there a difference?
There is a difference, but whether to take it into account or not depends on whether the person is a strict adherent of traditions or not.
It is easy to guess that only one room is of key importance. Therefore, the whole difference comes down to the size of the door to the steam room in the bathhouse. Apart from her, everyone else will be subject to interior or entrance standards.
Not every steam room is designed to conserve heat. But first things first. Let's consider the size of the door to the steam room.
This is where it is important that during the soaring period there are no drafts at all. We can say that this is the most important condition - a small door with a high threshold, which does not allow air to move across the floor, and a low lintel, which does not allow steam to escape
The modest dimensions of the door itself retain more heat, and most importantly, steam inside the room.
Ceiling and threshold in a Russian steam room
The minimum size of such a door will be 160 cm in height and 60 in width, and the height of the threshold is 15-20 cm. Based on these figures, lovers of Russian baths can choose more acceptable dimensions for themselves.
There are three options for purchasing a non-standard door for a Russian steam room: buy a ready-made one (they are available specifically for baths), order it, or make it yourself. See the article about choosing or making.
The sauna is different in that in this type of bath the most important condition is vigorous air exchange. This means that it is necessary to ensure a sufficient flow of air, whose temperature will quickly rise to the standard temperature due to high convection coming from the stove. For this purpose, a gap must be made at the bottom, the width of which is about five centimeters. In this case, there is no threshold. If desired, the gap can be equipped with blinds.
Door in the sauna - no threshold
For other premises
Plastic and double-glazed windows in this bathhouse perfectly separate the wash room from the rest room
The remaining rooms in the bathhouse are a washing room, a rest room (there is rarely a separate door leading into it), and a bathroom. There are nuances in what material and what design the doors leading to these rooms should be made of, but this does not affect their dimensions in any way.
In other words, you are free to install any door you like that will withstand the high humidity that is generally characteristic of bath rooms.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the front door, because its dimensions differ from the interior ones. It should be thicker and more thorough. Must patiently endure temperature changes and, if unlucky, survive a break-in attempt.
It is customary to distinguish between single and double floors, as well as options with a transom - this is a window located directly above the opening.
We believe that the majority will choose a single-door entrance door to the bathhouse, the dimensions of which vary within the following limits:
- the height of its opening can vary between 2070 and 2370 mm;
- width - between 910 and 1010 mm.
The thickness is regulated solely by the material used. As the latter, they most often choose either wood, metal, or plastic.
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:
| Dimensions with box | Glass sizes |
| 59*189 | 52*184 |
| 69*189 | 62*182,4 |
| 69*199 | 62*192,4 |
| 69*209 | 62*202,4 |
| 79*189 | 72*182,4 |
| 79*199 | 72*192,4 |
| 79*209 | 72*202,4 |
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.
Selection of accessories
A competent choice of fittings for a glass door is important. The minimum thickness of the glass sheet for a steam room door is 8 mm, the weight of a square meter of a monolith of this thickness is about 25 kg, so powerful and reliable hinges of a special design and the required size are needed. It is recommended to use 3 loops. It must be remembered that metal parts are susceptible to corrosion , especially in hot air saturated with water vapor. Coatings for ferrous metal, even the most modern ones, are not enough; the solution is high-quality stainless steel.
It is better to abandon the ball latch and use a properly adjusted magnetic one. Such fittings will avoid unexpected problems when jamming.
The tradition of large and comfortable wooden handles remains from the classic wooden doors for the steam room. When installed on glass, they are usually supplemented with a silicone gasket - this way they are mounted more tightly and reliably.
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.
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).
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
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
| Modular size (decimeters) | Outer box size(mm) | Doorway size (mm) |
| 10 x 20 | 990 x 1990 | 1000 x 1990 |
| 9 x 20 | 890 x 1990 | 900 x 1990 |
| 9 x 19 | 890 x 1890 | 800 x 1980 |
| 8 x 20 | 790 x 1990 | 800 x 1990 |
| 8 x 19 | 790 x 1890 | 800 x 1890 |
| 7 x 19 | 690 x 1890 | 700 x 1890 |
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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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.
