Which way should doors open?

[inod]

A really stupid question, but I cannot find anything about this.

I know that in an ideal world, internal doors should open into the room in which you are going, but is there any regulation stating that they MUST open INWARDS for (e.g. bathroom or bedroom)?

 

[^woody^]

If doors HAD to open into or out of a room sliding doors would be unlawful. And if they HAD to open into a room, then what happens when you exit that room by entering the room that you just came from?

Doors may need to open outwards if used by disabled persons - if the room or adaptation comes under Part M of the building regs.

Otherwise it is purely a practicality or privacy issue as to which way the door opens.

One way to solve this conundrum is to have hinges so that the door swings both ways, and if needed cut the door in half to form a 'saloon door' arrangement which will then open from both jambs too. Sorted

 

[Aqua]

Not sure about any "regulations" regarding the opening direction of doors, i changed a door frame round in our house to suit our requirements.

However, a curious thing i heard from one of my joiner friends,

Down stairs doors open into the room to show most of the room straight away.

Upstairs doors open into the room but only show most of the room when fully open.

If you can follow what i am saying, i think the logic is.

Upstairs doors were set that way to save the modesty of someone in the bedroom, when the door was unexpectedly opened.

 

[Richard C]

I get the train of aqua’s post; this explains a lot about the door hanging in my current house, many of which I’m changing! Ideally, doors should open into the room you’re entering from the main thoroughfare & open against an adjacent wall if there is one.

Other than that it’s a question of personal preference & horses for courses; but if a room/space can be accessed from both sides you should avoid the possibility of crashing someone passing along a main thoroughfare, such doors usually have a sight glass.

 

[inod]

Thanks a lot.

 

[big-all]

there is a regulation to do with doors stairs and landings
dont ask me exactly whats involved but one thing you cannot do
if you have a flight of stairs and a doorway without a landing partway up providing it was built like that
you cannot alter the door to open onto the stairs

and other requirements for doors opening onto landing

 

[Nige F]

Aqua is dead right....but I think Barretts changed the rules It`s also pertinent to allow a lounge door to open allowing the least annoying draught through to the fireplace

 

[Richard C]

Aqua is dead right....but I think Barretts changed the rules

Barretts (& several others like them) have changed the rules/standards on many other things as well, mostly to maximise their profit; personally I wouldn't touch anything these guys build!

 

[noseall]

it is my valued and learned opinion that doors should open........



















the opposite way to which they are closed.

 

[markie]

there is a regulation to do with doors stairs and landings
dont ask me exactly whats involved but one thing you cannot do
if you have a flight of stairs and a doorway without a landing partway up providing it was built like that
you cannot alter the door to open onto the stairs

and other requirements for doors opening onto landing

I know when doing loft conversions the landing has got to be no less then with of the stairs which means you can't open outwards.

 

[PhillipC]

Aqua is dead right....but I think Barretts changed the rules

Barretts (& several others like them) have changed the rules/standards on many other things as well, mostly to maximise their profit; personally I wouldn't touch anything these guys build!

Had a Barrett house once. Ex showhome.
They put us into a hotel 5 months after we moved in to allow them to put the correct size joists under the upstairs floors. The house across the road had the cavity in the wall fill with toilet waste because the soil pipe stopped under the floor & didn't connect to the manhole in the garden.
We got them to buy our house back.

 

[Nige F]

**** in the cavity ...........used to be the plasterers ****ing down it , in the old days........and doing other things in cupboards ..........that`s why it was called working on the lump