Glass or wooden doors for a bath: which are better for a steam room?

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What is important to consider when choosing doors for baths and saunas?

The basis of sound steam in the bath is competent design, reliable thermal insulation, the use of high-quality finishing materials. One of the factors responsible for the preservation of heat and steam in the steam room is competent choice of doors for baths and saunas and high quality gaskets.

The main requirements for door structures when installing a steam room are:

tightness
impact resistance
environmental friendliness
heat and moisture resistance,
tightness
non-susceptibility to deformation due to temperature spikes.

All of the above criteria correspond to both wooden and glass structures. What doors of the two options are better to choose when arranging a bath? When choosing a suitable design, it is important to consider the functions that the door leaf will perform in the bath (heat preservation, creating comfort, protection from prying eyes).

A wooden door is an ageless classic that has been tested for centuries.

Wooden door for the steam room - This is a classic in the arrangement of openings of baths, saunas, used in construction since ancient times, which has proven practicality in operation, excellent consumer properties. Wood is in demand among builders of baths due to the fact that it has an affordable price, high thermal insulation properties, has a pleasant aroma and healing properties. To entrance wooden doors for baths served you as long as possible, it is better to opt for such varieties of wood as Canadian cedar, linden, ash.

The main advantages of a wooden door for a sauna are:

non-susceptibility to deformation under the influence of high temperatures, humidity,
low thermal conductivity
stylish design that harmoniously complements the classic interior,
durability,
impact resistance
affordable price,
reliable steam retention in the steam room,
ensuring optimal ventilation.

The disadvantage of a wooden canvas in comparison with structures made of glass is that over time, the wood tends to dry out, which leads to the need for repairs to fit the product to the required dimensions.

Glass constructions - a stylish, practical alternative to wooden paintings

Modern manufacturers produce various modifications glass doors for baths and saunasthat will make your sauna stylish, unusual, comfortable. Tempered glass structures provide good air exchange, reliably retain heat, are not afraid of shock (to ensure maximum protection, safety, it is recommended to choose structures made of 6-8 mm glass). The use of various glass processing technologies (matting, silk screening, tinting, engraving) allows you to create unusual design solutions, to add a special twist to the interior.

Glass constructions have a number of obvious advantages:

resistance to temperature loads, high humidity,
lack of deformation, shrinkage over time,
protection against microcracks due to a special film,
ease of care
long service life
non-susceptibility to fungi, mold, chemicals,
when heated, do not burn the skin when touched,
make the steam room visually more spacious, lighter.

Compared to wooden structures, glass doors have less heat and sound insulation. To solve this problem, it is recommended to choose models with a wooden box.

Based on the characteristics and advantages considered, it can be concluded that all-glass doors are excellent for a Finnish sauna, and when arranging a Russian bath, it is more reasonable to give preference to woodwork and combined modifications.

Entrance doors to the bathhouse

There are no features. It is required to keep warm and protect against thieves. Because the door to the bathhouse from the street you can put any, even metal. The main thing is good thermal insulation: it is impossible to release heat. But there are problems with the iron door. They do not lead, they do not swell, are reliable and hold heat well (if well insulated). But in winter, having opened and rushed out to cool, you are sure to close it - not to suck out the bathhouse. But back, if you accidentally touch the surface, then freeze instantly. Here is a review of the entrance metal door in the bathhouse:

There is an entrance metal door in my bathhouse. There are no problems opening and closing. But in a good frost I froze to her. I jumped out of the steam room - everything is fine. And when he came in, he touched by chance and that's all, instantly froze. It’s good that the hand, although it was also not up to jokes.

The metal steel door to the bathhouse is reliable and warm, but you can freeze

This problem is also solved: it is sheathed on the outside with a wooden lath or lining, varnished. No problem.

In general, while there is nothing better in thermal insulation than a well-made canvas from an array. A thick board (you can take the floor tongue) perfectly holds heat, and even fits the style of most suburban baths. There are those on sale, but if you do not trust the factory blanks, you can make an external door to the bath yourself. If you need good insulation, you can knock down two shields, between which to fill the bars, fill the gap with insulation. Then connect both shields and arrange the perimeter with a thin bar. It will turn out warmly, economically and reliably.

Entrance door for a bath and a sauna made of wood

But the wooden front door in the bath is not without its drawbacks: it rots and swells. Rotting can be treated with impregnation and antiseptics. There is no way to cope with the swelling. Here is a case in a bathhouse near Arkhangelsk:

We came to a friend to the cottage in the bathhouse to take a steam bath. The door was swollen and did not want to open. With our attempts, we tore off the handle, then we took out the mount from the car, picked it up. We’ve taken a steam bath, leave, but we can’t close it - the castle is inside. There was a sledgehammer and nails. They scored. And then a friend says, and then how to open it? They came up with this: we’ll bring an iron handle, fasten it with healthy screws, tie it to a car and turf. They did so, but the doors had to be changed.

And here is another review of a wooden street door to the bathhouse:

There is a wooden door on my street from the bathhouse. But he did it in his mind: dry wood, which he saturated before and after. But on the door: and a hydrobarrier, and insulation, and foil outside. The skin on both sides is made independent.

The third option - the front door to the bathhouse - is plastic. If there are no safety issues, then this is a good option. And the color can be made to order: just like a tree. The imitation is so good that until you touch it with your hand, you will not understand that it is plastic. Their cost is higher than white for the door by about 2 thousand rubles.

Plastic entrance doors to the bathhouse - another opportunity

There is still an option: a frame door, but a steel frame, also a sheet of metal is welded on the outside. Inside there is good insulation, on both sides - sheathing with a board or block house. A wonderful option for those who like to do everything with their own hands. In principle, it is possible to order production of the whole structure, or just the metal part (and the door frame too).

What door to put in the bathhouse on the street, decide for yourself. There are a sufficient number of options for choosing, and also all (or almost) arguments are given.

In the washing

Doors to the washing room from the restroom or dressing room are made of usual sizes, possibly of smaller width - in order to minimize the humidity that is inevitably increased in such a room. The width of the door to the washing compartment is desirable 600 mm.

There are also requirements for resistance to moisture: you need to consider this factor. If you choose a tree, then leave a larger gap between the door leaf and the door frame. In normal interior doors, it is 2-3 mm, and when installing the door in the washing, it is worth making at least 5 mm. Otherwise, the swollen door simply will not open or close.

Glass doors for baths and saunas may be opaque

In this sense, door leafs made of glass are good: what humidity they absolutely do not care, the dimensions remain unchanged. They do not have to be transparent at all; rather, this is the exception. They are made of special heat-resistant glass, they break quite difficult, they are usually sold complete with hinges, and often with a door frame. So in terms of installation and operation, there should be no problems. People have been using it for years and are happy. Glass doors in the washing - this is an innovation that has taken root well.

Sometimes put in the washing and plastic doors. They are good in this room: they keep heat, they are not afraid of moisture. There is not only white, but also “wood-like” so the interior will not be spoiled. Not everyone just likes the idea of using plastic in the bathhouse in principle, although there is plastic in the Russian steam room and the windows do not melt.

It is better to position the loops outside, i.e. from the sink

Doors to the steam room

This is where the difficulties begin. The conditions that are sometimes created in this room are far from normal: high temperature and humidity. In addition, it is very undesirable to let off steam during the procedures. Based on these requirements, the height of the door is selected. Let's consider in more detail.

Steam in the steam room accumulates under the ceiling. The normal thickness of this layer is 60-80 cm. That is enough for normal soaring, provided it is periodically updated (needs to be updated during the procedure). Here at such a height - 60-80 cm from the level of the finishing ceiling and there should be a lintel (upper edge of the door).

We give an example. With a ceiling height of 230 cm, we get the height of the bath door: 230 cm - 60 cm = 170 cm. But it is better to leave a larger pocket for steam. In general, the normal height of the steam room door is not higher than 160 cm.

To maintain heat in the bath, a threshold is required, and the door should be low

For all that, we still need a high threshold - about 20 cm. It performs more than one task:

Does not let in cold air when going back and forth.
Prevents drafts on the floor.
It serves as insurance against hitting the top of the head with a crown: raising a leg, a person instinctively bends lower. So a high threshold is a remedy for cones.

The height of the door to the steam room was determined, you need to decide with the width. It's all up to you: you can do more than the standard, and much more. It will be more convenient to pass. With a door height of 160 cm, its width can be 130 cm - it’s more convenient to enter. The baths have decided on the dimensions of the doors to the steam room, but when planning, you need to take into account that they should open only from the steam room. This is a safety requirement: if necessary, knocking it out is easier.

With the materials for the door to the steam room there is no disagreement: wood. Maybe the question is by breed. Some do not put conifers, because they have a lot of tar, and hot tar is not a joke. But if it’s a Russian steam room, then there are no temperatures capable of “melting” the resin in it - the maximum to which traditional air is heated is 70-85 ° C. So both pine and spruce are suitable for a Russian bath. For saunas - only hardwood, but about the doors to the sauna - just below.

Here is the review of an experienced bath lover from Chelyabinsk:

Everything in my bath, except for the floor (larch) and the ceiling (aspen) is made of pine. On the walls is a pine grooved board. There are resin only in two places, and then in the corners where its presence does not bother me at all. Doors - from a pine imitation of a bar, a jamb - from a thick board, no drips. The window is pine under varnish, does not flow, the shelves and that of pine are a board of 50 * 150 mm. Sensations are excellent. My guests often visit me: it's cold, they’re running in to warm themselves. Everything is fine.

So you can use a pine in the steam room. No one got burned.

The dimensions of the door to the steam room are determined based on the height of the ceiling and the "working" condition

Another option is glass doors to the steam room. It does not suit everyone, but they look very good. Their main advantage is that you can see the silhouettes of people inside, and if someone becomes ill, come to the rescue in time.

Bathhouse door insulation

It is not necessary to make a sealed room out of the steam room. Fresh air should flow a little. If the bath door is made of a thick board, there is no need to lay it. Neither on the canvas nor on the perimeter. A good wooden door made of solid wood (grooved boards, imitation beams, etc.) in the steam room will keep steam without any problems.

Warming is necessary only in one case: if they are made of thin boards. Then you can beat them with felt, which sometimes they do. But dry the felt.

Wooden panel doors for a bath

If the steam in the steam room does not hold, then the door is most likely to blame. There may be many reasons for this:

Incorrectly made pipe passage through the ceiling.
Errors in vapor barrier of walls and ceiling.
Cracks in the walls.
The dimensions of the door are incorrectly selected or the windows are located at the wrong level - steam leaves the doors and windows.
Not enough oven power.

If you solve all these problems, then everything will be fine with the steam. And the gaps between the jamb and the canvas are not at all a hindrance in the steam room.

Doors in the sauna

Since the humidity in the dry-air steam room is small, there are no problems with the swelling of wood. There are definitely only two options: wood or glass with wooden handles. Plastic in the sauna is definitely contraindicated. In any case, it is not worth putting the doors to the steam room out of it. In the washing room - you can, in the steam room - no.

Doors in the sauna are installed so that there is a gap of at least 2 cm below

With the dimensions of the door here is easier than in a Russian steam room. Here the situation is different with a threshold: it either should not be, or it should be low. And in any case, there should be a gap of about 2 cm between the threshold and the door leaf. Only with such an installation will there be normal air movement in the steam room of the sauna, and there it will be possible to breathe even at temperatures above 100 ° C.

Installation of the door in the bath

Difficulties can arise when installing doors in a log house - from a log or timber. Here the technology is different.

First of all, doors and windows are not set in a fresh log cabin. He must stand, shrink for at least a year. At this time, the caulking of the crowns is periodically carried out, which constantly lowers or raises logs, changing the geometry of the walls. How to put doors / windows here? They will not withstand such loads. You need to wait until the main shrinkage passes.

So that when shrinking, the door frame does not jam and crush, make a casing

In an established log house, holes are made for windows and doors.Most often - they cut it out with a chainsaw. Marking is done only with a laser level or plumb. The accuracy of the construction level is not enough.

In the resulting hole, logs can walk freely, which is unacceptable. In addition, a wooden house and after many years can rise slightly - with caulking, and settle - after. All the same, you periodically have to plug the resulting gaps.

In such conditions, even the thickest door frame is unlikely to withstand the load. That's why they came up with a window or casing in windows / doors. This is a doorway frame made of thick board that compensates for changes in height and keeps the loose ends of the logs. Make them in several ways.

Method one

Such an installation is possible only on an established log house. The procedure is as follows:

The logs are tucked, aligning the surface around the perimeter so that platbands can subsequently be installed.
Nail two side posts, securing them to each crown with several long and thick nails. The length of the nail is not less than three times the thickness of the board.
A horizontal rack is nailed 6-8 centimeters below the height of the opening. This clearance will serve to compensate for the shrinkage of the building. Later, this hole is laid with insulation.
The door frame is nailed to the finished pigtail, then the door leaf is hung.
The last stage is the installation of platbands. First, they beat on one side, the cracks are foamed with mounting foam or laid with linen tow. At the top of the gap fill a tightly folded in several layers of insulation. Then everything is closed with platbands on the other hand.

When cutting an opening in a bathhouse from a log, at the top and bottom there should be a whole half of the log - so there is less chance that the door will jam.

Second way

This option to install the door to the log house is more time-consuming, but also more reliable. It also involves installation in an incompletely established log house.

Casing box for door with groove and block

At the end of the opening, a groove is selected in the logs. Its width is 50 mm, the depth is 48-50 mm. This can be done with a chain or circular saw, but best with a milling cutter. Everything is finished and leveled with a chisel and chisels (especially in the corners).
A block of 50 * 50 mm is hammered into the groove made. Its length with a settled log house is 2 cm less than the height of the opening, on a fresh one - by 5 cm.
The upper bar is still fixed lower than the height of the doorway and also by 5 cm.
The door frame is nailed to a bar.

With this method of mounting the door in a wooden bath, it turns out that the entire load during shrinkage falls on the beam, and the door frame remains intact.

Method three: casing from timber

This type of installation can also be used on an unfinished log house. There is more work to be done: both the spike and the groove will need to be molded. It is more convenient to make the spike with a circular saw and a bit with a chisel and chisels. The groove is like someone, but the most convenient device for this is the milling cutter.

A spike of 50 mm thickness and a depth of slightly less than 40 mm is cut out on the vertical parts of the opening.
In bars with dimensions of 100 * 100 mm or 100 * 200 mm and a length slightly less than the height of the doorway (2 cm shorter for an established log house and 5 cm for fresh), a groove of 40 * 40 mm is cut in the middle of the width.
At the bottom of the doorway we work out the threshold for the width of the casing beam - for its reliable fixation. It should be slightly recessed, about 5 mm.
After installing the sidewalls, a transverse board is attached on top. It is obtained below the doorway by 5.5 cm (or 2.5 cm).
With this method, you can not put the box on the bath door, but hang the door. directly to the casing. When choosing this installation method, you need to cut out samples under the hinges in the sidewall, and then hang the door leaf.

Approximate dimensions and arrangement of casing with spike

In this video, a recess for installing racks is selected.

Choose any installation door in the bath. All of them have been tested, but the best, according to experts, is the second. He, with not the largest amount of work, gives guarantees that he will not flatten the box and will not jam the doors.

What door to put

It will be about the steam room and about what type of door leaf should be. Many put the deaf, motivating this with thermal conductivity. But from the point of view of security, it is advisable to see at least the silhouette of a person in a steam room. If someone becomes ill, there will be an opportunity to react and come to the rescue. With a blank door to the steam room there is no such possibility.

Glass doors for a bath and a sauna look very stylish

What other options could there be?

Glass doors. They are not necessarily transparent. Matte, tinted, with different patterns or without showed themselves very well. The main thing is to see the silhouette. Nothing more is needed.
Combined. In this case, an insert is made of tempered glass. For those who worry about the temperature or safety of the steam, you can put a double glass (also opaque). In order to see the movement of a sufficiently narrow long strip. Where to place it is a matter of taste.

When choosing a door, do not forget about this aspect. Still, high temperatures, humidity, hot metal objects and more. High risk zone.

Combined doors to the bath or sauna

Material Features

If the planned sauna door is glass, you need to know some features of the choice of such materials. For example, not every glass is suitable for this purpose: it must be tempered, otherwise it will crack under the influence of high temperatures. An important property of tempered glass is its low heat conductivity: this means that the surface will not heat up. It can be touched without fear of burns.

Such material is much stronger than ordinary glass, it differs in thickness, which should be at least 8 mm. The thicker the glass, the better: the door will be stronger, but this indicator can make the structure several times more expensive.

Sliding doors save a lot of space, how they look in the room, read on our website.

Designers Features

An ordinary transparent glass door to the sauna will look boring, and it can also confuse the visitors of the bath with good visibility. You can solve this problem using the picture. The ornament will not only make the door more attractive, but also prevent the steam room from being transparent. Outside, silhouettes will be visible, it will be possible to understand that someone is inside the building, but details will no longer be visible.

With the use of glass, the room will become brighter, you do not need to use artificial light. Natural light will be muted, the ornament scatters the rays well, so the lighting will perfectly suit the situation.

You can choose any shape and color, if necessary, you can use a tint film that can change the color of the glass, make the door mirrored, embody the fantasies of the designer.

Design advantages

In addition to the possibility of a variety of design, glass doors for a sauna have a number of important advantages over analogues from other materials:

The service life of the glass is not limited by anything. It will remain unchanged until someone breaks it.
Tempered glass products have high strength, it is difficult to break them even on purpose.
Washing glass is much easier than wood.
This material is hygienic. Mold, fungi do not appear on it.
Glass does not change its texture under the influence of high temperature, does not absorb moisture, does not rust, does not fade and does not lose its external attractiveness even after several decades.
The glass surface cannot be deformed, no matter in what operating conditions it is used.

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Does glass fit everywhere?

The Russian bath is distinguished by a large amount of steam, which must be kept indoors. For this purpose, a high threshold is made in it, more than 10 cm. The door must necessarily have a box and fit snugly to it, ensuring maximum tightness. Therefore, if the door to the steam room is glass, steam will quickly leave the room, and such a design is not suitable for a Russian bath.

The situation with the sauna is different. The principle of its operation is based on a good influx of fresh air. The glass door in this case will provide the necessary ventilation and make the sauna more comfortable.

Details on the types of glass doors for baths and saunas, their prices, read on our website.

The choice of quality material

Many stores offer a wide selection of doors at various prices. You can find a fairly cheap option or come across an overly expensive one. Immediately it is worth noting that durable glasses are not too cheap and light. It’s better to overpay once than to regularly change broken doors.

High-quality products are produced by the Finnish company Harvia. The doors of this manufacturer are specifically designed for use in the Finnish bathhouse, so they are perfect for such a place. Dimensions of glass doors need to be selected individually. The company produces several standard sizes that fit most rooms. In addition, bath stoves and accessories for it from the same manufacturer are often found on sale.

Harvia Finnish Sauna Doors

The buyer can choose the glass of a suitable color, which will bring original design, allow the door to fit into the interior, emphasizing its style. If you need a glass door to the sauna, the dimensions of which are significantly different from the standard, you can order it from the manufacturer. Many companies provide such a service.

If Finnish doors seem too expensive to you, you can pay attention to the Russian manufacturer, the company ALDO. The company uses high-quality tempered glass, which gives products high strength. The accessories supplied by the factory have long service life and do not need to be replaced with a more expensive one.

ALDO sauna doors

Self-assembly

It is worth remembering the threshold in a Russian bath, choosing a design for it, measurements must be carried out from the threshold to the ceiling. Therefore, the door for the bath is slightly different than the glass door for the sauna, the dimensions of which are considered from the floor.

To make the canvas easy to lift, place it on wooden planks removed from the packaging. If you change the installation location of the jamb, you can change the direction of opening the door. The canvas should be installed strictly vertically, otherwise it will not open normally. The door frame rests on the screws, after its installation, you can fix the canvas. To check whether it is installed correctly or not is simple: you need to look at the gaps - they must be the same.

What is a glass door and how does it stand out

Glass refers to materials that, by their properties, are on par with wood, and sometimes even are able to surpass it. It is important to know that there are practically no drawbacks to similar products installed in a sauna, bathhouse.

There are 3 disadvantages of using such a door:

this material is quite expensive, because it has excellent performance characteristics,
glass has a higher thermal conductivity (normal). As for the material for creating a door to the sauna, tempered glass that has been heat treated is used here. Therefore, do not be afraid that the glass will heat up to a very high temperature. Such material plays the role of a heat insulator and ensures complete safety,
high fragility, but this also applies to ordinary glass. Thanks to hardening, the material from which the door is made becomes more durable, safe (in the case of broken glass there will be no sharp fragments). Also, the strength of the future design will increase due to an increase in the thickness of the material. It is recommended to take products where the thickness will be at least 8 mm.

But the advantages of a bath door made of glass are much greater:

the material is transparent, so if necessary, you can clearly see what is happening inside the steam room. This is for security. If suddenly a person becomes ill, then outside it will be noticeable and the other person will be able to help in time,
the light level inside the steam room becomes much higher. Light rays are distributed evenly here,
the glass door does not have a life limit. At least until it’s broken,
such a product does not require special care, just take a rag and detergent,
mold and fungus do not appear on the glass,
material resistant to humidity and temperature, which is noted in different rooms,
a glass door installed in the sauna will beautifully complement the interior. In addition, it can be combined with other building materials.

Despite the many positive characteristics of the glass door, there are people who do not approve of their installation. They believe that steam will not be held by glass products. To protect the steam room from leakage, a high threshold must be provided. It should be 10 cm, not less. In addition, the door should be installed tightly, so it is best to always contact specialists to avoid bumps and distortions during installation.

This is said about the bath, but in the case of the sauna, everything is not so. In the sauna, it is important to leave a gap so that air constantly enters the room. Therefore, when choosing a material in the sauna, it is recommended to take glass.

The skimmers we mentioned above are recommended to be installed inside the steam room so that the steam is used to the maximum during bathing procedures. When it comes to the junction where the box connects to the canvas, there will be no gap when choosing a good quality product. This will save steam inside the steam room.

Professional bath attendants distinguish certain advantages of using glass doors for a bath or sauna:

glass is a good indicator of humidity,
it can be quickly cleaned of dirt,
he is not afraid of rot and fungus.

Selection of accessories for glass doors

For the decoration of the bath, different elements are used, and the latter can be made of glass.

When choosing a glass door, it is important to consider some criteria:

It is necessary to do from 3 canopies, because the canvas, with a thickness of 8 mm or more, has a large weight. Therefore, the structural elements of the box must be durable,
the loops holding a cloth should be made of stainless steel. Another material that is not afraid of corrosion can also be used,
the lock latch is used ball, but during operation it can sometimes seize. It is recommended to take a magnetic type device, where 3-4 latches will be present,
if a glass door is taken to enter the steam room, it is better to use wooden fittings for it. Handles should be placed at the optimum height.

To make them comfortable, reliable, you can put special silicone gaskets.

Features of installing a glass door

When the installation of the door begins, it is important to choose the right dimensions of the canvas, here some points should be taken into account:

in the case of a sauna, a gap must be created, it must be present between the canvas and the floor. It is through it that air will pass, after which it will go inside the steam room,
if it’s a bath, there’s no gap. Then the steam inside the steam room will remain to the maximum.

After the door is selected, the dimensions are determined, it is important to think about installing the box. When using an element made of wood, installation can only be carried out after the finish has been completed. If the door frame is made of metal, then it must be put in advance when only a draft version of the wall is made. But all these works are best left to professionals. They know the sequence of work, the main nuances and installation features.

As for the installation of doors made of glass in a bath or sauna, there are different options - opening to the right or left. To fix the box, use wedges. But it is important with the help of a building level to constantly check the position of the box (perpendicularity). If the door is correctly installed, it will be easy to open, close and serve for quite some time.

Once the box is exposed, usually put the screws on the hinges and screw them. Fasteners are pressed, but not completely. Later it will be possible to correct the position of the structure if deviations are found. At the end, the screws already tighten tightly.

All these nuances are simple at first glance, but require special tools, knowledge and experience. Ideally, the process of installing a glass door can only be performed by professionals.