# bathroom door swing



## pegasush

I'm rearranging a back to back main and ensuite bath, making the main smaller and the ensuite bigger. Ran into a problem where the door swing contacts the vanity counter.

The homeowner asks "Why not change the door to an outswing?"

I have no idea why not, but I've never seen a bathroom with an outswing door. What's the reason?


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## svronthmve

pegasush said:


> I have no idea why not, but I've never seen a bathroom with an outswing door. What's the reason?


You seriously want an answer for this?


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## mrmike

I've just repleaced 2 doors this week in an older condo & both were out swings. The bathroom was small & the other was a door going downstairs underneath an upstair, so they were an obvious choice..........


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## RS Sam

Doing much the same today.


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## Willie T

Usually the only reason I will do an inswing door on a small bath is if there is a hallway directly in the swing of the door, and people might be hit by the opening door.

I prefer pocket doors on smaller bathrooms, myself.


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## pegasush

No room for pocket door, or to move the door. The wall is just wide enough for the door. Choice is inswing or outswing. Left the choice up to the homeowner, but I wanted to check if there was some other reason not to have an outswing.


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## pegasush

Must be a local preference. The only places I've seen outswing bathroom doors are bars, quik-e-marts, and doors with a crescent moon.


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## jb4211

Why not forget the swing all together, think outside the box and go with a pocket door??

I've installed several and never had an issue.

BTW, I've seen several bathrooms with a door that swings out.


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## javatom

Pocket doors bring their own set of problems. Make sure you can frame the pocket in before you tell the client that it is an option. Check for pipes, ducts & support columns that can not be moved. The door has to go somewhere when it slides open.


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## svronthmve

jb4211 said:


> Why not forget the swing all together, think outside the box and go with a pocket door??
> 
> I've installed several and never had an issue.


See the post 2 posts above yours......

But it was a nice thought anyway!:whistling:


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## katoman

In residential construction the door normaly swings in. This is based on that the person is "entering" the room. There is no hard fast rule on this though. If there is no room to swing the door in, then swing it out.

In commercial work the doors always swing out. This is to meet fire code. If there were a fire, people will be exiting the building. Thus the outswing doors.


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## jb4211

svronthmve said:


> See the post 2 posts above yours......
> 
> But it was a nice thought anyway!:whistling:


Sorry, I screwed-up and didnt read the previous posts. I just wanted to add a quick thought to OP. Lesson learned .


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## griz

Aw hell with the door...just hang some beads...:whistling:laughing::laughing:


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## jb4211

griz said:


> Aw hell with the door...just hang some beads...:whistling:laughing::laughing:


They keep the flies out


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## svronthmve

jb4211 said:


> Sorry, I screwed-up and didnt read the previous posts. I just wanted to add a quick thought to OP. Lesson learned .


Hey, I think most of us have done it at one time or another!


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## Splinter hands

griz said:


> Aw hell with the door...just hang some beads...:whistling:laughing::laughing:



Or an old bed sheet.:thumbup::thumbup::clap: The beads add more class though.:laughing::laughing:


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## pegasush

I've done more than a couple pocket doors in new construction. The only one I liked was one I lined both sides of the pocket with 3/4 ply under the drywall. Not an option here because the door is in a 'clipped' corner of the room, 3'8" of wall.

At least I have some new suggestions for her. Beads!

And outswing won't break some design rule.


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## pegasush

On a different subject .......

My god, don't you guys ever sleep?


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## Stewy

Forget the bed sheet, remember those vinyl accordion doors you used to be able to buy.
That would add a lot of class and you can maybe lock it for privacy. I think I may have one in an inventory pile around here.


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## EmmCeeDee

I have not seen too many outswings, but as far as I know there is nothing in IRC that specifies inswing doors. From a design standpoint you do not want doors to open into circulation (hallways) so bedroom and bath doors are generally inswing. How narrow is your vanity? I have seen some pretty slim sinks for tight bathrooms.


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## Repairman615

Dogtown said:


> One thing to consider- an inswing door can always be kicked in if an emergency arises-like a toddler who has locked themself in a bathroom with a filled tub. Just saying.


Good point.

I generally would consider most contractors able to pop the pins on a out-swing pretty quick. 

I am not sure about anyone else, but I just might have a wonder bar and hammer on my person at any givin time.

Also, an in-swing door has that ability to slip the latch mechanism with just about anything like a card.

Lastly, I thought this was for a 1/2 bath. :blink:


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## jb4211

I honestly dont think it matters what way my bathroom door swings, it will still get caught on some plush, frilly, bathroom rug my wife bought.


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## Dogtown

Maybe slightly sexist, but 100% true!


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## gc9

I have also seen outswing bathroom doors. In commercial construction it depends on requirements and fire/safety regulations but apart from that I don't see a problem with any of the two options. As long as it is legal and the customer is happy it is all fine.


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## WarriorWithWood

pegasush said:


> I'm rearranging a back to back main and ensuite bath, making the main smaller and the ensuite bigger. Ran into a problem where the door swing contacts the vanity counter.
> 
> The homeowner asks "Why not change the door to an outswing?"
> 
> I have no idea why not, but I've never seen a bathroom with an outswing door. What's the reason?



This guy figured it out, why can't you? :laughing:


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## karper12

yes


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## builditguy

I've had more than one instance where I was hired to take out an inswing and install an outswing.

Main one I remember, the guy fell in the bathroom and couldn't get up. His wife couldn't open the door because he was against it. The fire dept. broke the door, to get to him.
Outswing for them, from then on.


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## greg24k

Access to most bathrooms are from the hallways area, therefore doors are always inswing because you don't want to have an outswing door into a pathway area, that is the main theory for any design... 

In basic words, not to get whacked in the head or face with the door while you walking down the hallway and someone exiting the bathroom at the same time...which makes sense, other than that there is no code for it which way the door must swing, except when it falls under code compliance when you have to meet egress requirements.

Certain situation where a door swings out thoughts the wall or so called "dead space" you can have an outswing door, or if a bathroom is small enough and there is no room for inswing door, they use outswing doors, but when you deal with small powder rooms of that size, they usually tucked away from everything, like under the stairs ,etc.

Falling down and not being able to use the door to help that person, is not the right theory for door swing design, you cannot use that as an example, except when dealing with shower or other hazardous location and you have to meet code requirements.

Frankly speaking you can fall down on any side of the door and nobody can't get to you, so what you do, live without doors and have curtains, or use barn style doors...:laughing:


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## builditguy

Well.....I think I can. I'm not saying every door should be outswing. Obviously. In situations where the occupants are older, in poor health, I think it is a very good option.

Saying you could fall down on any side of the door and nobody can't (?) get to you. Not really. At least not in the houses I've been in. If you fall, inside a bathroom, there is no other entrance. If you fall in the hallway, wouldn't someone see you? Or at least be able to step over you?
In a bedroom yes. If you fall in the bedroom, against the door, you would block the door. Of course a bedroom is alot bigger than a bathroom. If you fall in the bathroom, you are going to be close to the door. Due to the size of the room. If you fall in a bedrooom, you may be close to the door or you may be 10' away. Due to the size of the room.

I was just saying an outswing door on a bathroom is not uncommon and can be beneficial in some cases.

As I type this, I realized I have an outswing door on a bathroom in my house. No room in the bathroom for it to swing in.


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## greg24k

builditguy said:


> Well.....I think I can. I'm not saying every door should be outswing. Obviously. In situations where the occupants are older, in poor health, I think it is a very good option.
> 
> Saying you could fall down on any side of the door and nobody can't (?) get to you. Not really. At least not in the houses I've been in. If you fall, inside a bathroom, there is no other entrance. If you fall in the hallway, wouldn't someone see you? Or at least be able to step over you?
> In a bedroom yes. If you fall in the bedroom, against the door, you would block the door. Of course a bedroom is alot bigger than a bathroom. If you fall in the bathroom, you are going to be close to the door. Due to the size of the room. If you fall in a bedrooom, you may be close to the door or you may be 10' away. Due to the size of the room.
> 
> I was just saying an outswing door on a bathroom is not uncommon and can be beneficial in some cases.
> 
> As I type this, I realized I have an outswing door on a bathroom in my house. No room in the bathroom for it to swing in.


If you don't have any room for an inswing door, you have to use outswing regardless.

If you have a regular house with a typical sized bathroom you should have enough space for an inswing door. Even if you have a powder room with toilet on one side and the sink on the other, you need 30" wide room so a 2/4 door will work. If you have everything against the wall, you need min21" clearance in front of the toilet, if you have a cramped up bathroom size of a porta-john, then don't matter what, the door have to be outswing.

With that being said, from a design point of view, when determining swing side of the door, you look at logic, comfort, convenience, surrounding environment, can it effect something or not etc. 

Here is a typical example. One with the door near a dead space, and one in the hallway area.


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## tata201

Personally feel outswing is still better


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