How doors should open according to fire safety. In which direction should interior doors open? Correct opening of doors in an apartment

When planning to install doors, you need to know that they differ in the way they open. The selection of fittings, fire safety, and, of course, ease of use will depend on the correct choice of product. The most common types are left-handed and right-handed, which are determined by the side of the door hinges and are determined by opening the doors towards themselves. There are other simple methods for choosing the right product, which will be discussed below.

Methods for determining the door opening side

The rules for opening entrance door blocks are clearly stated in GOST 31173–2003, in fire safety and sanitary standards. But today, many manufacturers of door structures do not comply with the prescribed requirements and their products do not meet established standards. In this regard, when installing products in a particular room, it is important to be able to independently calculate the direction of opening of the panels. By the way, in Russia and Europe there are different approaches to determining left-hand and right-hand doors. What do you need to know about opening interior doors? In this case, there are no strict standards as such. The main criteria are the following:

• enough free space for full opening;
• they should not interfere with other structures;
• be convenient to use.

Doors are most often installed in the bedroom, directed inward, and in the bathroom and toilet - outward. The opening sides primarily depend on three parameters that you should pay attention to:

• where the web is directed when pushing;
• where are the hinges located?
• which hand is more convenient to open the selected door.

Let's take a closer look at each of the options for determining the side.

Determining the right and left doors

In the direction of pushing

If the doors are not sliding, then they either open inward or outward. If you open it with your right hand in the direction away from you, then it is a left-hand door. If you push the blade with your left hand, then this is a right-handed product.

By loop location

You can find out which door to choose in the following way. Stand facing the aisle so that the canvas moves towards you. Look where the hinges are located:

• if they are on the right, the door is right;
• mounting on the left - left.

If, on the contrary, you open the door from yourself, then the rule applies:

• the hinges are on the right, then the door will be on the left;
• The hinges are on the left, which means the door is on the right.

By location of the door handle

Let's consider another proven method of determining the desired side by the door handle. Everything is quite simple here:

• with a left-handed door, the hinges hang on the left and the handle on the right, while you use your left hand;
• when the product opens away from you, the handle will also be located on the right; if you open the door with your left hand, then this is the right door.

European approach

If the question arises of installing doors according to European standards, determining how to open doors is fundamentally different from the Russian approach. In this case, the opening side is recognized by the movement of the door itself. To install the side of the door you need to do the following:

1. Stand next to the doorway so that the wide section of the frame faces you.
2. Push the door away from you.
3. Watch the hand opening the door and the direction in which it is moving.
4. The left one is opened counterclockwise with the left hand, and the right one, on the contrary, is opened clockwise with the right hand.

How to identify a door by the door leaf

So, if there is a door leaf in front of you, how can you tell which door it is? It's simple. It is necessary to follow the recommended algorithm:

1. Approach the door leaf.
2. Face him.
3. If you see the ends of the hinges on the left side, then the door is left, respectively, on the right - the door is right.
4. If the hinges are not visible, then the door opens from itself, the door handle on the right is the right door, on the left is the left door.

It is also necessary to take into account the opening sides if the swing door is decorated with glass or a mirror.

In the first case, manufacturers, as a rule, make double-sided glass: matte on one side and glossy on the other. To understand the type of opening of a glass door, pull the panel towards you, you will see a matte surface. If there is a need to replace the glass so that the glossy side is facing you, then when ordering a right-hand door, take the right frame and the left panel. And vice versa, when ordering a left-hand door, choose the left frame and the right leaf.

In the second case, to identify the side of a mirror door, you can use the same method as for a glass door. Pull the door towards you; the mirror surface will be located on the other side of the door. If you are going to change the panel so that there is a mirror in front of your eyes, then when ordering a right-hand door, purchase a left panel for the right frame. For the left, do the opposite.

When choosing the sides of sliding structures, follow the same recommendations.

At first glance, these rules may seem complicated, but only when you read, when you apply them in life, everything will immediately become extremely clear and understandable.

Video: opening an interior door, how to determine it correctly

How does the opening side affect door fittings?

Before purchasing a door block, you need to decide in which direction the door will swing open in order to select the correct fastening and locking mechanisms.

Installation of hinges and locks is carried out according to the following principle: for the right side of the door - right, and for the left side of the door - left.

There are also universal loops, which will be discussed below. They can be installed on any side of the canvas.

How to choose a door according to security requirements

The front door is a necessary attribute of people's safety. But its design should not only protect against thieves, ill-wishers and banal cold, but also at any moment, enable people to urgently leave the premises. The fire safety regulations provide clarification about the sides of doors:

• A door product that is opened with the right hand is considered right-handed, and a door product that is opened with the left hand is considered left-handed (this condition applies if the door is directed “toward itself”).
• It is necessary that doorways provide unhindered movement of the leaves.
• An open door should not make it difficult to enter adjacent rooms, as well as access to the flight of stairs and the elevator.
• When reconstructing a doorway, a positive decision from the relevant authorities is required.

Important! Entrance doors, in case of evacuation, should not become an obstacle to the emergency exit of people to the street.

According to fire department statistics, most deaths from fire occur due to the inability to get out of the apartment. Failure to follow the installation rules, as well as the wrong choice of sides, can lead to blocking of doors and death. The correct and thoughtful choice of products is, first of all, concern for the safety of loved ones, as well as the residents of the house.

Most countries use universal hinges for door structures, which are very convenient, since door leaves can be swapped if necessary. In Russia, as a rule, left and right are installed.

Left hinges are used to install a left-handed door

What needs to be done to determine the correct loops?

Stand in front of the door. It should swing open towards itself using the right hand. This suggests that you need to purchase right-hand hinges. If you open it with your left hand, then buy mechanisms for the left side.

Right hinges are used to install a right-handed door

Particular attention should be paid to the manufacturer of such accessories. If the product is made in Italy, Spain or Israel, please note that in these countries the opposite rules apply, that is, you open the right door with your left hand and you need to select the appropriate hinges. If you are using the right hand, you will need parts for the left door.

Some people choose universal hinges. In this case, you should know that they are not always convenient. Since such mechanisms complicate the process of removing doors, they try to use them infrequently.

To purchase the correct hinges, seek help from a sales consultant who will help you decide on the choice of left and right products.

Universal hinges fit on any side of the door

A high-quality lock is a guarantee of the security of your home. Today's lock market allows you to choose the ideal option that will not only harmonize with the door, but also meet your requirements and expectations. When choosing a lock for your front door, consider the quality of the mechanism itself. Knowledge about the variety of these products, which differ in the type of mechanism and installation, will help determine the further choice of product.

Locks are classified by type of mechanism and type of installation.

According to the type of mechanism, locks are divided into the following types:

1. Levers have a set of plates (levers) that ensure the secrecy of the lock. For a home, it is preferable to install a lock with 6–8 plates. The disadvantage of such products is their large size, which requires appropriate thickness of the blades, and a rather massive key.
2. Cylinder ones consist of cylinders and spring-loaded pins that work on the principle of aligning small elements of a certain combination that allow the door to be opened. The advantage of this mechanism is the ability to change the cylinder without removing the entire lock. Despite their apparent simplicity, they have high-quality content and are worthy competition for lever products.
3. Disk ones operate using rotating disks. The advantage of such a lock is that it is difficult to open it with master keys. In addition, moisture and dust do not get there.
4. Electronic and combination locks. This option is not often installed in apartments, since opening requires a digital code using an electronic key. Such locks are usually used in enterprises.

Depending on the type of installation, locking mechanisms are:

1. Mortise. They are installed on the entrance doors of apartments, even despite the difficulty of inserting into the door leaf.
2. Invoices. The product is mounted on the surface of the door without damaging it. In this case, the installation procedure is much easier, but the locks protrude and spoil the appearance of the structure (the locks are installed as an addition to the mortise).
3. Mounted. Rarely used for apartments. This mechanism is more used for installation on garages, sheds, cellars, that is, where closing tightness is not a priority.

The installation of some locks has certain features that must be taken into account when choosing (some locks, for example, can be reversed for any type of door, and some are suitable only for a specific direction).

Important! When replacing a door leaf or lock, please note that not every mechanism allows you to change the direction of movement of the latch tongue.

To increase the reliability of door structures, it is advisable to use a combination of different types.

Video: lever locks: structure and principle of operation

To summarize, it can be noted that in addition to existing norms and rules, there are alternative ways to determine the right door. Each consumer decides for himself which option to use. The main thing is that the choice of product does not contradict fire safety rules, since in emergency situations this factor will play an important role. Also, when choosing a door, you need to carefully select fittings (hinges, locks, handles) taking into account the selected side.

When a fire occurs in premises with a large presence of people, the primary task is to remove them from the danger zone. At the same time, everything is complicated by the fact that among those to be evacuated there may be wounded who will not be able to move independently. It is often necessary to remove property and documentation.

To successfully complete this task, it is necessary that buildings and premises inside comply with fire safety standards for escape routes and filling doorways. Fire safety standards regarding evacuation routes are set out in the order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation No. 313 (PPB 01-03) and SNiP 21-01-97. One of the important conditions for quick evacuation is the correct opening of fire doors.

In residential multi-apartment buildings, the main condition is the presence of clear exit routes and the absence of obstacles to neighbors opening their doors.

To meet these two conditions for entrance doors, you need to meet a few simple requirements:

• the entrance door, when open, forms an opening of at least 800 mm and does not block doorways to other rooms of the apartment;
• when opened in any position, the door leaf does not block or interfere with the opening of doors of neighboring apartments;
• when open, the door leaf should not limit escape routes, narrowing them to a width of less than 1 meter.

The ideal option is one in which all the above standards are met and the door opens to the outside of the apartment.

Despite the fact that it is forbidden to independently edit the layout of apartments and replace equipment, when replacing doors, you can change the direction of its opening and use a different material, deviating from the project.

But the condition must be met that opening the doors will not interfere with neighbors. To do this, the requirements listed above must also be met.

Doors from the interior rooms of the apartment can open in any direction, but there are a number of rules that should still be followed:

• from rooms with a small area (bathrooms, storage rooms) they should open to the outside;
• in other rooms they should open towards an adjacent room with a larger area. If the opening is located near the corner of the room, it is advisable, according to fire safety standards, to choose the direction of opening the door to the adjacent wall.

For individual houses, fire regulations regarding compliance with the direction of door opening are not yet in effect. But every developer, for reasons of common sense, must clearly understand where the doors should open to ensure fire safety.

In the event of an unfavorable situation, the lives of people in the house and the safety of property will depend on this.

In boiler rooms

If there is a boiler room in a residential building, fire regulations require that the door facing the street open outward.

This is caused not only by coincidence with the direction of evacuation. The fact is that in the event of a possible fuel explosion, quickly opening or even releasing flaps ensure a drop in excess pressure in the boiler room.

For the same reason, it is recommended to make large window openings. But the openings to adjacent rooms and compartments must be filled with elements that open into the boiler room in order to prevent the fire from spreading to other rooms in the event of an explosion.

In public places

In public buildings, according to fire regulations, entrance doors must always open to the street.

Sliding automatic doors in shops and institutions must be equipped with an unlocking device in case of fire.

Hospital floor plans typically include long corridors with ward and office doors leading into them. When opening towards the corridor, the standards require that the width of the opening between two doors on opposite sides be at least 1 meter.

Requirements for escape routes

Evacuation routes in case of fire are determined during the design of buildings and must be marked with special signs on the diagrams. Emergency exits from premises must be indicated by illuminated signs with the word “Exit”.

All exit routes for people in public buildings must be displayed on floor-by-floor Fire Evacuation Diagrams.

During operation, it is prohibited to block fire passages with furniture, equipment and other objects.

In multi-storey buildings, staircases must be provided, structurally isolated from the rest of the building. Such escape routes are provided from each floor.

In residential buildings, balconies and loggias are used as exit routes from burning apartments. For this reason, fire services have a very negative attitude towards glazing them themselves.

In construction, there are certain standards that dictate how doors in an apartment should open correctly. If you follow them, the interior door should open towards the corridor. Strict implementation of these recommendations applies to public spaces and offices. If this is a private house or cottage, then only the owner has the right to decide how the interior doors in his home should open.

Usually, the decision is made based on the characteristics of the interior design, the location and purpose of the rooms, as well as the financial capabilities of the owner. However, no one will create beauty at the expense of convenience, safety and functionality.

For example, to create a unified style in the interior, you can install doors so that all structures open only into the corridor or exclusively into the rooms. But this is not always convenient and is not always consistent with the size of the room.

Types of doors by opening

Before deciding in which direction the doors dividing the interior space will open, you need to decide what type of products will be installed. There are different types of interior doors for opening:

• swing;
• sliding;
• tilt and turn;
• folding;
• swinging.

In residential premises, sliding, folding and swing doors are most often used. It is the latter type that concerns the issue of proper door opening, since this design is considered optimal for the home space.

The advantage of swing models is that, thanks to their tight fit to the door frame, reliable protection against noise is created, heat loss is minimal, they are easy and simple to operate, and the type of opening can be varied in any direction.

Basic rules for opening interior doors

Existing norms and standards say that it is correct to open doors towards more space. This means that the doors should open into the room. However, if we are talking about rooms such as a kitchen, bathroom, toilet, then since they usually occupy a small area, interior doors should open outward.

The fire safety rules state that one of the basic rules regarding which direction interior doors should open is the possibility of quick and unimpeded evacuation in the event of a fire. This point is extremely important for apartment owners to take into account, since methods of opening interior doors do not require approval from fire authorities, but each owner should be personally interested in the safety of his family members.

How to correctly install doors that perform the function of dividing space so that it is convenient and beautiful - which way to open them, when it is necessary to install a limiter, what systems to use for opening - all this is important.

For a single-leaf structure or a two-leaf door that opens in both directions, you can use compact and elegant modern opening systems, which will be optimal where classical opening methods are not suitable, as they create certain inconveniences.

An important condition is to plan the location of the doors and choose a system for opening them at the very beginning of the repair, so that later you do not have to make changes and violate the integrity of certain structures. To choose the best option for where interior doors should open, you should proceed from the following factors:

• in small apartments, where literally every centimeter is important, the interior door should open outward; you can also use types of doors such as sliding doors, sliding or folding doors;
• when space is limited, one should not forget about such important elements when installing interior doors, such as limiters that protect against accidental damage to the products themselves, glass, walls and other objects located within the opening radius;
• It is not recommended to position interior doors so that they open towards the corridor - this will impede free passage and create a lot of inconvenience if it is necessary to bring in large furniture;
• When installing doors in the living room, you can use designs of two leaves and choose a fastening mechanism that will allow the doors to open in both directions. This design will save some space, since halves of doors take up much less space than a solid leaf; such doors look beautiful in the interior;
• those doors that go out into the corridor (bathroom, toilet, kitchen) should not touch and interfere with each other’s opening. If, nevertheless, the situation develops this way, then it is advisable to replace swing structures with other types in which it will be possible to safely use the doors;
• in which direction it is better to open the doors - to the left or to the right - depends on how convenient it is for the owners, as well as taking into account the location of the switches, so that you do not need to reach behind the door to turn on or off the light.

The location of interior doors in an apartment should be thought out and planned in advance, which will allow all functional features to be taken into account and determine which direction is best to open the doors so that it is beautiful, convenient and safe.

Wherever the structures that divide the space in the apartment open, one should not forget about such an element as the interior door opening limiter.

These small accessories are represented by original and aesthetic products that do not stand out from the general interior style and are reliable protection against damage to doors, glass, walls, furniture, etc. They can insure both one solid leaf and both leaves, if a door model from two halves.

You should carefully choose not only the side of the door opening, but also the system, since the ease, convenience and safety of using the interior door depends on this. Comfortable door handles are also important, especially if there are children and elderly people in the house. Depending on the type of installation (right or left), for most people it is more convenient and more common to open doors with the right hand when entering a room.

It is undesirable for doors to open towards the corridor, but if we are talking about a room such as a pantry or dressing room, then it is better to abandon swinging structures altogether (opening inwards they will take up an already small area, and will create inconvenience in the corridor) - you can install a door -accordion or compartment doors.

If the layout of the apartment is designed in such a way that many doors are concentrated in one place, then it is advisable to replace some of them with beautiful arches. For example, this could be the kitchen, dining room or living room.

Where should the interior door open? No matter how strange this question and the obvious answer may seem to you, there are entire standards according to which interior doors must open in a strictly defined direction.

Schemes for opening interior doors.

Moreover, it can open not only outside and inside the room, but also to the left and right. That is, there are as many as 4 ways to place an interior door.

According to fire safety rules and SNIP, which all construction organizations without exception must comply with, in small rooms (bathtub, toilet, kitchen) doors must open outward. This arrangement is determined by the fact that in case of an emergency it will be easier for a person to leave the room by opening it to the outside. In addition, if a person becomes ill and is unconscious in a small room, he will not be able to block the door that opens outward. This means that precious minutes will be saved, and help will come much faster.

So how should doors open correctly? The basic rule for installing interior doors is: they should open in the direction where there is more space. Most often, with a standard layout, this rule implies that interior doors should open towards the room. But on the staircase the situation is the opposite. That is, it should go out, not in. This requirement is dictated by security considerations. Outsiders will not be able to break into it with simple physical effort, that is, such a door cannot be knocked down. However, if when you open your front door it takes up a significant amount of space in the stairwell and makes it difficult to move through, it may make more sense to have it open in the opposite direction.

SNiP standards

Door installation diagram.

According to the building codes and regulations (SNiP) “Fire safety of buildings and structures” dated January 21, 1997, doors at emergency exits and on evacuation routes must open towards the exit from the building. In all other cases, the direction for opening is not regulated, since there are no standards. Below is a list of them:

• apartment buildings;
• private houses;
• premises in which no more than 15 people can be present at the same time;
• storage rooms with an area of ​​no more than 200 m²;
• bathrooms;
• external walls of buildings located on the northern side of the climate zone.

Fastening the interior door.

Also, the SNiP document dated January 21, 1997 states that at the design stage of a building it is necessary to position the doors in such a way that when they open simultaneously, they should not block each other. That is why there are situations when in the same room the doors, although they open in one direction, but from different hands. Today, there are “right” and “left” doors. In Russia, these standards differ significantly from European canons. For example, in the case of opening a door with the right hand, it is usually considered “right”. And if you need to use your left hand to open it, then such a door is considered “left-handed”. Experts advise to be extremely careful when purchasing them and not to neglect the advice of consultants. If you need a “left-handed” door, be sure to describe it to the seller as one in which the hinges are located on the left side when opening toward you.

Design solutions to save space

Modern housing layouts sometimes present homeowners with a difficult choice: follow fire safety rules and install doors strictly according to the rules, or carry out installation following the intended design, which, although it looks beautiful, does not always have a functional component.

We all know the fact that a full swing door can take up a sufficient amount of space when opening and closing. Therefore, when you install it, try to find a “golden mean” in which the location will not only be beautiful, but also convenient and safe.

If your priority is saving every centimeter in the room, then the front door should open outward.

And if the corridor space is occupied by shelving or a wardrobe, then for greater convenience it will have to be mounted in such a way that it opens into the room.

In some cases, designers recommend sacrificing the front door and designing the opening differently. For example, this is done when connecting the kitchen and living room with a decorative arch. Thanks to this technique, you can not only visually increase the space, but also make it easier to pass between rooms.

When installing an interior or entrance door, remember that for best operation it must not only be installed correctly, but also positioned in such a way that it opens in accordance with fire safety rules and regulations. Otherwise, you risk receiving a court order for forced alteration.

Medical doors must meet the requirements of hygiene, safety, and practicality. Therefore, they are most often made of plastic and metal.

Important parameters

It is no secret that most healthcare facilities, including hospitals - hospitals, emergency departments, first aid stations - were built during the Soviet Union and require renovation. Medical doors are one of the cost items for the refurbishment of premises, for which quite extensive requirements are put forward. They concern not only technical characteristics, but also put forward special strength criteria.
Doors for medical institutions are a concept that is not limited to entrances to wards, operating rooms or office premises. In many cases, steel or wooden structures with special requirements are used. Eg:

In such cases of use, doors for medical institutions must first of all comply with the conditions of use. That is, to provide sufficient strength, the possibility of visual control, as well as a level of protection. Other requirements that these doors must meet fade into the background, but do not disappear.

Specifications

It should be remembered that medical doors are constantly under load. It's hard to imagine a more intensive use mode. Visitors, repeated opening and closing, environmental exposure, mechanical damage - all these are harsh working conditions.
Therefore, for medical purposes, frame structures with linings that are hollow inside are not used. Most often, these are either canvases made from slats, or filled with honeycomb filler.
The key features that these products should have look something like this:

Similar requirements for the level of glass safety are imposed on technical doors equipped with openings for observation. In addition, there is often a requirement to separate safety zones. For example, the use of complex latch-lock mechanics is not encouraged. Separate blocks are installed. This is not necessary, but is advisable because it simplifies actions in the event of a breakdown.

User characteristics

Medical doors must comply with certain institutional rules, as well as sanitary and environmental safety requirements. A short list of sample requirements looks something like this:

Choosing windows for glazing a balcony

Such requirements are due not only to the huge number of hand touches, the presence of various odors, and sometimes potentially dangerous substances. Elements of the interior of medical institutions require mandatory wet cleaning several times a day, which is due to regulatory approved cleaning schedules for operating rooms and wards.

Plastic products

It is difficult to find modern medical doors made from classic materials such as wood. Also, linings made of MDF or other rather fragile materials are almost never used. Today, plastic and metal are widely used. This is very convenient, and also justified in terms of spending money and meeting the necessary requirements.
Plastic doors have become popular due to the following properties:

The coating that is applied to modern medical doors made of PVC profile has antibacterial properties. When using a laminated coating, the films have the same positive characteristics as plastic, and the technology used guarantees perfect application.
Not the least important role is played by the ability to give plastic doors any shape, as well as use overhead decoration elements. Such structures are installed much faster than wooden ones, the setup is more convenient, plus it is possible to adjust almost any parameters of the position of the sash in the frame.

Composite solutions

Although PVC doors are quite convenient and practical, from the point of view of saving resources, you can resort to the use of composite structures. This is a door leaf of a frame structure, on which linings made of plastic sheets are applied. This reduces cost, increases user performance, without complicating installation. Such canvases are more common, and they can also be mounted in existing boxes.
Modern medical designs boast not only excellent properties, but also a pleasant appearance.
Despite the emphasized utilitarianism and emphasis on durability, you can easily find products that are pleasant to look at. Moreover, they will be durable in the same way as simple smooth canvases. Glass inserts made of reinforced or tempered glass, which are safe for people, are also widely used.