French Door for Bathroom?

We have a small bathroom and the door hits the toilet about half-way when it swings in. We were thinking of changing the door to swing into the hallway but we don't think it will fit right.

Our thoughts were to switch to a french door with a locking mechanism in the middle that opens to the hallway to make the bathroom space better. A pocket door or sliding door won't fit in right with the shape of the wall.

Has anyone done this before or have any tips? Does it make sense to buy a bi-fold door as the two halves or to buy a regular sized door and have it cut down the middle?

Are there any unforeseen risks with putting a door in like this for a bathroom?

Thank you for any help.

 

What about an accordion door?

 

Look into pivot hinges, they can be placed at a different point along the base/top of the door so that it changes the swing so that it clears the toilet. It will work as I have done this before.

 

Thank you for the feedback.

An accordion door would be another option. Do you find that they are solid enough for a hallway bathroom?

I had never thought of pivot hinges. That seems like a smart fix. Do they work in tight spaces?

 

What about a pocket door?

Nothing should swing out in the hall, somebody will get knocked out!

 

I don't know how solid a bathroom door needs to be. I imagine that there are different grades available.

 

Pocket doors are nice but would involve a lot of work! assuming there is unobstructed wall space that will accommodate it.
How much clearance are you lacking for the door to clear the commode?

 

Maybe a couple pictures?
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

Never heard of anybody ever getting knocked out by a bath door more so than any other door!

This is very common problem. And switching the door for a bathroom to swing out is not an uncommon thing to do. I've done it twice and have a need to do it again. As far as it being in the way, well, that depends on the set up. In my main floor, yes it can interfere with the entrance door, but that's just an inconvenience compared to not being able to turn around in the bathroom because the door is in the way. Once you get use to it, it's no longer a problem. And it makes using the bathroom a pleasure as opposed to a chore.

My upstairs, main bath also was changed to an out swing and it does not interfere with anything. Why it was swinging into the bath is just convention and serves little or no purpose.

I will being doing the same thing to my recently acquired cabin. Again the out swing will in no way be a hazard or a obstacle to people or location.

It's convention only that says a door should swing into a room as you enter. But only convention. No reason why it can't swing out (think of an outhouse), if it won't interfere with other doors, entrances or walk throughs and will provide more room and access to the room it serves.

Quoting from another forum since I can't say it any better..."In residential construction the door normally 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 out-swing doors."

 

Hmm, I have not seen that. At least not in PA or NJ.

 

In retrospect, you are correct. Most public restrooms the doors swing in (much to my consternation). I think maybe a safety reason? Ability to smash it in if authorities need to drag you out of the can!

Things to contemplate.

 

Oh, by the way. To the OP. A french door for a bathroom. NO! I don't think so, unless you plan on serving from there also.

 

Thank you all for your replies. They have given me a lot to think about and I won't start any project before getting a professional opinion.

I will try to put up some pictures after I get home from work if anyone is interested.