How to determine the opening direction of doors

How to determine the opening direction of doors

Determining the opening direction of doors in a building is an important factor in ensuring safe use of the space for all categories of people, including children, seniors, and individuals with reduced mobility. At the same time, the opening direction of doors plays a crucial role in the efficient use of a home, in selecting and highlighting decorative elements and furniture, and in managing narrow spaces.

1. Types of doors
2. Opening directions
3. Building categories and regulations on opening directions
4. Rules for choosing door opening direction
5. Aspects that depend on the door opening direction

1. Types of doors

Before determining the opening direction, let's see what types of doors we can choose when designing a quality space. Based on their positioning within a home, we distinguish two categories: exterior doors, which are the entrance to the building, and interior doors.

According to the opening mechanism, we can encounter the following variations:

• swing doors, the traditional ones with hinges that we are already very familiar with;
• sliding doors, which glide along a wall;
• folding doors or even rotating doors;
• flush doors, with a system that ensures they are flush with the wall surface.

2. Opening directions

To properly determine the opening direction, we position ourselves facing the door from the room in which it will open. The opening direction of a swing door, or traditional door, is determined from inside the room, based on the position of the hinges. At the European level, this classification criterion is regulated by the standard SR EN 12 519:2019.

Thus, we will have "right-hand doors" and "left-hand doors".

• Hinges mounted on the left side of the door, viewed from the interior, indicate a "left-hand" opening direction.
• Hinges mounted on the right side of the door, viewed from the interior, indicate a "right-hand" opening direction.

For the other categories of doors, installation is also determined from inside the room. When determining the opening direction, narrow spaces in the direction of opening are avoided, ensuring a wide opening, preventing the door from hitting the wall, and avoiding overlap with other doors, whether open or closed.

3. Building categories and regulations on opening directions

From the outset, we must keep in mind that the intended use of a building imposes restrictions regarding the opening direction of doors, especially exterior doors. Depending on the types of activities carried out, these can be buildings with public use – such as office buildings – or private use – residential complexes, individual houses. Of course, there are also buildings with dual-use purposes, and in such cases, the most restrictive rules apply.

Thus, in the case of public buildings, doors at the entrance to the premises always open outward, towards the exterior, to ensure rapid and safe evacuation of persons in case of emergency situations. All interior doors within the premises must ensure efficient flow of people.

In the case of private residential complexes, the builder's regulations or internal rules regarding the opening direction of doors must be respected. For example, in a building with individual units that share the same hallway, exterior doors of these units open toward the interior of the dwellings, to avoid blocking a space shared by multiple people, but also to ensure high security against break-ins. The same opening direction can be applied to private individual house doors, but special situations may also exist.

4. Rules for choosing door opening direction

Apart from the safety regulations outlined above, we are guided by available space and personal preferences.

• The design and purpose of rooms should indicate the opening direction. Doors should open to the right or left according to the passage direction.
• The door should not cover the light switch.
• Interior doors connected to a passage area or common hallway open toward the interior of the rooms, so they do not create blockages, narrow zones, or inconvenience the occupants. Doors to small spaces are an exception. A combination of swing doors and sliding doors can be used indoors to achieve an airy interior.
• Interior doors must not interfere with each other to avoid creating narrow spaces and blockages. This should be checked especially where there are corners with two doors positioned at a 90-degree angle.
• Bedroom doors are recommended to open inward.
• Doors to smaller spaces open outward for the safety of people and pets that could remain trapped inside. The bathroom door, kitchen door, dressing room door, and other storage space doors should open outward. Sliding doors can also be used for the safety of occupants and to create a pleasant and spacious interior.

5. Aspects that depend on door opening direction

Properly determining the opening direction of a door is very important because, once we have done this, we will choose the door accessories and materials necessary for interior design.

Depending on the opening direction of the door, we will choose:

• Hinges – an installation error will affect the safety and aesthetics of the door and the space. In the case of an exterior door, exposed hinges on the outside can be a security concern for the home.
• Handles – these elements differ depending on the opening direction, incorrect arrangement can create safety and aesthetic problems, especially if you want to use asymmetrical handles or with recessed locking.
• Interior space planning – after establishing the opening direction of the door, decorative elements and furniture pieces in the rooms will be arranged so they do not interfere with door opening. A wrong choice can even lead to damage to furniture pieces.
• Know-how – if you have correctly determined the opening direction of your doors, you will be able to communicate effectively with the consultant at the specialized door shop and will be able to make efficient choices in selecting doors and necessary accessories.