Stumped over what kind of bathroom door to pick? Let’s talk about all the options!
There are a lot of things that you want to consider when purchasing an interior bathroom door, both aesthetically and functionally.
For bathroom doors to function well they need to:
- Provide privacy (from sights & sounds)
- Open and close easily
- Not bang into anything or encumber the space in the bathroom
- Lock
- Be able to withstand humidity and temperature changes (for bathrooms with showers)
For bathroom doors to be beautifully designed they need to:
- Flow with the style of the house and rooms
- Add some sort of interest to the space – color, texture, etc
When selecting a door for your bathroom, the first choice will be the type of door. The main thing to keep in mind here is function – how will the door open? Does it swing or slide? Make sure that you have clearance for it to do so. You don’t want your door banging into anything!
Types of doors for a bathroom:
- Hinged slab door
- This is a traditional swinging door. Often easy to install up replace, just be sure you have room for the door to swing fully.
- Sliding barn door
- A great way to use a beautiful vintage or homemade door
- Slides so works great in smaller spaces with no room to swing
- Need wall space for door to slide into next to doorway
- Some concerns about privacy – read about more barn doors for bathrooms here!
- Very trendy
- Pocket door
- Great for small spaces but can be pricey or large DIY project to install
- Bifold or accordion door
- Ideal when there are space constraints as they fold into them selves
- Often inexpensive
Don’t have the time, money, or confidence to replace your door? That’s OK! You can still mix up the look of your door.
Ways to update a boring, builder grade door:
- Paint the door
- Paint a pattern on the door
- Add molding to the door
- Bifold door makeover
- Make bifold doors look like barn doors
What material should I choose for a bathroom door?
Wood is very popular for interior doors. However, it can swell due to moisture. You might want to consider a metal or fiberglass door if you don’t have good ventilation in your bathroom.
What size door do I need?
The door should be 1/8 inch smaller than the opening both in length and width.
Do I need a pre-hung door?
Pre-hung doors include the door frame. If you are re-using your existing door frame, buy a regular, not pre-hung door.
Can I use a glass door for my bathroom?
You can use a glass door for a bathroom if you frost the glass! You can buy glass doors already frosted or frost them yourselves. We have tried the frosted glass spray paint but prefer the results with frosting peel and stick contact paper. See how to frost a door’s glass here!
Should my bathroom door swing in or out?
It is traditional for doors to swing IN to bathrooms. If that means that the door will bang into your vanity or toilet, you might want to consider a sliding door instead.
How to choose a bathroom door
Replacing your bathroom doors? Here is how to choose what kind of door to replace it with!
Materials
- 1 door
Tools
- just your brain to decide!
Instructions
- Determine the clearance that you have for swinging for the door. Can you fit a hinged door without hitting anything?
- If you want a hinged door, do you want it to swing left or right?
- If you don't have room for a swing, do you have at least a door's width of space next to your doorway? This is needed for a barn door or pocket door.
- If you don't have room for a swinging door or sliding door, you will need bifold doors.
- Determine a door material. Pick a material that matches your style but can also withstand moisture.
- Measure your doorway. Your door should be 1/8" smaller in each direction than the doorway.
- Don't forget hardware! Pick something that coordinates with your home and room's style.
Here are some fabulous bathroom door ideas from some of my favorite bloggers:
Bathroom Door Ideas
There are so many options for bathroom doors. Here are just a few DIY bathroom doors shared by awesome bloggers!
We wrote a whole blog post answering every question you might have about using a barn door for a bathroom. Wondering about sound or light or privacy? We address it!
This DIY geometric barn door makes a major statement!
Would you believe that this door was found in a trash pile and then turned into a gorgeous bathroom door?
I LOVE the use of pocket doors in this small bathroom. They really help make a small space more functional.
I love that this barn door is double sided so it looks beautiful from inside and outside the bathroom.
OK so this is really our pantry. And I bet you think - glass on a bathroom door? Are you crazy? But this frosted glass DIY is GOOD and I would definitely use this on a bathroom door! You have to check it out!
A bold paint color made this basic door anything but basic for this colorful budget friendly bathroom makeover.
Hanging double barn doors automatically gives a bathroom a grand look!
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Hey there, I’m Sean, the woodworking enthusiast and builder behind CharlestonCrafted.com! Since 2012, I’ve been sharing the magic of turning raw materials into beautiful creations. I love teaching others the art and satisfaction of woodworking and DIY. I try to inspire fellow crafters to make something extraordinary out of nothing at all.