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Have you ever opened a door and thought about the convenience of the direction the door swings? While it may not be something everyone thinks about as they enter and exit, the direction of the door swing can make a difference.
You can determine whether a door swings in or out and left or right by looking at the hinges instead of the handle.
According to the National Fire Protection Agency, doors should open with the flow of traffic to allow for easy operation and to keep halls from becoming too packed to open in case of a fire. This specification makes sense, as people in a state of panic are less likely to be keeping an eye out for the hinges on the sides of any doors they encounter.
For a typical exterior door such as the front door to a home, having a door that swings inwards is easier for firefighters to knock the door in to enter in case of a fire emergency. The same is true for business doors.
Consider easy access for first responders and family exit during emergencies when installing the door.
For a building that holds more than 50 people, OSHA regulations require an exit door to swing outward towards the exit of a building. If there are push bars on the emergency door, it must be unlocked and free of any blocks.
A common practice for interior doors is to swing into the room, but have you ever wondered why that is? There are many reasons for door operations going in or out, such as the safety precautions as well as the size of a room.
A door swinging into a hallway from the end doesn't make sense space-wise or for emergency exits.
For small spaces such as closets, having them open outwards allows for more space inside the closet without having a door in the way of seeing what’s inside. Most interior doors are simple wooden doors and can be made with fire resistance for increased safety.
Another common reason for having closet doors open outwards is in case someone were to go into the closet and get stuck. This design will allow anyone inside the closet to push the closet door outwards to escape if necessary. A janitor’s closet or small storage closet are good examples of this philosophy.
A door in a small room like a bathroom or office can impact how spacious the room feels. In a small bathroom, a door that swings inward can make the space feel even tighter.
A walk-in closet is another small room that can benefit from a door swinging in the right direction. Whether it’s inside the bathroom or bedroom, an outward swinging door can make a walk-in closet feel more spacious.
Space gets limited by clothes, shoes, and storage needs inside a closet. If a door swings into the closet, it can obstruct the full use of the space. If the door swings inward, you would have to close the door to see everything inside. In this case, it doesn’t make sense for the door to swing inward.
In a typical building, there are at least two doors to come in and out. Depending on the maximum capacity allowed and fire regulations, there may be more. These exterior doors often open according to these regulations.
For a home, one reason for having the front door open into the building is for a more inviting and welcoming experience for visitors. When a door swings into the home, it gives guests the feeling that they are being invited in.
In windy areas prone to hurricanes and tornadoes, outward-opening exterior doors can be more secure against heavy winds.
Be welcomed into every room with a custom door to meet your style. Call CFD Distributors today to inquire about our frames, custom doors, and hardware.
November 15, 2021
Wayne Foreman
