Replies

1. 
   calvin | Jun 12, 2009 05:14am | #1

   Here's the thought-so someone doesn't get a surprise bash in the face upon another's exiting that room.

   Think about public areas with quite a bit of traffic-doors often open into the room.  Halls are places of traffic-people on a mission. 

   Same in a large family house or one with visitors.

   A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

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2. 
   WayneL5 | Jun 12, 2009 06:34am | #2

   Calvin's answer is good.

   Have you considered a pocket door for your project?

3. 
   fingersandtoes | Jun 12, 2009 08:15am | #3

   It is a convention for the reason Calvin says, however there is nothing written in stone about it. In fact for commercial buildings doors must open in the direction of exit. I often swing powder and laundry room doors out and of course linen closets all do.

    As important as worrying about the head-bonk effect is where the door will rest when open. Is there room in the hallway for it or conversely will you be in the way when you try and close it in a small room. For some reason I find it easier to work out door swings on plans than on site.

4. 
   acornw | Jun 12, 2009 08:32pm | #4

   In residential, doors swing in for the first reason given. It is less likely to bash someone when going in to a room than someone going down a hall.

   However, in commercial - or public - all doors will swing out to allow panic traffic out of a building in an emergency. Halls are wider, and are often designed with niches for doors to swing out, but not into the main flow of traffic.

   Following the 'flow' of the doors will help lead people out of an unfamiliar building. If you have to open a door by pulling towards you, then you are going 'deeper' into the building.

   A simple detail, often overlooked by builders and occupants, but important.

   Dave S
   http://www.acornwoodworks.com

5. 
   brownbagg | Jun 12, 2009 08:35pm | #5

   because when you walk into a room you have to step backward to open an outward door. Going in on a in door you keep walking. From big area to smaller area door swing into smaller area.
6. 
   doorboy | Jun 12, 2009 10:47pm | #6

   In your bathroom, you COULD open the door out. Why? Because it's at the end of the hall. There is no cross-through traffic to conk on the head.
   Otherwise, the other responders here are right on.The pamphlet NFPA 80 does a good job of 'splainin it.
7. 
   jigs_n_fixtures@icloud.com | Jun 13, 2009 04:47am | #7

   I think there is a code requirement for unobstructed width of a hall. If you swing the door out, it would require widening the hall. Which would in turn narrow the rooms.

   Plus, when the girl friend pursues you down the hall with a frying pan, (threatening to do you grevious bodily harm, just because you made it home when she was fixing breakfast), it's lots easier to block an in swinging door with your boot to keep her at bay until she calms down, than it is to hold onto the door handle for two hours.

1. 
   newbuilder | Jun 13, 2009 09:42am | #8

   Hey everyone .. a lotta GREAT answers!  (LOVE the girlfriend logic!!!)

   Thanks so much! .. I'm going to have to think about this some.  Figure it's true though, that at the very end of the hallway where the door would, in fact. open out and plant its back against the end of the hall, there is much less of a problem with some of the issues raised.  So .. maybe it'll work and this tiny bathroom will benefit from the extra space.

   Thanks again!

   Aaron

   Edited 6/13/2009 2:50 am ET by newbuilder

1. 
   Hudson Valley Carpenter | Jun 13, 2009 12:10pm | #9

   Besides the reasons given, doors swing in because of the protective nature of the door stop and the way that locksets work.  Rather than me explaining it, why not go look at a door, assuming that you're inside at the moment.  ;-)  

2. 
   brownbagg | Jun 13, 2009 09:38pm | #11

   small bathroom, panel door

8. 
   Piffin | Jun 13, 2009 01:09pm | #10

   Normally, most common situations would have the door blocking traffic in a hall, but with it at the end of the hall, there is no reason you couldn't swing out with it.

    

    

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   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
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9. 
   Dogmeat12 | Jun 13, 2009 09:47pm | #12

   If the HO is elderly or infirm, I always make it a point to suggest that the bathroom door swing out. I know of one elderly woman (my Mom) who fell in the bathroom and she was wedged against the in-swing door. Luckily the grounf floor bath had a window and someone was able to get inside to move her away from trhe door so she could be helped. Just something to think about.........

1. 
   newbuilder | Jun 16, 2009 10:55am | #13

   An outward swing it is.

   (that way, whoever is standing at the sink admiring themselves in the mirror while brushing their teeth doesn't have to move out of the way to accomodate the inswinging door to the second incoming brusher.)

   A~

10. 
    cussnu2 | Jun 16, 2009 05:27pm | #14

    In particular in a small bathroom, I prefer the door to swing in...cause when I get the green apple trots I can drop my drawers on the way down the hall....hit the seat and drop the first wave while shutting the door from the throne.

     

    Try that with the door hanging open in the hall.

1. 
   brownbagg | Jun 16, 2009 06:21pm | #15

   i alway thought if you moving,like walking into a room, the door swing in, but if you have to stop like a closet, the door swing out.

1. 
   jimcco | Jun 16, 2009 11:47pm | #16

   Here is a somewhat related issue. Here in Oklahoma they are advertising Tornado shelter structures. All metal strong and well anchored to the floor but the ones shown on TV have out swinging doors. It seems to me that is just asking for someone to get trapped inside by storm debris that has fallen against the door.

1. 
   Piffin | Jun 17, 2009 01:04am | #18

   Yeah, sounds like somebody fell off the turnip truck before designing that one. it's a basic. I have designed a couple shelters and safe rooms, and have spent a few nights in tornado shelters. Never saw or considered on that has an outswing door. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   cussnu2 | Jun 17, 2009 04:47pm | #19

   Besides debris, isn't it just bad design?  A tornado produces a vacuum does it not? With an outswing door the door has no stop to help resist the force.

2. 
   Piffin | Jun 17, 2009 04:57pm | #20

   yep. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

11. 
    kate | Jun 17, 2009 12:44am | #17

    I have a funny old house with very small bathrooms.  The doors open out.  If they opened in, you couldn't get in - the doors would hit the toilets!  There is no room for pocket doors, so out it is.

    The shorter form of this answer is - do what works for you...but it is interesting to hear the reasons for conventions.

    I love BT- learn something new every day!

1. 
   newbuilder | Jun 18, 2009 01:20pm | #21

   right on