How to choose glass doors for a bath?

For a long time, at the entrance to the steam room of the Russian bathhouse, we were accustomed to meet a deaf, squat wooden door - a reliable guardian of useful hot steam and the heat of the stove, thanks to which the healing effect of bath procedures is fully manifested. With the appearance on the market of modern solutions for the arrangement of steam baths and shower enclosures - glass doors, the consumer was faced with the problem of choice.

Is it worth abandoning the old traditions of organizing the bath space and is it true that the installation of glass structures in the steam room guarantees a transition to a new level of comfort - questions that interest those who are puzzled by the choice of a door for a bath. In this article, you will learn how to choose glass doors for a bath, what are the benefits of such an acquisition and what to look for when buying in order to avoid disappointment.

Glass doors are classified according to several main criteria. The designs differ in the opening mechanism and are:

• Swinging - standard models with side hinges and a door opening to / from oneself.
• Recoil - models with special guides that are mounted on a wall or ceiling, providing the ability to move the canvas to the side.
• Pendulum - are attached to special hinges at two points: to the upper and lower parts of the opening. They work similarly to a pendulum, opening according to the principle "back and forth" in an arbitrary direction.
• Sliding - are found in the interior of large recreational bath complexes. It is not advisable to install such structures in the steam rooms themselves.
• Radial - if we talk about the bath, then such products can most often be seen in compact home saunas. Radial zoning is performed in the interior with their help.

There are models with and without a box. The box can be metal or wooden. Glass sauna doors with a wooden frame can be installed both before finishing work and at the end, which is very convenient. If the box is metal, then installation is done before finishing.

By the way of execution, products are distinguished:

• with all-glass cloth;
• combined with glass windows.

The doors are made with 8mm tempered glass by default. It is united with ordinary glass by its external resemblance and a similar manufacturing technology, with the exception of additional processing under the influence of high temperature conditions. The hardening procedure is reduced to heating the glass to 500-600 ° C and a sharp decrease in temperature, when the creation of compressive stresses inside the particles increases its strength.

What does heat treatment give:

• Increased resistance to mechanical stress.
• High resistance to temperature fluctuations in the range -70 ° C-250 ° C.
• Health safety. If the integrity of the canvas is violated, the risk of injury is minimal, since it is quite difficult to cut yourself against large-sized fragments with no sharp edges.

The service life of the doors largely depends on the quality of the supporting structure, which, in turn, is influenced by the material of manufacture.

Boxes are made from different types of wood:

• Linden splicedwith low density, high strength, lightness and external softness. It smells very nice, does not contain resin, has a beautiful light color.
• Aspen - this is the best solution for operation in conditions of intense steam generation and high temperatures.It has a high density, low content of resinous substances, provides a disinfecting effect and does not lose its beneficial properties over the years. The strength characteristics of aspen are almost the same as those of oak.
• Pines - pine boxes are found in the products of Scandinavian manufacturers. It has a high resin content, which explains its immunity to wood diseases, heat-resistant, strong and durable.

In most cases, the size of glass doors is selected individually, however, there are standard sizes that serve as a guide when choosing. The optimal dimensions can be found in the table below.

In the production of doors for a bath, the use of glasses of different types is practiced, but the differences between them relate only to the appearance, and not to the performance characteristics.

All-glass canvas is:

• Transparent;
• Matte;
• With drawing;
• Painted.

Glasses are decorated using various methods and technologies, namely:

• Silk-screen printing, when images are applied using a special stencil grid.
• Sandblasting to create all kinds of engravings.
• Matt acid pickling.
• Bending to give curved glass shapes.
• Bevelling to create beveled edges at the edges.
• Fusing. To achieve a decorative effect, multi-colored glass fragments are joined at a high temperature and the resulting composition is kept in an oven at certain thermal parameters.
• Photo printing.

Steam room glass doors are a product that has been created using the experience of generations of sauna masters in combination with the latest developments in the field of sauna technology.

Arguments for buying them:

• Excellent strength characteristics are a guarantee of long-term operation in conditions of increased loads.
• They perfectly retain steam and heat generated by the bath equipment, as they are completely sealed. The perimeter of the box is equipped with a high-temperature silicone seal without memory effect: its shape remains unchanged.
• The low coefficient of linear thermal expansion eliminates the need for a large ventilation gap, which means that heat loss will be less than when installing a door from an array.
• They increase the volume of natural light from the outside, which contributes to the illusory expansion of the internal space.

• Immunity to moisture, constant intense vaporization and biological damage.
• The ability to control the state of the users of the steam room through a transparent canvas.
• Psychological comfort. It is much more pleasant for many to be in the soft twilight created by a door with glass than in a brightly lit steam room with a blank door.
• Easy to maintain as they are 90% glass construction. From the point of view of sanitary safety, doors with an absolutely smooth surface are more advantageous than wooden ones.
• No complications during installation. The presence of minimal construction skills is already a supply for self-installation.
• Aesthetics and interesting design. Doors with original processed glass make it possible to realize the most unusual interior solutions of the bath. You can simultaneously pay homage to old traditions and show that you follow fashion.

The disadvantages of glass models include:

• Higher thermal conductivity compared to wood products, which increases heat loss.
• The accumulation of condensation on the surface of the glass, provided that an insufficiently powerful oven is used or when a traditional bath with a high humidity level is equipped with such a door. One of the solutions to the problem is to buy expensive doors with a heating function, which not everyone can afford.
• Strong heating of the web.For a Russian bath, this is not critical, since it is heated to an average of 70-80 ° C, ardent fans - to a maximum of 100 ° C. The Finnish sauna is characterized by a temperature of 130-150 ° C, in such conditions, touching the glass, you can get severely burned.
• It weighs a lot, therefore, when installing it yourself, you cannot do without an assistant and special potholders in the form of suction cups for working with glass.

Interested in purchasing glass doors for the steam room, be ready to part with a round sum. The high price cannot be attributed to the disadvantages, since it is fully justified by the advantages of such structures.

When buying glass doors, in addition to the material from which the box is made, you need to consider the quality:

• Profile - in a good box, the thickness of the rectangular profile is 4-4.2 cm, and the depth is at least 7-7.2 cm. Narrow boxes and those with a figured profile are less resistant to deformation during temperature fluctuations and high humidity conditions.
• Fittings (hinges). Despite the assurances of door manufacturers about the use of hinges produced by well-known European brands, including fittings with the Fiskars or Abloy mark, their homeland is China. But this does not mean a lack of quality. You just need to understand that the quality of the loops can be very different for different Chinese manufacturers. The most reliable hinges FL-75 and their modifications: FL-75 Abloy / FL-75 Akma, which provide 180 ° door opening. FL-710 is an outdated version of the hinge from China, which is in stable demand due to its chrome body. FL-715 is the cheapest hinge often used in budget doors.
• Door handles. The material of manufacture, the design of the handle and whether there are protruding parts on it that can injure are important here. The best options are products made of beech, ash, oak, aspen and linden are acceptable, birch, which are threatened with a quick loss of appearance, are highly undesirable. Compared to popular knob magnet pens, traditional models are safer as they do not have parts that protrude from the blade.

Keep in mind that models with a pattern or frosted glass are not only beautiful, but also make the sauna safer. There are many known cases when lovers of bathing, "ignoring" the transparent canvas at the entrance, tried to enter.

The secret to the success of glass doors is the combination of beauty and reliability. A variety of processing methods for thermally reinforced glass allows you to become the owner of both an exclusive piece and an equally stylish ready-made solution with unusual glazing. We offer examples to make sure of the excellent decorative qualities of glass doors.

• Doors with tinted bronze-effect glazing. The glass in a warm, eye-pleasing shade creates a comfortable diffused light inside the steam room. This kind of lighting is soothing and harmonizes emotions.
• The stylish frosted glazing of the silhouette doors proves once again that simplicity is the essence of elegance. The interior of the bath space only benefits from this.
• Pay attention to the perfect color duo of glass sheet and mosaic wall decoration. A wide range of tempered glass colors allows you to easily implement this idea without the help of a professional designer.

• Bath evolution. An ultra-modern steam room with a glass partition and, of course, a tempered glass door with a stylish themed pattern.
• The photo printing possibilities are endless. This method allows you to apply any image to glass. The preference is still given to landscapes, animals, and floristic compositions.
• The fusing technique, which changes the structure of the glass in a certain area (sometimes over the entire surface), expands the possibilities of door design. Colored typesetting elements or a transparent non-pigmented base can be used. Such models are included in the art series.
• The artistic design of the canvases using sandblasting allows you to create drawings of any complexity. Such a door will decorate the entrance to the steam room and will give a sea of ​​aesthetic pleasure.

How not to miscalculate with the choice of a glass door - there is no definite answer to this question, but there are universal recommendations. Study the reviews - once, do not forget about your consumer rights and ask sellers for quality certificates - two, try to deal with companies that have proven themselves in the market - three.

TOP 5 glass door manufacturers:

1. Harvia. (Finland). Finnish doors will delight you with stylish design, reliability and functionality. The boxes are made of alder and pine, the colors of the glasses are bronze and satin.
2. Aldo (Russia). Valuable wood species are used for the manufacture of boxes. A wide assortment line, a large selection of colors and textures of the canvas. The products are distinguished by high quality combined with an affordable price.
3. Andres (Estonia). Baltic glass doors combine impeccable workmanship and safety. In addition to steam room products, there are many interesting models of interior glass doors.
4. Tylo (Sweden). Aesthetic, reliable ready-made solutions for baths and saunas made of heat-resistant glass and magnetic locks. The materials of the box are multilayer aspen and pine wood, the design of the canvas is satin / bronze glazing.
5. Akma Is one of the largest Russian glass processing companies. Here you can choose a standard door with tinted / frosted glass or an original model from the art series with engraving, fusing, monochrome / full-color design.

As the advantages, the owners of glass doors note:

• Smooth door opening, no effort needed.
• The structures can withstand the conditions of active use without any problems.
• The quality of the reinforced fasteners and the ergonomic handles of Tylo products.
• Universal opening mechanisms to the right / left, which is implemented in the models of many brands.
• Glasses are easy to care for and keep clean.
• Stylish design that does not bother and pleases guests.

As for the high cost, those who have purchased premium doors from well-known brands believe that a high-quality item and exclusive performance are worth the money spent. Buyers of less expensive products, mainly from Russian manufacturers, note that their quality is no worse, so there is no point in overpaying for a “name”.

A video review of glass doors for a bath will help you make the right choice.