In adjacent or separate bathrooms of most standard apartments, there are no window structures, since these spaces are illuminated using electricity, and an exhaust exhaust duct is installed in the wall.
However, in old-style apartment buildings and modern buildings, as well as in private residential buildings of certain categories, there is glazing in bathrooms, the dimensions of which are determined by the architectural design.
The relevance of installing a window in the bathroom
Modern real estate has significantly changed and improved. Therefore, the question of why a window in the bathroom necessarily worries the target audience.
The reasons are as follows:
- Influx of daylight;
- Increased air exchange;
- Completing the interior.
On the other hand, dilapidated housing is still in price. Sometimes it is easier to buy a ready-made house than to design an opening and glazing inside a bathroom in a Khrushchev or Stalin building. Therefore, the presence of glazing next to the bathhouse can be considered lucky. And let no one be scared by curious onlookers:
- Firstly, glazing is traditionally complemented by curtains in the form of drapes or curtains;
- Secondly, instead of curtains, you can use a coating with a reflective effect.
Reflective film is glued to a sheet of glass or double-glazed window built into the sash. You can also order windows with finished coating in advance. If the glazing “shows off” to the kitchen, then the need to supplement the above elements is doubly doubled.
How to best ventilate windows
To ensure optimal ventilation of bathroom windows, it is necessary to equip these structures with fittings with multi-stage and micro-slot ventilation functions. Due to the peculiarities of operation, it is recommended to use window automation with the option of remote opening of the sashes. You can connect such a system to an air humidity sensor, which will issue a command for ventilation. It also makes sense to integrate a ventilation valve into the window frame, which is responsible for natural air exchange between the street and the bathroom.
Window dimensions
The choice of window size for a bathroom depends on the area of the room itself, or more precisely its flooring. The latter should be 6-8 times larger than the glazing.
Therefore, large bathtubs with a window often have several sashes. It happens that there are several windows themselves, and they extend from the flooring to the ceiling. This idea does not deprive privacy and security, because... The private house itself has a high fence.
Another thing is a glazed bathroom in a dilapidated house:
- Firstly, the area of the finished window is usually 0.3-0.6 m (it all depends on the exit - to the street or the kitchen);
- Secondly, for safety reasons, the glazing is located at a height of more than 1.5 m;
- Thirdly, the thematic design has one blind or working leaf.
For a bathroom inside a dilapidated home, it is recommended to choose models with a narrow profile. After all, the latter reduces the area of the glass itself, which reduces the passage of light and air exchange.
Curtains or blinds
When choosing curtains, you need to pay attention to the material. Curtains made from natural fabrics are not suitable for the bathroom, because... They absorb and retain moisture well, and after a while fungus will begin to appear on them.
It is best to use special fabrics for rooms with high humidity.
Based on the design of the room, you can choose curtains, shutters or roller shutters. For example, wooden shutters or blinds are suitable for an eco-style bathroom. In this case, the material must be treated with a special compound against wood rot and fungus.
Metal blinds are suitable for all modern styles. Roller blinds can be used in any interior, except classic ones.
Blinds in the bathroom.
Shape, quantity, location
Square and rectangular windows are used inside the bathroom. In rare cases, there are round analogues (not everyone wants to be inside the “bathyscaphe”).
If the combined bathroom with a window is itself rectangular, then it is recommended to organize glazing in one of the following ways:
- In the opening of a narrow wall in a single copy;
- In several openings of a long wall at a height of more than 1.5-1.7 m.
A too narrow bathroom welcomes one horizontal or square window at a height of more than 1.5-1.7 m.
Inside a square bathroom, it is better to install a vertical or horizontal window opening on the side of the shower stall and even above the bathtub. Several windows suit a complex bathroom with five walls or rounded planes.
Profile composition
In pursuit of high-quality lighting, the target audience often forgets about the durability and functionality of the windows themselves. The profile is largely responsible for these qualities, i.e. load-bearing part of the structure.
The profile consists of a box, frames, and subframes. The window profile itself is:
- Wooden;
- Plastic;
- Aluminum;
- Combined.
At first glance, choosing a profile is quite simple. For example, if a bathroom with a window is in a log house, then it is better to complement it with wooden structures. Inside a frame or reinforced concrete structure, it is recommended to fill window openings with plastic or combined models.
The aluminum version, resistant to mechanical loads, quickly freezes and heats up, so it should be used provided that the property is located in the southern region of the country.
At the same time, solid wood windows shrink and wear out from variable humidity and insects. Humidity is very typical for a bathroom, so it is better to order traditional windows with laminated pine timber.
Plastic and composite windows do not rot or fade. By default, they have tilt-and-turn sashes and a multi-chamber profile with double-glazed windows (although the corresponding know-how is increasingly found in wooden structures).
Also, plastic windows are produced white, and therefore welcome white slopes, which facilitates the passage of daylight through the opening. And if the interior of the bathroom is classic, then you can order plastic windows with a laminated wood-look finish.
Optimal ways to open doors
The most popular and practical option for opening window sashes in bathrooms is the tilt-and-turn one. It allows you to effectively ventilate the room without opening the windows wide and is suitable for structures of almost any size. At the same time, there are no special restrictions regarding the choice of method of opening the doors. Only, for example, a sliding system is only suitable for fairly wide openings and during its use some inconveniences may arise when using the mosquito net. As an alternative, it makes sense to consider English slider-type windows. This modification is especially suitable when you plan to use the window sill as a shelf for permanent storage of personal hygiene items.
Glazing according to the interior
If you look at the photo of a bathtub with a window, you will notice that the glazing profile always matches the profile of the interior door. It is not surprising, because in this way harmony and conciseness are created.
It was said earlier that wooden windows or plastic analogues with a special coating are suitable for classic styles.
We can also recommend to the classics:
- Stained glass, if sophistication is more important than lighting;
- Arched shape, if the opening is vertical and rectangular;
- Questions if the glazing area is large.
In the case of apartments, you have to limit yourself to small standard glazing.
But even this bathroom design with a window deserves the following experiments:
- Installing a narrow window sill under a flower pot;
- Installation of a cornice under curtains (it is advisable to use translucent tulle or curtains that are similar to bath curtains);
- Purchase a stepladder if the window is very high (the stepladder will be used for climbing up and storing various accessories).
Whether the doors should be movable or fixed is a personal matter for everyone. The main thing is that the tilt-and-turn mechanism does not interfere with the curtains and promotes air exchange. Windows with fixed casements do not allow air to pass through by default.
Therefore, it is better to purchase them together with supply valves (holes), which are located inside the window profile.
Types of plumbing hatches
There are many reasons for equipping bathrooms with inspection hatches, but there are even more types of these hatches. There are factory-made models, large and solid, made of stainless steel or plastic.
They are contrasted with homemade panels made from improvised building materials and fasteners purchased at the store. When dividing into groups, different sides of the models are used.
Classification #1: by opening method
A plumbing hatch is a door that can swing open, move to the side, recline or slide out in response to pressure.
Hinged doors are a traditional type found on most entrance doors, furniture doors and window frames. They are hinged on one side, easy to open and last a long time thanks to their simple design. To open the hatch, you need to pull the handle, which can be regular or equipped with a latch or lock.
Sliding models resemble ordinary swing models, but have a more complex hinge design. The fastener consists of three links that allow you to move the hatch to the side in two stages: first pull it towards you (1.5-2 cm), and then carefully move it to the side.
Such models became popular when it became necessary to install hatches in hard-to-reach places: behind bathtubs, toilets, bidets or pieces of furniture.
Tilting hatches are designed according to a simple principle: on one side there is a fixing fastener, on the other there is a supporting mechanism. When the latch is opened, the door simply swings forward, moving from a vertical to a horizontal position.
Push models are classified as “invisible”. They are difficult to notice, since the material of the hatch lining often coincides with the general decoration of the walls.
To gain access to the plumbing cabinet, you need to lightly press the panel, after which it will move forward. Then there are various ways of further opening - either swinging open or moving to one side.
Image gallery
Photo from
Swing door for sanitary hatch
Sliding model with side outlet
Hinged inspection hatch
Push-on model with tile finish
When choosing a hatch based on the opening method, it is necessary to analyze the installation location and decide which model is appropriate to install and which one will cause difficulties during the maintenance of devices or components.
The following article will introduce you to the selection and steps of installing an inspection hatch under tiles, which we recommend reading.
Classification #2: by material of manufacture
Factory models can be divided into two large groups. The first includes metal products made of stainless steel and equipped with high-quality fasteners.
They are a durable frame with a door that can be opened in any of the above ways. Most of the proposals are designed to match tiles, but the doors can be decorated with any materials.
The second group includes plastic hatches. They are less reliable, lightweight and easy to install. The cost of plastic products is much lower. If a reliable steel hatch costs 3.5-4.5 thousand rubles, then the plastic equivalent has an average price of 200-350 rubles.
Buying an inexpensive plastic hatch is a solution for home craftsmen who do their own bathroom renovations. It can be secured with self-tapping screws, liquid nails and even sealant
Unlike factory versions, homemade hatches are not made of metal, although a metal profile is often used in the manufacture of the frame. For the hatch panel, choose an inexpensive but durable material: plasterboard, plastic, wood. It is convenient to glue tiles onto plasterboard blanks if the master’s task is to create an “invisible” hatch.
When choosing a particular material, it is necessary to correctly assess its wear resistance and water resistance. If you take ordinary, rather than moisture-resistant, drywall, it will quickly lose its qualities and begin to swell and crumble. A similar process occurs with untreated wood, which becomes deformed over time due to excess moisture and temperature changes.
Classification #3: by degree of camouflage
This option of dividing into groups can be called a conditional classification, since there is no clear distinction between the two categories of hatches: some of them are visible, the second are called “invisible”.
The first group includes structures that stand out against the background of the surrounding cladding. For example, these are white plastic hatches, which are noticeable due to both their color and material. If you place such a hatch behind the toilet, it immediately catches your eye, however, it does not spoil the overall picture at all, since it matches the color of the plumbing fixtures.
“Invisible” are visually hidden structures. Masking occurs due to the use of the same ceramic tiles in the cladding of the walls and the manhole cover.
Thanks to the frame dimensions adjusted to the tile elements and the seams between the tiles, the plane of the hatch merges with the finish of the walls. As a result, it is difficult for an ignorant person to determine where the technical hole is located.
The difficulty of finding the plumbing hatch increases if the door does not have a handle. Such models usually have a push-to-open method or are removed using suction cups
The advantage of “invisible” is that the hatch cover completely merges with the wall, making the wall decoration look solid and untouched.
Classification #4: by installation location
It would seem that all plumbing hatches for a toilet or bathroom are installed in the wall. This is a common location, but ceiling and floor types are also found.
Holes in the ceiling are necessary to service communications that are located above suspended structures. It is more accurate to call such modifications revision rather than plumbing, since they provide access to ventilation lines and electrical wires.
Installation of the ceiling hatch is carried out during the installation of the suspended structure. Its design is no different from its wall-mounted counterparts - the same hinged door, secured with a latch
Holes located in the floor lead to sewer pipes or water supply, which is located below the level of the finishing coating. This arrangement of communications is not typical for standard wiring, but can occur when the floor is raised or thick insulation is created (for example, in private houses or on the first floors of apartment buildings).
Hatches installed in the floor or in floor boxes lead to pipe connections, turns, ladders - that is, to structures that require maintenance and cannot be tightly walled up. There have been cases when, in order to gain access to a pipeline rupture at the junction of individual elements, it was necessary not only to remove the finishing coating, but also to hammer out the screed.
In addition, hatches built into floor protective boxes and a tile screen located under the bathtub can be considered technical.
