Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark S
Ok, I'll bite. What was learned about bathroom doors that open out?
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My Schooling... in the 70's, 80's in graduate civil engineering and architecture was all about design and function... Our professors were adamant that if we submitted a plan with a bathroom door opening other than "into" or a pocket door - we would fail to graduate. I still take it to heart today.
The logic was: Privacy in a bathroom, accomplished by having control of what access is given by an outside person. A door opening inward can be blocked simply by an obstruction to the pathway of the door (foot, towel, any object) in contrast to the door opening outward where the person is limited to holding the door hardware in brute force opposition. also, bathroom doors are usually designed and positioned to obstruct the view into the water-closet for the occupant upon accidental entry - something outward doors cannot.
We were taught, and I fully agree with the logic... Bathroom doors should open inwards so that the door obstructs a persons privacy to those outside. In the design where an inwards opening door is not feasable - a pocket door should be used before any outward opening door is considered in the design.
In the past years / models... the FK has adhered to the inward opening door... and in other models there are pocket doors.. and others again have outward opening doors that are awkward in that the door opens backwards to travel, but is required because of the slide conflicts that would be destructive.
... after all this... how many have a house with a bathroom door that opens out? (unless it has a crescent moon in the door and is outdoors) and the same logic goes on today... Does your home bathroom door open outwards?