I am looking at a colleagues plans for renovating his house and suggested that he might consider an outward opening external door. The idea is that it will help with the internal layout.
These things don't seem to be in very common use except on conservatories perhaps. Is there a practical reason for this, or are they more expensive than inward opening ones?
The door will be inside an open porch, so protected to some extent from the elements.
Thanks
Phil
No more expensive, when I replaced my doors with uPVC, I kept the front and back doors as inward opening, but the door into the rear of the garage is outward opening you do end up with hinges on the outside, which for uPVC could mean scrotes can unscrew the door more easily (though I think my hinges need the door to be open to undo the flap that covers the screws)
Outward opening opening doors to houses feel "unusual" though.
Outward opening doors can be harder to kick inwards from outside, and easier to escape through in the event of fire.
Downside is they're easier to block or wedge shut from outside, possibly preventing escape from fire.
They can also catch visitors unaware who ring the bell and then don't step well back!
Hingse security can be dealt with fairly effectively using dog bolts and multipoint locking.
Owain
I imagine outward opening doors are more affected by wind
Several of the flats on our small estate (minimum age 55 yrs) have had to have the doors altered to outward opening as the residents started to need mobility aids and it was discovered there was insufficient space inside the door for wheelchairs, or even zimmer frames.
John
A lot depends on the ground height outside. You can't have an outward opening door at the top of any step or steps.
Tim
In message , Tim+ writes
Because of regulation, or best practice? I only ask because my Mum's last house had a kitchen/back door opening outwards, with a step down to the patio. There was a hook behind the door to hold it open. I don't think it occurred to her or us (her children) that it was unusual. We just accepted it, or didn't really think about it.
Can't be certain but I think it's it the regs now.
Indeed.
Our old house was a 1930's semi, with the classic open porch with a round arch. At soem point someone had put in Al double glazed door and windows into it, which opened outwards (not enough space in the porch area to open in.
More than once it got caught by the wind, once getting pretty much blown off, though I managed to repair it.
There is the issue of it opening into the face of visitors as well..
I am looking at a colleagues plans for renovating his house and suggested that he might consider an outward opening external door. The idea is that it will help with the internal layout.
These things don't seem to be in very common use except on conservatories perhaps. Is there a practical reason for this, or are they more expensive than inward opening ones?
The door will be inside an open porch, so protected to some extent from the elements.
Thanks
Phil
I have noticed that in the various Scandinavian television productions on BBC4 and other channels that it is commonplace there for external doors to open outwards. This is also the case for the external doors of apartments within a building. I have often wondered why this is so. Maybe someone can explain.
Alaric.
The main reason for not doing it is the door gets exposed to weather and the wind can catch it when it's opened.
Also hinges are external and exposed to tampering with, (burglars etc)
Also callers may not be aware they have to step back if someone opens the door from inside. (Dangerous if there are steps nearby.)
That makes sense. I suppose the house I remember was 70s built.
I am looking at a colleagues plans for renovating his house and
Our house was formerly a care home and has three external doors that not only open outwards but are also some what wider than standard. All three are modern UPVC with tamper proof external hinges and knobs on the inside in place of a keyhole.
None are our main point of access so don't cause an issue with visitors. Other than occasional wind issues they are fine and having lived with them for 12 years we think nothing of it.
Mike
Well my porch door and my back door open outwards. Both are pvc, but you are right, older front doors, like the one we have opened inwards. I suspect to stop it taking on water and or being left to swing and bend the hinges etc. Upvc is a lot less likely to suffer these issues, though my porch door dos not quite stop in time to protect the letter box cover which now has a nice dent in it. Note to self, need new letterbox. Brian
Just down to the patio is OK IMO - I've stayed for weeks at a house that has its back door like that and no problems. If there is an actual step up (from the patio/path/drive), a visitor might stand on it to ring/knock - the possibilities are obvious. For the only 'step' to be from 'ground' into the house means that there's plenty of room to move back without falling off a step.
Yes, wooden doors would absorb a lot of water into the end grain if left swinging
Many thanks to all respondents.
Definitely some recurring themes there.
Phil
How quaint. Virus on Usenet? when you cant attach anything to a usenet message, and even embedding HTML is pretty much a nono
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