The kitchen is one of the main rooms in any home, and we spend a lot of time in it. To create a cozy and comfortable environment in the kitchen, it is not enough to equip everything with the latest technology, make functional cabinets and fill them with good dishes. You need to add one important detail - install an interior door that will separate the kitchen from the rest of the rooms. After reading the article, you will learn what role a kitchen door plays and how to choose the most suitable one from numerous options.
Why do you need a door to the kitchen?
There are different opinions about whether a kitchen door is needed or not. The kitchen is not isolated in studio apartments, where the division of space is achieved by arranging furniture or using different color transitions. Sometimes the door to the kitchen is removed and an arched passage is made. But the kitchen is an actively used space. Something is constantly being cooked, fried, heated and preserved there, so the door in this room has a number of useful functions:
- Creates a barrier, blocking access to the kitchen for children. The kitchen contains many dangers for young children, including sharp and cutting kitchen tools, high temperatures of cooked foods or ovens, valves that open the flow of gas, etc.
- Prevents the spread of kitchen aromas to other rooms in the house or apartment. This is especially true if there is no hood installed above the stove.
- Provides silence so that the cooking process does not interfere with the rest of the rest of the family.
- Protects against drafts, which allows you to open the window for ventilation and not worry about blowing your back or neck.
- Helps create a cozy atmosphere.
Opening method
The types of interior doors are quite varied, but not all of them are suitable for the kitchen. Let's look at the pros and cons of each of the five main options:
- Swing . This is the simplest, most accessible and economical option. The dimensions of the canvas and the number of doors depend on the dimensions of the kitchen and its design. This type of door structure ensures that all the most important functional requirements are met, including tightness and sound insulation. The only drawback that appears in small rooms is the formation of a non-functional part of the space on the side of the door opening.
- Sliding structures are convenient from the point of view of saving space, because for them it is enough to provide a little free space along the wall. But their tightness is inferior to swing doors.
- Folding (book or accordion) . This type of entrance group solves the problem with space, but loses in other respects, since they cannot properly isolate from noise and odors.
- Rotary designs save space, can open in both directions, close tightly, thereby providing protection from odor and noise, and operate absolutely silently. But due to their high cost, they are in less demand.
- Swing doors are rarely installed in residential premises, but are successfully used in cafes and restaurants. If we consider them in relation to a home kitchen, then they are suitable only for large areas, since, opening in both directions, they require free space on both sides around them. The second disadvantage is that they cannot provide sufficient tightness and only work if there is a good hood.
Khrushchevka
For some reason, during the time of Khrushchev, it was believed that 6 m2 was enough for a kitchen. Now it is almost impossible to fit all modern kitchen appliances into this area, while still leaving room for a dining area.
This problem is often solved by replacing the wall between the kitchen and living room with a partition door. Depending on the selected design, the separation can be very conditional (if a light, all-glass partition is used), or more pronounced (when only part of the wall is removed, blocking the resulting passage with sliding doors).
With this layout, the dining area is moved into the living room, making the kitchen a place for cooking rather than eating.
Material
Since doors to the kitchen are used very actively, all structural elements must be made of high-quality materials. The following qualities are most valued:
- wear resistance;
- ease of care;
- tightness;
- moisture resistance;
- soundproofing.
Each of the materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's analyze each material and try to figure out which one more fully meets the above requirements.
Natural wood
Wooden doors are distinguished by their reliability, durability and aesthetics, which makes this material popular for the manufacture of interior doors. But natural wood has the peculiarity of being subject to deformation due to changes in humidity and temperature differences, and this worsens the external characteristics of the door block and complicates the closing process.
If you are a supporter of wooden doors, opt for oak or alder - they are less susceptible to temperature fluctuations and high humidity than others.
Pay special attention to ensure that high-quality paint and varnish are tightly applied to the door. They form a protective layer that reduces the impact of external factors.
Checking the quality of the door block coating is not difficult at all: try pressing your fingernail onto the door coating. The absence of a trace is an indicator of good quality. The mark left by the fingernail indicates that cheap paints and varnishes were used that are not capable of protecting the wood.
IMPORTANT! Of all the types of wood, pine is the worst option for a kitchen or bathroom. It is more susceptible to the influence of moisture and temperature changes than other types of wood, so the structure of the wood fibers quickly collapses and the door quickly loses its appearance, and then becomes completely unusable.
Such different doors...
Currently, there are a huge number of companies producing interior doors. Therefore, the choice should always be made according to several criteria at once. The very first criterion that comes to mind is the type of door opening.
There are a surprising number of these types, but here are the main ones:
- swing;
- sliding;
- tilt and turn
- folding;
However, it's a difficult choice. In fact, it depends on many factors: the room itself, the location of the door, design, or the banal desire of the owner of the house.
Glass
Glass structures make the space more airy and elegant. Profile doors with glass not only allow light into the interior, but are also easy to maintain. They have a number of advantages:
- durability;
- practicality;
- safety and durability;
- easy to care for. Easily remove stains with a paper towel and glass cleaner.
You can make a glass door more suitable for the needs of the kitchen by equipping it with silicone or brush seals.
Studio apartment
Such a popular apartment layout does not take into account the features of the kitchen. Therefore, there is often a desire to separate the cooking area from the rest of the room.
Since in the studio there is only one window for the entire area of the kitchen-living room, it is impractical to divide the space with a stationary opaque partition.
The best solution for such apartments would be a glass sliding partition. It reliably zones the space, while leaving enough light in both parts of the room.
To prevent large sliding doors from resembling a storefront, it is better not to use ordinary glass for them. Depending on the interior style, glass can be:
- matte;
- embossed;
- stained glass;
- with an image.
Or you can combine several materials in one partition. For example, the lower part, which is easiest to break (by hitting it with your foot, or moving furniture), is filled with MDF, and the upper part is made of glass.
MDF with lamination
Doors made of laminated fibreboards have a number of advantages:
- Lightness of the canvas compared to a product made of natural wood. This quality significantly reduces the likelihood of the door leaf sagging on the hinges.
- The material is environmentally friendly and safe, since small wood chips are glued together with an adhesive mass based on paraffin or lignin - substances contained in natural wood.
- Resistance to moisture and temperature changes.
- They do not require special care products. Only aggressive chemicals, such as acid-based ones, should be avoided.
- Durability and reliability, which are ensured by high quality particle boards.
- Variety of models and colors. Thanks to this, you can always choose the right model that fits into the interior of the kitchen.
- Affordable price that fully compensates for the quality of the product.
IMPORTANT! MDF products cope well with high humidity. They do not lose their quality characteristics at relative humidity up to 80 percent.
Middle category
Any model from this class is the best option in terms of price/quality ratio. The quality of this range is significantly higher than that of the lower price category, and the cost is significantly lower than that of the upper one. Prices range from 9 to 20 thousand.
At the same time, for that kind of money it is not difficult to find doors made of natural solid wood with a wide variety of finishes and interesting designs.
PVC
Plastic and metal-plastic structures are used not only as balcony blocks and windows. They have also found their application for entrance and interior doors. Most often they are installed in office and administrative buildings, banks and shopping centers. However, PVC doors, simple or reinforced with a metal profile, are excellent for installation in an apartment, in particular in the kitchen. Such designs have the following qualities:
- heat and sound insulation;
- tightness;
- wear resistance and durability;
- attractive appearance;
- high degree of moisture resistance;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- resistance to mechanical damage;
- easy care.
Disadvantages include a limited selection of colors. But this is not too critical, given that variety is achieved not only through the choice of color. The appearance also depends on the design of the door, the choice of a completely blank leaf or models with glass inserts, etc.
The difference between plastic and metal-plastic structures is the presence in the second case of a metal profile. It increases the strength of the structure, but makes the product more expensive.
In addition to metal-plastic doors, PVC doors are often called structures made on the basis of wooden frames, covered with MDF panels and covered with a polyvinyl chloride film on top. These are economy category doors that have decent quality for their price. They are moisture resistant, withstand temperature changes and are airtight.
IMPORTANT! Some doors with PVC film are produced hollow. This significantly reduces the cost of production, but negatively affects the reliability of the door, as well as its heat and sound insulation properties. Therefore, when choosing a door, make sure that there is a filler inside that can provide the desired qualities of the door.
Features of selecting kitchen doors
The main thing when looking for a kitchen door is susceptibility to deformation from moisture or temperature changes.
In a small room, kitchen doors are located close to hot and cold steam, splashes of grease and various foods, which will then need to be washed with water. Therefore, its resistance to these negative factors is necessary. For example, a laminated canvas or lined with eco-veneer may be suitable.
Since eco-veneer is natural wood (and it can be deformed), you can choose an artificial material. It is easier to care for - you can wipe it with a water-alcohol solution or a soft damp sponge.
In spacious rooms, where the cooking area is 2-3 m from the doorway, you can choose any material.
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Color
Quality characteristics are extremely important, but you want the room where you spend so much time to be pleasant and cozy. Therefore, the door to the kitchen should match the design of the room and complement its atmosphere. This can be achieved by playing with the color and material of the door:
- The color is selected in such a way that it matches at least one of the main elements inside the room - the floor, ceiling, interior detail or furniture. Or you can play with contrast and install a white door in a kitchen with bright colors, and refresh the room in pastel colors with a bright entrance.
- When installing an entrance group made of wood or other material imitation wood, it is desirable that something from the interior supports this style, for example, a countertop, wall cabinets or window frames.
- To visually increase the space in small kitchens, transparent or frosted all-glass structures, blind or combined doors in light colors are installed.
- Dark colors, especially those that contrast with the rest of the decor, will help create a visual boundary between the kitchen and other rooms. Doors made of any materials are suitable for this, including wood, plastic and glass.
Installation requirements
Installing a sliding door to separate the kitchen and living room has a number of limitations:
- heat sources must be located at least one meter from the canvas;
- The structure should not be exposed to water (splashes when washing dishes, etc.);
- There should be no additional vertical load (a mezzanine cannot be installed above the sliding door for storing household items, etc.).
Otherwise, the installation requirements remain the same as for other rooms. An installation example is discussed in detail in the video below.
Installation in a “pencil case” with the construction of a niche:
Kitchen renovation: Plasterboard partition and installation of sliding doors
Installation of a “coupe” without bottom rail:
Sliding door installation by Empire Grand
Professional advice on choosing
It is difficult to cover all aspects when choosing a door design, but practical recommendations from experts will indicate some important points:
- Take care of your safety, because you will often have to shuttle to and from the kitchen. Therefore, it is better to install doors without thresholds to avoid tripping.
- For ease of use, swing doors should open from the kitchen to the outside. Also a good option would be pendulum structures that will allow you to walk in any direction even with your hands full, but they will require large spaces to install.
- The minimum width of the doorway should be about 80 cm. Usually this is enough to easily pass with food or trays.
- Compare the size of the room with the door model you like. Swinging doors or overly bulky structures are not suitable for a small kitchen.
- If there is no hood, pay more attention to the tightness of the door - this will avoid the spread of odors throughout the apartment.
- In large houses or large apartments, you don’t have to worry too much about sound insulation and can afford to install glass or folding structures. In compact living spaces, more attention should be paid to the soundproofing properties of doors.
A properly selected entrance to the kitchen will prevent the spread of odors throughout the house, protect the rest of the household from the noise of cooking, and protect restless children from the risk of cutting themselves or getting burned. In addition, it will make the interior complete and the atmosphere in the kitchen comfortable.
Which size should I choose?
The optimal standard width of a kitchen door leaf is 70 cm and the height is 2 meters. This will be enough to bring the necessary furniture and appliances into the kitchen.
If the width of the door is more than 90 cm, then this is fraught with problems: a door that is too wide may eventually begin to sag under its own weight.
