When renovating, many apartment owners are wondering if a threshold is needed in the bathroom. Most believe that in this part of the room there is no particular need for it. If you also have a similar question, then you should know that the threshold must be required.
Its presence is spelled out in sanitary norms and rules. Before you start making a threshold, you need to figure out which materials are best to use, as well as which design to choose.
Do I need a threshold
If you still have not decided whether to make a threshold between the bathroom and the corridor, then you should know that such an elevation is necessary. Sometimes, as a result of repairs, the floor level can be equalized, and adjacent rooms are in the same plane. Sometimes BTI does not agree on such changes. You can not worry about official permission for such a redevelopment,unless you are planning to sell your home. But life circumstances can change, and sometimes the owners have a desire to sell the apartment and acquire new housing. Therefore, in the process of repair, it is better to be guided by generally accepted rules prescribed in regulatory documents. This will eliminate problems with the design of redevelopment.
When leaking, the threshold can stop or temporarily delay the flow of water, eliminating the flooding of the entire apartment. Therefore, when thinking about the question of whether to install a threshold in the bathroom, you should get a positive answer and supplement this part of the room with effective waterproofing. Such work provides for the protection of the lower part of the walls 15 cm up.
The main purpose of the nut is to prevent water spills in the apartment. There is a difference between doors that have or don't have thresholds. In the first case, the canvas will be able to close as tightly as possible. This will create additional sound insulation. Another advantage of having a threshold is that dust, drafts and unpleasant odors cannot enter or leave the bathroom.
If you are still wondering whether to make a threshold in the bathroom, you can use an alternative solution. Between the height of the floor in the corridor and the bathroom, you can make a difference. The floor in the corridor can be 2 cm higher. Instead of a threshold, you can make a floor with a smooth slope towards the bathroom. All of these options will require more money, labor and time than installation.a full-fledged interior threshold. The last solution will become more accessible and easier. This is especially true for those owners who do not have building skills.
Select options
Before you make a threshold in the bathroom, you must choose the material. It can be steel - the most durable solution. It is almost impossible to damage such a threshold. Steel thresholds can have different shades. Quite infrequently there are thresholds made of stainless steel. Such steel has a beautiful coating, so it is more often used for furniture and wall decoration. The bronze threshold will be quite expensive, so such products are made only to order. Brass products also have a high cost, but they look attractive. Such thresholds have high strength and long service life.
Aluminum thresholds are inexpensive and come in a wide range of colors. The most common wooden thresholds in the bathroom, as they are easier to process, look attractive, in addition, they are easy to choose for a certain style of the room. You can make such a threshold yourself, using pine or oak.
Plastic thresholds are the most affordable. They are available in a variety of colors and sizes. They are inexpensive and look attractive. Such products have one drawback, which is expressed in a short service life. Such thresholds are subject to replacement after a short period of time. The most solid will be the concrete threshold, which will becomereliable barrier to the flood. You can make such a threshold yourself by overlaying it with laminate or tiles.
Dismantling the old threshold
If you want to build a threshold from scratch, and the old product still flaunts in place, then you will need to dismantle it. Threshold - a fairly solid design. To disassemble it you will need:
- hacksaw;
- hammer;
- a small scrap.
It is necessary to start work using a hacksaw. On the sides, cut the material, breaking out the middle part. This must be done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the door. Using a hammer and a crowbar, you need to remove the remaining elements of the threshold.
Preparation for making threshold
Before you make the threshold to the bathroom, you must prepare everything you need, namely:
- rule;
- spatulas;
- capacity;
- level;
- grinder;
- perforator.
Capacity will be needed to mix the glue. Spatulas should be notched, rubber and regular. As for the perforator, a porcelain stoneware nozzle should go to it. Before performing work, you must ensure that the appropriate materials are available. The tile is cut into pieces. It is better to use porcelain stoneware to decorate the threshold, matched to the color of the floor in the hallway or bathroom.
Then, according to the instructions, the tile adhesive is closed. You should get a homogeneous mass in consistency, similar to liquid sour cream. The base of the threshold should be cleaned of dust andpollution, and then treat with a primer. This completes the preparation.
Work algorithm
If you want to make a threshold in the bath, you will need to form the sides of wood, and cement mortar will need to be poured inside the resulting form. The boards are wrapped with a film so that the screed does not stick to the wood. After pouring, the surface is leveled with a rule. Using the level, you need to adjust the height of the threshold. The screed should dry well. This may take several days. During this period, the cement mortar is wetted with water. This will prevent cracking.
After the concrete has dried, the boards must be removed. The sill is cleaned to make the surface as smooth as possible. Now the structure is coated on all sides with a primer. On this we can assume that the threshold to the bathroom is ready. Then you can start finishing with porcelain stoneware.
Sill lining
Glue must be applied to the tile with a notched trowel. Products are applied to the surface and pressed. Using plastic crosses, the seams between the tiles should be aligned. You need to use a level to make the surface even. After laying the material, the seams are rubbed with a composition of the same tone as the tile. You can use a rubber spatula for this. Excess mixture should be removed with a sponge.
The resulting threshold to the bathroom must be tested for strength. This must be done by tapping. The sound should be the same throughout the plane. If voids are nevertheless found, the tiles in these places may burst.
Installation of a wooden threshold
If you want to finish installing the threshold in a short time, you should choose a wooden structure. But it should be remembered that it wears out quickly, so it will require frequent restoration or replacement. For the manufacture of a wooden threshold, it is necessary to choose wood of powerful varieties. Before installing a new product (if the old threshold is present), it should be examined for defects. If the damage is minor, it will be easier and cheaper to do restoration. To do this, the coating is ground, and then covered with a layer of varnish and paint. You need to choose the color that the door itself has.
Specialist recommendations
If the old threshold is not subject to restoration and needs to be replaced, it is removed using a good lever, which must be hammered under the surface of the threshold. When the structure rises above the floor, it should be freed from fasteners, and then knocked out with a hammer. The threshold can be cut into several parts. Before installing a new product, you should take care to remove debris. At a hardware store, you can find a ready-made threshold that has already been sanded and painted. It will only need to be installed after adjusting the size.
Fastening to the surface is carried out with nails. In order to prevent cracking, you must first make holes for the nails, and then attach the threshold. Staining and varnishing is the final process. If there is a small gap between the door and the threshold, it is filledmoisture resistant sealant.
In closing
Without a threshold, the bathroom will not be safe in case of a flood in the apartment. If you want to protect property, then the threshold must be made mandatory.
