There are many types of door locks, and there are a number that you can choose from for bathrooms. If you’re redoing your bathroom, installing a new door, or just upgrading your locks, then keep on reading to land on the right choice for your needs.
While the majority of homes don’t necessarily need a heavy-duty door lock, it is more of a concern when adding a restroom to your small business or office and if you are renting an apartment or a building with a shared bathroom in the hallway (coworking space, air-bnb style hostel or shared home), having the security and guaranteed privacy of a bathroom dock that securely locks is much more of a priority.
Privacy is a very important aspect when thinking about designing bathrooms. For the same reason that you can’t just use any type of windows or doors for your bathroom, you’ll need to decide which type of locks will be best for it, too.
Types of Door Locks for Bathrooms
Here are the different types of door locks that are suitable for bathrooms or powder rooms for privacy and security.
Door Knob Locks (Ball Privacy Knob)
Door knob locks are without a doubt the most popular and common type today used in bathrooms. You can see them in almost all homes, and in all rooms. They can be used on their own, or in combination with a deadbolt or another form of secure lock to increase reliability for exterior doors.
These locks come with a locking mechanism found inside the door knob. You’ll find a knob on both sides of the door. They can be fitted with either one or two cylinders, which depends if you prefer being able to lock it from the inside or not.
Handleset Locks
Handleset locks are designed with a handle on the outside. In addition, there is either a twist knob or a keyed opening on the inside, where you can lock it. This lock model uses a deadbolt instead of the spring bolt, to provide added security. These function similarly to doorknob locks but many find them to be more aesthetically pleasing.
Hand Levers
Besides bathrooms, hand levers are great for closets and basement doors, or other types of inside doors. You get one simple handle lever and a twist knob on either side. One downside of this model is that they aren’t as great as providing security compared to other locks. For this reason, it’s unlikely to find them used in entry doors. The advantage, on the other hand, is how quickly you can open the door with just one hand. If you are carrying things – or a baby – you can do it easily on your own.
Deadbolt Locks
Some homeowners prefer to have separate non-locking handles and deadbolts. The primary knob or lever does latch to close and open the door, but it won’t lock on its own. It can be opened freely from both sides of the door. By adding an auxiliary deadbolt, you can lock the door from the inside.
The deadbolt is operated using the thumb-turn mechanism. Often, the exterior side of the deadbolt is designed with a built-in occupancy indicator, which turns green or red to show whether the bathroom is occupied or vacant. This is common in establishment bathrooms, such as hotel lobbies, restaurants, offices, and others.
Coin Locks
Coin locks are typically used in commercial buildings to limit bathroom use. You literally have to drop a token or coin to unlock the door and get inside. Once inside, close the door and it will keep itself locked and not accept coins until you are done and shut the door as you leave.
Keypad Locks
Keypad locks are often used to restrict bathroom access using a panel where you need to enter a certain password or combination. These are typically used in public facilities and schools to keep unauthorized people from using staff toilets. Employees are given a 4-digit code that is used to open the door.
In cases where the bathroom is designed to be used for just one person, an auxiliary deadbolt can be added on the inside. You can also complement the keypad with an occupancy indicator to let the others know someone’s inside.
Stall Locks
For bathroom stalls, using partitions is often complemented with either thumb-turn or slide locks. Slide locks, as their name suggests, use a slide bar that fits into a latch to keep the door locked. Thumb-turn locks are, literally, turned from the inside to insert a simple latch bolt into a hole in the door frame. These two locks are basic and cheap. However, they are prone to damage and may need frequent replacement and maintenance.
Choosing the Right Bathroom Door Lock
A lock is a lock, right? Yes, but choosing the right one for your home or business is not a fly-by task. You should take it seriously, too. Go through the details, such as where you’ll be using the locks, possible situations (will several people be using it daily?), and of course, your budget.
Here are a few reasons that highlight the importance of getting just the right type of bathroom door lock.
Ensure Safety and Security
When we talk about safety, we’re not talking about having a lock that’s challenging to break open. In fact, it might just be the opposite. During cases of emergency, you’ll want a lock that’s easy for you – from the inside – to open and let yourself out. More importantly, having poor-quality locks might lock you inside and keep you stuck, which will require money, time, and energy to fix.
Provide Privacy
This is a no-brainer. Whether at home or in a commercial setting, you need to be confident and comfortable while using the bathroom. This also prevents embarrassing moments for everybody. We use good doors and windows to protect our privacy while bathing and grooming, and door locks are just as an important part of that aspect.
Quality and Longevity
Bathroom repairs are the worst for home owners, small business owners and landlords. They require calling the professionals to put in time and money to fix damaged parts. By choosing the highest quality and most suitable type of locks for your bathrooms in the first place, you prevent hassles like that. If you’re using them in a public space, such as a commercial establishment, you’ll want the heavy-duty locks that can withstand tons of traffic on a daily basis.