When you’re building a tiny home, every feature counts in terms of the functionality and comfort of your home.
The doors are significant as they are your key points of access.
But, if you install tiny house doors in the wrong places, they can get in your way and seriously hinder your day-to-day living experience.
Where do doors go on a tiny house?
The main door on your tiny home is the front door. Not only is this the focal point of your home, but it is the primary source of light and accessibility.
Depending on the design of your home, you may opt for a single door, which allows you to make the most of the interior wall space. Or, you can opt for a french or double door that allows for better accessibility and significantly increases the amount of natural light in your home.
However, there is a misconception that you can place the door wherever you like – but that’s not true, particularly if you’re building a home on wheels.
If you’re planning on traveling with your tiny home or setting up at an RV park, then the placement of your front door could be crucial for comfortable living. For example, many RV parks have water and waste hookups on the driver’s side, so you’ll want to install your main door on the passenger side.
The placement of doors on your tiny home all depends on the design and layout of your house, plus its intended purposes. Thinking these factors through before installing your door can significantly impact your future comfort.
When designing your tiny home, you’ll also need to consider the placement of your interior doors. They may seem less important, but depending on the design and layout you choose, they can considerably impact the size and functionality of your living space.
You’ll likely want to keep the number of interior doors to a minimum, but you’ll require a tiny house bathroom door to keep your toilet and shower private. And you may need one for your bedroom(s), depending on the layout of your home.
How big is a tiny house door?
The average tiny house door is 80 inches high and 36 inches wide.
When you’re constructing a tiny house, you’ll quickly realize that standard materials are built to scale for much larger houses, and you’ll need to get creative to produce just the right sized door for your home.
Many tiny home designers incorporate doors that are only slightly bigger than themselves to be comfortable but space-efficient. The average height for a man in the USA is 5’9,” while the average shoulder width is 16.1.” Adding around three inches to these dimensions is usually sufficient.
Therefore, the average door size on a tiny home would be around 72 inches by 20 inches.
But, when you factor furniture into the equation, many owners opt to increase the width to around 36 inches.
The height range for a tiny house door is between 72 and 80 inches.
The width range for a tiny house door is between 20 and 36 inches.
The exact dimensions of your door depends on the design of your tiny house and what you want to accommodate within it.
Best tiny house front door options
The front door of a tiny home is much larger proportionally than that of a typical house. For this reason, it becomes the focal point of the house, so you’ll want to get the aesthetic just right while choosing a style and design that suits your everyday needs.
Try adding a splash of color to your tiny home with a vibrant front door, such as this red one on the Cottage Kwik Room.
Other aesthetic additions to your property could include a two-tone building that ties in with the color of your door or a set of steps that allow for easy access and really draw the eye to this central feature of your house. The Breathless model combines both of these elements for a striking look.
When it comes to placement, think about the feel and ambiance you want to achieve with your layout.
Some tiny homeowners want to create a feeling of spaciousness, which they achieve with a multitude of windows and lots of natural light. In this type of design, placing a door in the center of your home can be a great way to give it a feeling of openness and allow easy access to all points of your home.
The Thoreau model by indigo homes achieves this perfectly by combining a centralized front door with an array of windows to give the house a light and open feeling.
However, other homeowners want to create a slightly cozier feeling and a sense of privacy in the bathroom and bedroom areas. Tiny Two by Absolute Tiny Houses achieves this by placing the front door at one end of the house.
This placement keeps the living area light, and open, plus allows easy access for guests and visitors. But, the design allows the other end of the house (where the bedroom and other private areas are located) to feel a little more intimate and closed in.
Which is better? Pocket vs Barn tiny house doors
Pocket doors and barn doors both operate on a sliding mechanism and are designed to save space. But, there are some differences between these two styles.
Pocket doors
A pocket door saves space by sliding into the wall rather than swinging out into the room. These unique designs are almost invisible when not in use, as they snuggly sit inside the wall. And most of them have no visible hardware, such as hinges or doorknobs, either.
These doors are discrete, tidy, and maximize the space in your home.
Pocket Door Pros
- Save space in your home by sliding into the wall cavity.
- Almost invisible when not in use.
- Often hung with only an upper track, meaning there is nothing on the floor to trip over.
- You can purchase mirrored pocket doors that help create the illusion of space within a small area.
Pocket Door Cons
- The lack of a bottom track means that there is a gap underneath your door and nothing to create a sound barrier.
- Complex and time-consuming to install, which significantly increases the cost.
Barn doors
A barn door is often made of wood and works on a similar sliding mechanism to a pocket door. The main difference is that a barn door sits outside a wall rather than tucking away inside it.
These doors carry a rustic appeal and save far more space than a traditional swinging door.
Each door has its own pros and cons for tiny home living.
Barn Door Pros
- Save a lot of space compared to a swinging door.
- Carry a rustic appeal.
- Often hung with only an upper track, meaning there is nothing on the floor to trip over
- Easier and cheaper to install.
- Greater durability.
- Easier to maintain.
Barn Door Cons
- This type of door is heavy, and if it comes off the track, it’s challenging to get it back in place.
- The lack of a bottom track means that there is a gap underneath your door and nothing to create a sound barrier.
- It takes up wall space when it’s open.
Comparison
A pocket door costs anywhere between $500 to $2,900 because of its complex design and installation, whereas a standard barn door comes in a little cheaper with a price range of $500 to $1,200.
The best aesthetic depends on the style of house you want to create. You can’t beat a barn door for rustic vibes, but the pocket doors have a more comprehensive range of styles and materials for other house types.
Many tiny homeowners opt for pocket doors rather than barn doors because they are lightweight and possess the best space-saving qualities. In addition, they’re available in many styles that suit any home, and their mirrored surfaces help create the illusion that your space is bigger than it actually is.