What are Pivot Doors?

When it comes to the doors in your home, you have plenty of options. Pivot doors have quickly been gaining popularity in homes, but many homeowners still aren’t aware that they exist. This unique door style accommodates the large, heavy doors that you might want to incorporate into your design better than a traditional hinged door setup can.

9 Ways to Use Pivot Doors in Your Home

Front Entrance Doors
Shower Doors
Closet Doors
Patio Doors
Office Doors
Living Area Doors
Partition Walls
Indoor-Outdoor Spaces
Hidden Doors

Many homeowners still use traditional doors with hinges mounted on the side of a door frame for their exterior and interior doors. But, as styles change, so do doors. Modern pivot doors are becoming a trendy pick, thanks to their looks, stability, and other benefits they offer to your space. From exterior pivot doors that lead out to your patio to interior pivot doors that separate living spaces, these doors have several uses that appeal to homeowners.

What are Pivot Doors?

Pivot shower doors, entrance doors, and other types of pivot doors rotate on a spindle affixed to the top and bottom of a frame. Pivot hinged doors differ from the traditional hinged door, which has hinges connected to the side of the door frame.

Pivot hinges for interior doors and exterior doors may be near one side of the door, making the open and close motion similar to that of a traditional hinged door. However, large pivot doors often have pivot hinges placed in the center of the door’s top and bottom, allowing it to rotate in a whole new motion compared to regular hinged doors.

The result is a more modern door appearance and functionality. Pivot doors accommodate a wide range of styles and sizes, making them excellent options for custom size doors. Homes can use pivot entry doors, glass pivot shower doors, or pivot doors that close off portions of a living area when not in use.

What are the benefits of exterior or interior pivot doors over other types of doors? There are several notable advantages to a pivoting door:

Aesthetics—Many homeowners who choose exterior or interior pivot doors rather than a standard door do so because they prefer the style of a modern pivot door. These doors lend well to modern, industrial, contemporary, and other trendy home designs.

Smooth operation—The pivot hinge system of these doors creates a smooth pivot point for movement. The system supports the weight of the door from the bottom, in contrast to the traditional door hinge system, which is supported by the side of the door frame. The result is a nearly effortless, consistent motion.

Stability—Because of the support of the pivot system and hardware, pivot doors are also incredibly stable. A pivot door with a pivot hinge system near the center has even weight distribution to support this stability.

Accommodating—Pivot doors are accommodating in style and size. These doors can be as wide as you need them to be, which is helpful when you want the door to work for both separating and opening up two spaces or fitting large furniture through. A pivoting door also isn’t restricted by attached hinges, so you can cover them with various materials, like wood paneling or shiplap, to make them fit right into your wall decor.

9 Ways to Use Pivot Doors in Your Home

From pivot closet doors to pivot glass doors leading to a patio, there are multiple ways to use a pivot door inside or outside of your home. The following door options are some of the more common spots for modern pivot doors:

1. Front Entrance Doors

Pivot doors are becoming more and more commonly used as front entrance doors. If you’re looking to make a bold statement with your home’s curb appeal, you might choose a wider door than traditional entry doors. Exterior pivot doors allow you to have that, and they look gorgeous with just about any house style.

Whether you want a single entry door or double doors, hinged doors on a pivot assembly allow for a wider front door and breathtaking aesthetics for your grand entrance. Plus, their smooth operation, even on a large pivot door, makes for a peaceful entryway.

2. Shower Doors

When you want a seamless, modern bathroom with fixtures that seem to flow from wall to wall, pivot glass shower doors can come to the rescue. Unlike traditional shower doors that need to be affixed to a side frame, a glass pivot door for the shower uses the pivot hinge mechanism for a smooth open and close without the need for traditional hinge hardware interfering with your clean-cut bathroom design.

The result is the look of glass doors that can fit the full width of your shower opening from end to end, giving that seamless appearance you want to achieve. There are also framed pivot shower doors that allow you to pull in brass, brushed aluminum, or other finishes to give your bathroom a cohesive look.

3. Closet Doors

Pivot doors can come in handy for spaces that already have an opening but don’t have doors installed, like a closet door. If you’d like to add doors without adding hinges to the door jamb, opt for pivot doors instead. Pivot hinges for closet doors can hold wide or narrow doors, allowing them to work on closet entrances of any size.

Because pivot interior doors come in such a wide array of styles and finishes, you can find a set to fit your bedroom decor perfectly. Go for French closet doors for a more elegant touch or a mirrored closet door to add a touch of functionality.

4. Patio Doors

Creating a welcome entrance to your patio is the best way to bring some of the great outdoors inside. A pivot entrance door for the porch or patio can be versatile in design and give you that swinging door capability that helps you feel like you’re just a quick step away from enjoying nature.

Pivot doors can be designed with many different materials, including impact glass, which is an excellent choice for the patio. You’ll still get a full view of the outdoors but with the secure protection of an impact glass patio door.

5. Office Doors

Consider installing pivot hinges for doors leading to your office space, whether that’s in your home or an office building. A pivot door with frosted glass for your home office space adds much-needed privacy while allowing natural light to seep through.

Glass pivot doors for the office allow just the right amount of privacy and separation without making yourself and others feel closed off or preventing natural light from making its way through. Some office spaces use large pivot doors that, when closed, create a separation wall for private meeting times. When opened, the doors allow everyone to move around and collaborate freely.

6. Living Area Doors

Use a single pivot door or double pivot door assembly to separate space in your living area. These doors work well for closing off large, open spaces when you want to keep pets, kids, or guests out. Or, use them to lend some privacy to guests utilizing your den as a living space during their stay.

Pivot doors can also separate large bedrooms for kids or guests. Use the door to separate the area to give occupants privacy, and open it back up for a shared space.

7. Partition Walls

A partition wall is a rotating section of wall that can come in handy for office spaces, especially, to separate cubicles, conference rooms, and other areas of the office. When you want to open the space, pivot the door open for an immediate collaborative area.

You can also use this partition wall idea in your home. Say, for example, you have a section of your den that you’d like to reserve for a gaming or theater area. Add a partition wall with a pivot door to that space to close off as needed and open when you want a larger, shared area.

8. Indoor-Outdoor Spaces

Bring the outside in easily with pivot doors that separate your interior and exterior spaces. Pivot doors can create a large opening that makes the transition from your indoor space to your outdoor space virtually seamless.

Choose large glass doors or doors that resemble walls in your home and mount them as a center pivot door to allow them to rotate in the center rather than on their sides. When opened, you’ll get a full view and access to your outdoor space, almost as if the wall was never there to begin with.

9. Hidden Doors

Hidden doors might be things you only hear about in fantasy television shows and movies, but they’re becoming increasingly popular for real-life homes. A hidden door becomes a wall when a hidden space isn’t in use, thanks to the versatility of a pivot door and its ability to blend in with its surroundings.

Open up the door masquerading as a wall, and you could end up in a hidden office space, a home library, another bedroom, or a walk-in closet or pantry. Pivot doors make excellent covers for these fun and functional interior spaces.

Can You Lock Pivot Doors?

Yes, you can lock pivot doors! Pivot doors can be incredibly secure, giving you privacy in bedrooms, bathrooms, and other interior spaces, and security for an exterior door. Pivot door locking mechanisms work a bit differently than those on traditional doors, however.

One of the more popular types of door locks for pivot exterior doors is a smart lock. These locks allow you to use the common pull handle for your door and a keypad to unlock the door. Type in your passcode to unlock the door instead of using a key to disengage the lock.

For interior doors, pivot doors typically use locking mechanisms that are more similar to the kinds of locks you’re used to, like deadbolts and doorknobs with locks. Other locks include floor jamb locks that automatically engage when the door is closed and latch locks, which work well for doors you only need to lock from the inside.

Choosing the Right Pivot Doors for Your Home

Ready to make the switch to a beautiful and modern front door or interior doors in your home? Consider pivot doors. Offered in a variety of sizes and styles, they fit almost any home design you choose, from traditional to ultra-modern.

Pivot hinges are versatile in many spaces, allowing you to think outside the box with your doors. Use pivot hinges for cabinet doors, pivot door slides for full-size doors or pivot shower doors for a whole new look and functionality in the bathroom. Visit Rustica.com today to learn more about pivot doors and the many ways they can transform your space.