Locks are necessary for bathrooms. Whether it is at home or at a commercial establishment, having a locking mechanism on the door is essential for privacy. Even though building codes do not regulate whether bathrooms should have door locks or not, we believe it is a vital addition to any bathroom door.

At home, you might follow the “if the door is shut, assume there is someone there” system. However, when you have guests over, they might not follow the same system and accidents may happen. If you have a bathroom door lock, awkward situations like that will no longer be a problem.

For commercial establishments, such as restaurants or offices, it is imperative to have locks on bathroom doors. These doors often have indicators stating whether doors are occupied or free. However, many people still try the handle without looking at the indicator. So, both are necessary to ensure people can comfortably use the bathroom in peace.

Should bathroom locks be installed inside or outside the door?

Bathroom locks are usually installed on the inside of a door so that the person who is using the bathroom can lock and unlock it as they wish. However, there are situations where locks that can be closed and opened from the outside are required.

When to have bathroom locks installed on the outside of a door?

This happens in commercial establishments that want to restrict the usage of the bathroom. In these cases, a person will be given a key to unlock the door from the outside and then be able to lock it from the inside.

For emergencies.

There are also door locks that can be unlocked from the outside for emergencies. These are called bathroom turn and releases or snib and releases. These handles feature a snib handle on the inside to lock the door to will operate a latch and a coin-shaped emergency release on the outside that can be opened from the outside using a coin or something similar. These bathroom locks, such as Carlisle Brass Satin Brass Snib Thumbturn and Release, are ideal for homes with children and elderly people.

Types of bathroom door locks.

Bathroom door handle on backplate.

These lever door handles on a backplate feature a snib and release, making them ideal for spaces that require privacy. A separate lock, such as a deadbolt, is required when purchasing this handle. Some of our bathroom door handles on backplate include Polished Brass Victorian Lever Bathroom Furniture, From the Anvil Aged Bronze Avon Lever Bathroom Furniture and Polished Chrome Ascot Victorian Lever on Bathroom Backplate.

Door handle on rose with a turn and release.

Combine a turn and release with your lever handle to be able to both operate the door and lock it. The door handle on rose will help you operate the door, opening and closing it whilst the turn and release will allow you to lock it for added privacy. A separate door lock will also have to be purchased alongside the door handle and turn and release.

Door bolts.

Indicator door bolts are a popular choice for commercial establishments as these feature an indicator that displays whether the bathroom is occupied or free. Polished Chrome Toilet Door Indicator Bolt and Manital Satin Chrome Snib Thumbturn and Release with Indicator are two great choices to lock bathroom doors.