What Labels Are On External Outswing Doors?

Inswing doors are doors that swing towards you when opened, while outswing doors swing towards the outside of a house or into a hallway. These doors are more secure, airtight, and durable than inswing styles, making them difficult to force open from the exterior. They are also more difficult to force open from the interior, making them a security plus.

To determine if a door is an inswing door or an outswing door, stand outside of the building facing the door as if you’re about to walk inside. If you stand on the outside of the door while it’s closed, you have an outswing door. If the area is well covered, like a balcony or patio, an outswing door might interfere with pathways, patios, or landscaping.

Outswing doors are usually right-hand outswing doors, with hinges on the left-hand side. If the hinges are on the right-hand side, you have a right-hand outswing door. If the door opens away from you (towards the outside) and the knob is on the left-hand side, it is a right-hand outswing door.

When deciding between inswing and outswing doors, consider your home’s layout and security needs. Exterior doors are almost always inswing, but if they swing towards you during a storm or someone could block the door from opening, they are labeled as inswing. If you pull an exterior door open, it would swing towards you when opened.

In terms of interior and exterior doors, one door is active, the one that opens first, while the other is kept closet by means of a flush bolt or a concealed door. Understanding the difference between inswing and outswing doors can help you make informed decisions about your home’s layout and security needs.