A vestibule is a passage space between external and internal entrance doors. How to make an entrance vestibule in a private house What you should know when building a vestibule in a private house

The most important task performed vestibule in the house- stop the flow of cold air entering the house from outside. The vestibule also acts as an obstacle to the penetration of moisture and dampness into a private home and becomes a buffer zone that reduces the cooling of residential premises. In the vestibule there is space for shoes, outerwear and umbrellas, and if space allows, you can even arrange a small dressing room here, store bicycles or a baby stroller.

The vestibule room is a convenient transitional link between the house and the garage or utility room located nearby. Despite the obvious advantages, not all developers provide vestibule in a private house, while others purchase a house where such a function is not provided. This decision is not justified. To correct what was missed and remodel the entrance area in a private house, we bring to your attention four ways to arrange a vestibule.

Allocating space inside the house

This solution is the simplest and least burdensome to implement. The vestibule was built in front of the entrance to the living room by erecting light partitions into which doors were inserted. Through the vestibule you can also get into the utility room. The area of ​​the house remained almost unchanged.

The most popular method is the solution in the form of an extension. In this case, strong walls are built from bricks or blocks. Although you can opt for lighter structures made of wood or double-glazed windows on PVC or aluminum profiles. This solution allows you to purchase several additional square meters of usable space for use.

An "L" shaped wall was added to an existing private house. This is an alternative solution for owners who do not want to build a closed vestibule. True, this solution does not provide protection against heat loss, but creates minimal protection from the prevailing wind during the cold period.

Extension of a long vestibule

A wall was erected along the facade line, into which warm entrance doors and a window were built. The use of the same building materials as for the construction of a private house will allow the new premises to be ideally integrated into the existing building.
The built vestibule is large enough to accommodate a closet or store a bicycle or cart. This option is a good solution when the house has a ledge, and the building conditions do not allow the superstructure to protrude beyond the facade line.

What you should know when building a vestibule in a private house

Lightweight extension structures made of aluminum or wood should be fixed directly to the wall of the existing building, and not to a layer of thermal insulation.

Foundation

It must be durable, have good waterproofing and must be separated from the existing building with a two-centimeter expansion joint made of elastic material. Without such a seam joint, cracks will constantly appear at the joints.

Size

Some developers do not fully understand the practical benefits of a vestibule, so they build it with a minimum area. As a result, it turns out that in such a vestibule, with the doors open, one person can barely fit, which leads to the idea of ​​cramped “Khrushchev” apartment buildings. Obviously, the vestibule in the house cannot be too large - most often it has an area of ​​2 to 7 m2.

A small vestibule performs only the main function - protection against heat loss in the house. Large vestibules provide space for temporary storage of belongings, bicycles and strollers. In addition, here you can install doors to enter other rooms, for example, a utility room or garage. In many cases, such solutions make household management easier.

Architecture

Adding a vestibule or allocating part of a house corridor for this purpose carries the risk that it will not fit into the existing structure. In order not to disturb anything, you should maintain the accepted style in the house. A modern home is a modern entrance hall. Classic approach - a hallway in a traditional style.

Previously used finishing materials and the same color should be used. The new room should also be covered with the same material as the roof of the entire house, and the color of the doors and windows should match the rest of the doors and windows on the facade.

Protection from rain and snow

When designing a vestibule, be sure to think about protecting the front door from precipitation. For these purposes, you can build a canopy or canopy.

Ventilation

Is it needed in the vestibule? It all depends on its design, size and purpose. If you decide on a light, wooden extension that will serve exclusively as a thermal gateway, then you can refuse ventilation. However, it will be necessary in an extension made of brick or aerated blocks, especially when it also includes a wardrobe.

Heating

Here the approach is similar to heating. You can, of course, imagine that a vestibule built of wood or made of PVC profiles is not heated, but a brick or block structure should be protected from freezing. It's also a matter of comfort.

Shoes or wet clothes are usually left in this hallway, so you should create an environment there that allows them to dry. The optimal solution is to use underfloor heating, which will distribute heat very well. It is better to choose an electrically heated floor than a water floor, the water in which can freeze and break the lines during a long absence from the house.

If this type of heating is not installed in a built house, you can choose to install tubular radiators designed specifically for vestibules and hallways. They are made of vertical pipes with hangers, on which wet clothes dry quickly.

Lighting

As in every room, at least one window is useful here. If the design does not allow it to be inserted, then you can install glass doors through which sunlight will enter.

Keeping it clean

The vestibule in a private house is one of the places where dirt from the street is constantly applied. Therefore, it is extremely important to regularly sweep away sand and dirt and carry out wet cleaning.

Conclusion

Let's summarize. So, when developing a project for a private house, it is worth considering the possibility of implementing a vestibule. The practical need for a vestibule is to protect against excessive penetration of cold air into the house in winter. The vestibule, although sometimes small and cramped, located right outside the front door of our home, plays an important role in its energy efficiency.

A vestibule in a private house is especially necessary for our climate zone as an “insulating buffer” between the inside of the house and adverse external weather conditions, such as low temperature, wind or rain. In addition to this purpose, the entrance vestibule also performs other functions, for example, it will make it possible to remove outer clothing and shoes, as well as provide short-term storage for other things: bicycles, strollers, umbrellas, etc.

In addition, the vestibule will allow the postman, neighbor or other less desirable people to enter for the necessary conversation. In a word, a well-thought-out vestibule will help maintain warmth, cleanliness and improve the operation of the house, and taking into account several recommendations for layout and interior will allow you to properly plan this space.

You can understand a lot by how the entrance to a house looks.

It allows you to learn about the character, preferences and mood of the owner. The part of the building that separates the site and the living space is very important and requires a special approach to design. After all, here it is necessary to take into account the style and general design of the site, as well as the buildings located on it.

Depending on the design of the main structure, the porch can be made in a simple style or decorated with architectural elements that will help make it more luxurious.

What is it needed for

Entrance hall in a brick house for year-round use

In the vast majority of private buildings vestibule in front of the main door acts as an important functional element of the building.

It is entrusted with the function of protecting premises from dampness and low temperatures. If the building is intended to be lived in only during the summer season, then it is not necessary to do so.

After all, even in a cold building in the summer, the owner will be able to feel comfortable. It’s a different matter when it comes to permanent wooden buildings located in the northern regions of Russia.

Outdoor build option

Based on the architectural design of the building, installation is carried out in two ways:

• In the recess. In this case, this element is, as it were, built into the main building.
• Outdoors. With this option, it is moved beyond the boundaries of the façade plane.

It must have a depth of at least 1.2 m. The doors can be located in different ways, but in terms of practicality it is better if they are installed at an angle of 90 degrees, although this deprives the building of a formal appearance. This type of device is most often found where there is a need to create an additional passage.

Choosing a design

An original terrace that combines the entrance to the building, a corridor and a relaxation area

To decorate the vestibule, you can use a variety of design solutions.

Most often the choice is made in favor of terraces, loggia or porch.

However, in addition to them, there are other, more rare solutions, which are selected taking into account the topography of the adjacent area, natural factors, and meteorological conditions prevailing in a particular region.

Also, when choosing the preferred option, other factors must be taken into account:

• building materials chosen by the owner to implement the idea;
• financial opportunities;
• personal tastes of the owners.

Entrance to a building with an attached outdoor wooden terrace

To the way to the house stood out favorably in the overall interior; planning and decorative tools can be used for finishing.

The best results come from using both products simultaneously. So, it can be placed in a niche or on a loggia, in the center of the wall or on the side of it, as well as under the second floor balcony.

An interesting solution is to place the door in the central part of the facade. Then it will help the structure look more solemnly, and to enhance the ceremonial effect, you can use decorative elements or architectural techniques.

To do this, steps are erected in front of it, an unusual canopy with columns is arranged, and large stone vases with ornamental plants are placed next to the door.

Planning a site for a building

Rectangular open area

During the construction process, the owner has to solve many important issues.

One of them is determining the optimal floor level. Ideally, the floor is located at a height of 30 to 60 cm from ground level. In this case, they build in front of the door platform, and in height it should be located approximately 5 cm below the floor level.

In addition, you will need to make a slight slope of the site, which should be 2 cm for each meter of length. This solution will help rainwater drain naturally and not stagnate.

The platform can be made in different forms- semicircular, oval or rectangular. As for the size, it is necessary to proceed from the fact that there should be enough space to freely accommodate 3-4 people.

To build the site, you can use a concrete slab or brickwork.

Stone, natural or artificial, ceramic tiles, as well as other materials that seem suitable to the owners can be chosen as a finishing material.

Platform finished with natural stone

The main thing is that they tolerate low temperatures and moisture well. To ensure that the owner and other residents do not have difficulties getting up to the site, several steps are attached to it.

Since the first floor will be located on a slight elevation relative to the ground level, it will require the manufacture of a staircase, which will be installed during the construction of the house. With her registration you need to remember the following points:

• must correspond to the appearance of the facade;
• have a high level of safety during use, regardless of weather conditions;
• provide the maximum level of convenience for all residents, regardless of their age.

Stairs can be made in a variety of options. However, experts still recommend adhering to the recommended dimensional characteristics so that it does not harm the interior:

• width from 110 cm;
• height of steps 12-18 cm;
• step depth 28-35 cm.

It is advisable to make the angle of inclination of the stairs as small as possible. This will help ensure maximum comfort when climbing it.

White terrace with steps and wooden railings

When placing steps, you need to remember that the treads are installed with a slight outward slope of 2 to 3 mm. This will help avoid accumulation of water and the formation of ice cover. To ensure the maximum level of safety when using stairs with a height of more than 100 cm, it is recommended to equip them with handrails.

If design concept If your home has certain monumental decorations, you can abandon standard fences and use sculptural elements, flowerpots with plants and other decorations instead.

Depending on personal preferences regarding construction and decoration, the owner can use various materials for the construction stairs. It can be either brickwork, metal or wood. They can also be used for steps, although this is not necessary. It can also be reinforced concrete stringers.

After completing the installation of the staircase, you need to take care of its protection.

To do this, the interior is treated:

• metal structures are coated with primer and paint;
• Wood products are treated with antiseptic compounds and fire retardants.

How to do without a vestibule

Canopy in front of the entrance, decorated with metal forging

If space on the site does not allow or the house plan does not provide for a vestibule, then you can do without it by equipping the door with a canopy or canopy. It makes sense to think about the construction of this façade element if:

• the project does not provide for the presence of a large roof overhang above the entrance;
• it is not located in the loggia or under the balcony.

It should be said that visor is a very important element that plays an important role in interior design. It protects the door from raindrops falling on it and from getting the owners wet when they look for the keys and open the lock.

If you additionally equip the visor with lighting, this will help to further simplify the procedure for opening the door.

Depending on the design, visors come in two types:

• Console. It is installed in a flat wall and rests on cantilever beams.
• A canopy installed on special supports - walls, columns or pillars.

No less important is what kind of roofing material will be used when installing a visor. It could be:

• Transparent slate;
• Plexiglas;
• Stekloprofilit;
• The material chosen for the manufacture of the roof of the house is corrugated sheet or ceramic tiles.

Porch

When the owner of a private house moves to the stage registration opening, then most often he begins to build a porch.

In the design of this part of the residential building, the following mandatory elements can be distinguished:

• Brackets or posts that provide support for an awning;
• Canopy and side walls;
• Fencing.

Original porch with a canopy, decorated with a climbing rose

If you approach its design wisely, it will not only help make the façade more attractive, but will also provide it with protection from snow or rain.

Some time ago the porch was built traditionally in the center of the wall. Today, a more democratic approach is used in the design of such structures. Alternatively, it can be moved to the side walls of the building, and it can have a rectangular or asymmetrical extended shape towards the door. The additional space that arises can be used as a veranda, where, after completing the main work on decorating the porch, you can place a table, benches and chairs.

If the opening is located above ground level at the height of one step, the porch can be installed directly on the ground.

If it is more than one step away from the ground, then a foundation is made under it, which is made of rubble, brick or concrete.

The foundation in this case will act as a support for steps or stringers. To avoid possible subsidence, it is recommended to lay the foundation at the same depth as the base, always combining them into a single structure.

To build the porch, you can use the same materials that were chosen for the construction of the walls of the room. Although another option is possible, when a material is selected that matches the texture of the interior.

Veranda and its advantages in rural areas

Veranda on wooden stilts

In villages and villages, access to the house is through the veranda premises. This part of the building is significantly expands living area.

The owner can experience all the benefits of having a veranda in the summer, when this space can be used as a dining room or summer kitchen. It also brings benefits in winter, when it begins to act as a heat gateway. If you additionally decorate this room beautifully, it will help make your country cottage or dacha more attractive.

In most cases, insulation of veranda premises is not practiced. Instead it is executed glazing most of the wall surface. However, in summer, in extreme heat, this can lead to severe overheating. For this reason, it is necessary to consider other options at the design stage - for example, installing removable or opening frames.

In recent years, sliding wall structures have been increasingly installed, with the help of which you can turn an ordinary veranda into an open terrace.

Spacious veranda with opening frames

Such structures include several glass sections that are connected to each other using metal hinges. During opening they gather in the form of an accordion.

When they are closed, each section is fixed with metal hooks to a horizontal pipe.

Also, brackets can be used as fastening elements, which move to the right or left along a guide installed horizontally.

When engaged in construction, a thrifty owner always thinks about how to properly design entrance. Among the possible options, the most practical seems to be the installation of a vestibule.

Asymmetrical glazed vestibule

If you approach the implementation of this idea correctly, you can not only make the building more attractive, but also insulate this part of the building, through which a significant part of the accumulated heat is lost.

But the final solution The owner himself must decide on the construction of the vestibule. After all, some owners can completely do without it, thereby saving considerable amounts on construction.

The presence of an entrance gateway not only helps reduce heat loss, but also contributes to better organization of the residents’ lives. Our review will explain to readers the need to build a vestibule and tell us what this extension should be like to properly perform its functions.

What problems does the vestibule solve?

It is impossible to briefly list the variety of architectural solutions that modern developers are adopting. The shape of the house, the height of the base, the appearance of the facade and the appearance of the entrance group can be very diverse, but most opinions agree on one thing - there is always a place for a vestibule.

The most obvious excuse for building an entrance gateway is to isolate the internal climate of a home from the street. If there is a vestibule, the living quarters will always be separated from the weather by at least one door; accordingly, heat loss due to air exchange will be limited to the volume of the entrance room. Equally important, the gateway completely eliminates the appearance of drafts that cause serious discomfort to residents located in the immediate vicinity of the entrance.

There are also more practical points. There is an extremely small category of people who move into a private house, while observing the “apartment” way of life. Farming is almost always carried out on a personal plot, therefore there are home clothes and shoes. But snow, dirt and foreign odors have no place in the house; it is better to remove such things before entering the habitable area, for which the vestibule is best suited.

Actually, the presence of a vestibule in a private house is not strictly necessary; the absence of an entrance gateway can be compensated for by the layout of the hallway and additional dressing room. However, for greater objectivity, we list the secondary advantages that the vestibule provides:

• cool area for storing vegetables and other food products;
• a place where you can leave a stroller, bicycle or sled, and wash your dog’s paws after a walk;
• protecting the porch or stairs from ice;
• protection of the metal entrance door from freezing.

Foundation, porch and walls

Let us note right away that vestibules can be classified as warm and cold, and the presence of heating does not play a role in this classification. We are talking about the location of the vestibule relative to the building plan: it can be located inside the thermal contour of the house, or partially or completely outside it. The first case is quite trivial from a construction point of view, because today even amateurs can divide internal rooms with partitions. Therefore, in the future we will focus on the construction of the attached vestibule.

Attaching a vestibule to a building is not an entirely simple task; the reason for this is the uneven settlement of the soil, which has already settled under the house, and will still settle within a few centimeters under the vestibule. Therefore, the foundation for the vestibule must be closed or, at least, connected by a lintel of a smaller cross-section, as well as separated from the base of the house by an XPS expansion joint. In general, for the construction of a vestibule, a shallow strip foundation (MSLF) with an insulated blind area is recommended, the distance from the edge of which to the supporting edge of the foundation is obviously greater than the freezing depth in a particular region. Under the tape, be sure to place a backfill of sand and gravel, compacted in layers.

It is desirable that the blind area on the side of the front door has a raised area about 100-120 cm wide and about 80 cm deep. The height of the porch should be at least 100 cm lower than the tape; it is recommended to fill this part monolithically with the foundation, having previously tied the reinforcement of both parts between themselves. The construction of walls can begin 10-14 days after the completion of concrete work. The wall material can be absolutely anything - from cinder block to wooden frame and sandwich panels. However, it is recommended to start building walls with a small parapet about 40 cm high, made of warm masonry material, such as aerated concrete block. Like the foundation, the walls of the extension must have a damping joint where they adjoin the house. Mechanical connection of frame walls with permanent enclosing structures is allowed.

Selecting the degree of glazing

For an attached vestibule, it is highly desirable to glaze about 20-25% of the wall area, but this is not always advisable. The benefits of glazing will be obvious only with sufficiently high-quality insolation, for example, if the vestibule is located on the south side of the house, on the southeast or southwest corners.

The degree of glazing has no restrictions only if heating is not planned in the vestibule. Currently, glazing systems based on aluminum and PVC are extremely popular. In the summer, the glazed vestibule will be like a steam room, where it is unbearably hot, but in the winter, the high thermal conductivity of the glass walls will not allow heat to be retained.

On the other hand, the complete absence of windows in the vestibule is also not desirable. Even a minimum of natural light will make using the extension much more convenient. One narrow window about a meter high with one tilt-and-turn sash will be enough. Naturally, the window should be placed on the most illuminated side of the vestibule.

An example of a vestibule made entirely of translucent materials. It protects from bad weather and looks very impressive, but is not able to retain heat.

Roof and connection to the facade

Regardless of the roof configuration, it is recommended to bring the walls into a common plane so that the ends form an almost finished mauerlat. It is enough to attach a massive beam of about 100x150 mm to the walls, after which you can begin installing the rafter system, the type of which determines the shape of the vestibule roof.

The simplest and most cost-effective option would be a pitched roof, based on several inclined trusses. It is desirable that the slope from the roof of the vestibule is not directed towards the entrance door, while the release of the sheathing will allow the formation of a sufficiently wide soffit that can replace the canopy over the porch. The main benefit of this design is the simplest way to interface the roofing with the facade wall. It is enough to make a slot in the stone with a disk and insert the side of the Z-shaped strip into it, sealing the junction with silicone sealant.

A slightly more complex type of roof would be a half-hip or gable roof with a small gable. In this case, the junction with the wall of the house will be formed by two inclined sections. These connections, as in the case of a pitched roof, are made with Z-shaped strips, which overlap the full width in the ridge area, overlapping each other. Under the overlap of the planks adjacent to the wall, you should generously blow silicone or bitumen sealant, and then press the connection with hardware. An additional complexity when constructing such a roof appears when installing the ridge: in order to mask the overlap of the abutment strips, it may be necessary to manufacture a special cutting element - a ridge cap with an external flap.

Is insulation and heating necessary?

The main function of the vestibule is to form a protective zone in which the air is still, thereby reducing the outflow of heat from the front door. Thus, a small extension protects the door well from freezing, although the temperature inside is only a few degrees higher than outside. However, the vestibule can also be used for more practical purposes.

A typical example is when it is necessary to dress a child: if you do this in a heated room, then at least one person will be dressed warmly and will definitely overheat. Many such actions are easier to carry out in a cool vestibule, which, even with minimal insulation, will not release the heat that penetrates from the house along with heated air through the open door.

It is not difficult to insulate a vestibule: for frame walls, insulation is provided in the cells between the posts; a stone extension can be safely insulated from the inside with materials with a reflective surface. In this case, there should be no main heating in the vestibule: removing even several sections of the radiator will significantly cool the coolant.

In general, the ideal option would be to organize a cold and warm zone along the floor in the vestibule. The latter is a small piece of heating cable laid in the floor in one of the inner corners. In this place you can keep outdoor shoes, which, due to heating, will dry well overnight. And in the opposite corner a cold zone is formed for cooling cooked food and storing vegetables.

Installation of entrance and internal doors

It remains to figure out the last nuance - how to correctly place the internal and external doors. It all depends on whether any valuable property will be stored in the vestibule. If so, then the external door must be strong steel, that is, access to the house is fenced off at the entrance to the vestibule itself. In this case, the front door is not subject to freezing and ice formation, but the inside door must be insulated.

If there is nothing valuable in the vestibule, then the main door can be placed inside, making access to the annex practically unlimited or with the installation of the simplest English lock. Please note that a distance of 2-2.5 steps must be maintained between two doors so that in cold weather they are guaranteed not to be open at the same time. Ideally, both doors should open into the vestibule.

A vestibule in a private house is an extension that protects the home from cool air, precipitation, carbon monoxide, dirt, dust, and various odors. It is located in front of the main entrance to the house. Almost everyone is interested in the question: is a vestibule necessary in the house or not?

According to Russian building standards, a vestibule must be placed at the entrance to an apartment building. However, there are exceptions. For example, it is allowed to install double doors and build heating in the hallway, then a vestibule eliminates the need for a vestibule.

Vestibule size

For residential buildings, the dimensions of the vestibule should be as follows: depth 1.4 m, width = width of the doorway + 0.3 m.

For public buildings, the size of the vestibule is calculated slightly differently. The depth should be equal to the width of the door leaf + 0.2 m, and the width = the width of the door leaf + 0.15 m on all sides. However, the shallow depth should not be less than 1.2 m, and if it will be used by people with disabilities, then the minimum depth should be 1.8 m and the width 2.2 m.

Building a small vestibule with volumes of 1.4x1.2 m is not entirely correct. Therefore, this building often turns into a glazed veranda, where there is more space and it is possible to place some furniture.

How to build a vestibule?

Like any construction project, we start from the foundation. The foundation will be piled with a grillage. To do this, you need to drill holes with a hand drill to a depth below freezing of the soil. Insert iron reinforcement into the hole under the pile.

Likewise, we start any construction from the foundation. The foundation will be piled with a grillage. To do this, you need to drill holes with a hand drill to a depth below freezing of the soil. Install reinforcement into the hole under the pile.

We waterproof the pile. To do this, we use roofing material, roll it into a tube, and place it in the hole. In addition, it will act as formwork, since the grillage will be raised 10 cm above the base. We pour concrete.

For the grillage, we make formwork, lay iron reinforcement and fill it with concrete in a circle. In order to raise the base, it is necessary to add sand and cover the bottom of the formwork with film.

Construction is an extremely expensive process, especially by today's standards. Hence, it is quite natural that any space should bear a certain load, that is, not be ownerless. This is a reasonable approach, but it is very disappointing that because of it, a small premises, regarding which certain standards were even created at one time, were unfairly damaged.

Modern builders consider a vestibule in a private house to be completely useless. They motivate this by the fact that a small room without heating only takes heat from the house, therefore, energy consumption increases. This is partly true, but they forget that thanks to this room, the cold from the street does not enter the house. Simply put, the front door is reliably protected from the piercing wind and nasty precipitation. It is always dry and relatively warm, so the heat from the house does not escape outside, but, on the contrary, remains inside.

The new role of the vestibule in a private house

It is likely that the whole problem with the unpopularity of the vestibule lies in its size. What if we made it a little bigger? This will expand its functionality. For example, you can arrange a dressing room in it, where all outerwear and shoes will be located. If your house is connected to a garage, then such a room will act as a buffer zone that will not allow the cold and exhaust from the garage to enter the living space.

options for placing a vestibule in a private house
example of building a vestibule with your own hands

The main task of a vestibule in a private house is to preserve heat. Despite this, many consider it optional, citing the fact that it is better to install a double door. Indeed, two doors retain heat much better than one. But due to this, the time it takes you to get into the house will increase, which means that the cold stream will still be able to enter with you. Therefore, having a small protected space in front of the front door is a necessity.

Design features of a vestibule in a private house

Having finally decided on the role and functions of the vestibule in a private house, and realizing its necessity, you can begin construction. There are vestibules two types: built into the structure of the house and attached to it. Let's look at each type in more detail.

For the construction of an attached vestibule The first thing you need to do is make a foundation. It makes sense to coordinate the design of the foundation with the designer, since it depends on a number of factors: the composition of the soil, the weight of the structure, the presence of a porch, etc. Most often, a strip foundation is chosen. However, it all depends on the specific situation.

vestibule in the form of a veranda
external vestibule in a private house

There is no need to provide heating in this room, i.e. heating is optional. It is enough to insulate the door and walls well. This will ensure reliable sealing. However, if you want the vestibule to serve as a hallway, you can install an additional radiator or heat gun. But first, let's return to the construction aspects.

It is better to build the walls from the same material as the house. Additionally, they can be insulated using foam sheets or mineral wool mats. Regardless of the option chosen, insulation will play an important role. In winter it will not let the heat out of the house, and in summer it will keep it cool.

Now you need to tackle the floor. Firstly, the vestibule floor is lowered below the main floor of the building by 1-2 steps. This will keep the heat better. It is better to make the floor concrete to protect against rodents. You can lay a board on top of the concrete - this will make the room warmer, or you can lay tiles, which will help simplify cleaning. You should choose tiles with a rough surface to increase contact with shoes and protect against slipping. Some homeowners install a water-heated floor in the vestibule, but in our opinion, this is not convenient. Excessive heat in the vestibule will contribute to the formation of condensation on doors and locks; in winter, this can lead to freezing and problems with opening and closing doors. Heating the vestibule also implies the presence of ventilation in the room.

interior decoration
house with external vestibule

As for lighting, placing a window in the vestibule in a private house is not at all necessary. Artificial lighting in the form of a lamp will also be sufficient, especially considering the fact that it will only work for a few hours a day. For convenience, many owners provide a small window in the vestibule or doors with glass inserts. This is done for the purpose of natural lighting of the room during the daytime. This decision is entirely at your discretion. Doors with glass inserts will be less airtight and not as reliable. It is worth considering that external doors should be installed so that they open outwards.

The size of the vestibule is also not an unimportant thing. Since the time spent in this room is not significant, he does not want to devote a lot of space from the total area of ​​the house. However, it is also necessary to consider comfort for both you and all members of your family. The dimensions of this room should also allow for the possible movement of furniture from the house to the street and back. A depth of 1.4-1.5 m, in our opinion, will be sufficient. The width should take into account the dimensions of the door leaf of the internal and external doors (it is advisable to install the doors opposite each other).

The built-in vestibule is easier to organize. The same recommendations apply here, with the exception of the construction itself. You will not need additional insulation of the walls in the vestibule area. Many people make access to the garage from the vestibule, it’s convenient. We recommend placing special mats for cleaning shoes at the entrance. Rugs should have large cells and hard pile.

Walls from the inside: whim or necessity?

It is recommended to choose the finishing of a room with a constant temperature difference from moisture-resistant materials. You can see the vestibule layout options on our page.

As you can see, building a vestibule is quite simple. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to do this, but you will experience all its benefits. Not only will you reduce heating costs, but you will also be able to ensure a comfortable environment in your home.