Sorry, but in my computer, my question on pocket doors is coming up in archives, so I’m trying to lift it in the list. I searched, and now know that I should get Johnson hardware, but I’d still like to know if a pocket door is suitable for a bathroom in a medical clinic, with lots of people walking past. Anyone?????? please………
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Until someone who has done more of these answers, I'll give it a whirl. I've installed only a couple, but at least I can offer an opinion from that. We have them on two bathrooms at our house. They are no problem, but I can't claim they're in "well travelled" areas and mostly they don't get closed anyway. A hinged door will be more normal to people, but if you want to save the space, I'm sure you can make a pocket door work. A few things I might look into:
* keep the open door from recessing fully into the pocket. The door is easier to pull closed from the side than from the teeny end pulls.
* Get really good hardward for the pull and lock. On the cheapest, the lock is sometimes awkward, and might be hard on arthritic fingers, for example.
* Investigate different kinds of weatherstripping or molding that might give a tighter seal on the perimeter of the door and improve sound-proofing.
* Plan on a thicker wall. The hdw allows for this to work in a 2x4 wall, but that leaves ya thin on each side. We get by with it here, but in a commercial bldg, I'd be less inclined to leave it at that.
Bathrooms are one of the least welcome places to find a pocket door. Privacy issues are hard to dal with. Also, in a public building you absolutely have to pay attention to issues like disabled person access and fire code. I suppose you could do the disavbled with a wide one but I don't know how you'd do with fire code because the pocket allows a void where fumes and flame could spread. Maybe Gabe knows this one.
I have put in LOTS of pocket doors. To get a "private" pocket door I usually get a solid slab door. I trim both sides of the door w/ door stop all the way around. I leave about 1/8" clearance on the bottom, unless there's carpet; then it barely clears the carpet and is sanded and finished and waxed before it is installed. Whole heartedly agree to get a premium lockset. Will probably be polished brass. All this has been received well and worked well. Don't remember who mentioned codes, but would be real sure of compliance. It's a lot of work to tear out and embarassing as all getout! This would probably fall into the same catagory, Handicapped accesability needs to be looked into also. If you really want to go "high-end": I've been toying w/the idea of a cylinder to pneumaticaly open and close w/the tap of a button. (powershortages and accidental bumps notwithstanding) Finally, something I can add to the thread! Darn, should have posted in Black!
Miami
Guys, I knew you would come through. I was starting to feel left out when I posted and no one answered. Then I found my question in archives. Growing pains....
I like your advice about using a solid door if we do it. And door stop to muffle sound, good idea. We will check into codes this week, don't trust the interior designer on that. There is a wheelchair accessible w/r in the hallway outside our office, so I hope that covers off that question. So many cubicle are so small that you have to lean over the toilet just to close the door, and that's about what this will be. If it has to be w/c accessible, then it won't be there at all. This is a 'washroom of convenience' not a 'washroom of necessity'. We'll just have a sink and a counter. Simply not enough room in that spot for a 4'wide w/r.
With a hinged door, the door will open against the sink. Most of time the w/r will be used simply for a quick dash in to wash hands between patients, so having the door in front of the sink messes that up. I guess the other option is for the door to open outward, but i seem to remember a discussion here recently, ?ing fire codes on that. Can also see it being a real problem, opening the door smack into someone's face. Hey, that will create business!! Let's rethink this one................. ( Just tried a search to find that thread. No luck. )
Thanks again. I'll check again tomorrow in case anyone has anything more to help me out.
Edited 4/7/2002 11:45:34 PM ET by martagon99
If it is just for hand washing with a sink and counter why have a door at all?
'cause in a department where you have full bladders for ultrasound, and are doing barium enemas, you can never have too many toilets.........
I really think the catch here is the ADA code for accessable privacy locksets...the ones with the long lever to facilitate opening. I do not know a way to make a pocket door ADA approved.
Secondly......if the the bathroom is that small will it be able to meet the ADA codes for wheelchairs?
More to think about.....................................Iron Helix