Nice Johnson door with heavy ball bearing rollers, heavy door with mirror in the single panel, solid big header and the door……sits half open. Can I tweak the screws in the track little to bias the door either direction? I put a felt pad on the lower track guide to friction the door a little but it has just worn down and does nada again. Dang.
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The track is not installed level, or the screws are so tight at ends that it is being tweaked of of shape. You need to figure out what is wrong and fix that.
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If it keeps ending up in the middle then the track is sagging at that point and you need to lift the middle.
Since it "rests" in the middle, check for a straight (no sagging) track. If the header is level, you might be missing a track attachment screw - or have a loose one. (I'm not saying that you have a screw loose...............well, I guess I am, huh? - lol)
I had a similar problem with a customer's door about a year ago. A painter had pulled out the door and for some reason removed two track screws. (I have no idea why - lol) When he put the door back, he only put in the track screw at the end of the track.
When I install pocket doors (which is whenever I can), I take special care to ensure that the wood that the rail attaches to, and which in turn attaches to the header, is very strongly attached. I use screws that extend into the header at least 1", placing two about every foot. The rail generally comes with holes. I add additional screws between these for solid doors.
If you want to bias the doors to open more easily, you need to make the board that holds the rail tapered accordingly. I guess you could raise the middle just a hair to encourage full opening and closing. I prefer perfectly level.
I just completed a master suite with three pocket doors - bathroom, walk-in closet, and bedroom door. The amount of space saved is impressive. Furniture placement options are hugely improved. The swinging door is not only an ugly, useless fixture. It is in the way.
The cheap way to bias the door would be to put shims and/or washers between the rail and the header.
Thanks guys. I ran all the exposed screws in tight to bring up the jamb end. No help, which means my buried end of the rail is high. And, all the trim is long since in. Perhaps over time the screws in the wall side might sag a little. Or I could could drop the jamb end and make it a "closer" instead of an "opener". Also, I am going to get some really strong magnets and down low on the door and jamb sink some magnets so it will stay shut without using the latch, which works ok but is not always needed.http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
You say the rail in the pocket needs to be lowered, but you can't get to it.
You can get to the rail in the opening. Can you drop that end, cut a shallow mortise, and reinstall it to raise it a hair?
Just reaching for straws...buic
Not really, and more work than it is worth. Frankly, I think pocket door installers should ask clients "normally open?" or "normally closed?', just like an alarm system! I would take either way, but halfway open just sort of sucks!http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
I agree, the only true fix is to open the wall or cut slots in the drywall to expose the screws holding the track. Shim the track down. Cut the door if needed.
The magnets sound like a cool trick, no damage. The weight of the door is a definite issue here.
Gord
Why did you do that?The jamb end was already high apparently. The pocket side was low - that's why the door was settling to it. The jamb side needed to be shimed down.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
True, somewhat wishful thinking on my part to get the door to be an 'opener' rather than a 'closer'. Dropping the jamb side will make stay closed.
I thought about binding one of the rollers, but somehow its too disheartening to kill a nice Johnson Hardware roller bearing. I may just use another felt pad on the lower guide for now and work the magnet angle later. Actually, that would be a good item to sell: A lower track guide with a magnet and a magnet or steel plate on the door bottom. Hmmmmm........http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
Would it be possible to put a dimple in the track just in front of the rollers when it's fully opened? Sort of like a teeny-tiny wheel chock. It would need to be in front of the rear roller otherwise there would be 2 bumps every time the door was slid closed.
Good idea, perhaps a small dot of caulk, just enough to be a brake.http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
Is there not an adjuster on the trollies?
edit: nevermind, you have a track issue.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
Edited 1/3/2008 8:38 am ET by Sphere
"Also, I am going to get some really strong magnets and down low on the door and jamb sink some magnets so it will stay shut without using the latch, which works ok but is not always needed."I like that..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
You may have to remove some of the wall to get at the offending track. Pocket door installation separates the wheat from the chaff when it comes to carpenters.
I got chaff.http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
So Rumplestiltskin....you gonna have to turn that chaff into gold. You can do it!
"Pocket door installation separates the wheat from the chaff when it comes to carpenters."
so true. View Image View Image
Take off one of the rollers and figure a way to make it bind just a little. Replace it if you ever fix it right.
Adjust the rollers with the little offset wrench that comes with the hardware.If you have to get to the header, the door jamb and header on one side shoud be fasten in a way that it is removable. I only nail the trim on one side to the studs,the split jambs on one side come out if needed,they are fastened with trim screws.The door trim is not nailed to the jambs on one side, only to the studs.
mike
Would that not just level the door?http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
that only levels the door or aligns it with the jamb. His track has a sag in center that causes the rollers to find that center regardless of how the door hangs from the rollers.
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Your correct, I missed that little detail in the post.
mike
I almost made the same error. I had my fingers poised over the keyboard to start typing what you said when my brain licked in.;)
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I did too..but included a retractment (I think) .Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
<I had my fingers poised over the keyboard to start typing what you said when my brain licked in.>Boy! I don't like that image at all!
why did they put the l so close to the k on this keyboard? Lick didn't highlight as a mis-spelled word either!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!