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Having had to go in to repair old pocket doors I recommend that you look for doors with 3 or 4 wheels on the trollies and preferably all metal.
One other item…I was in one house, owner complained couldn’t open pocket door. I found out whoever had installed towel rods had screwed them into wall…right into open door!
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Matt -- Like sliding patio doors, pocket doors are an inconvenient pain to their users, despite their great popularity. They should only be used in spaces where a normal door would be impossible, and a redesign toward normalcy would also be impossible.
When you slide a door open of shut, it takes five to twenty pounds of sideways pressure, quite a muscle strain especially to a small woman or child. Whipping open a normally-hung door takes a pound or two of pull/push, in a direction that uses your best-developed arm and back muscles. It's easy. All doors should be hinged. And if the pocket (patio) door works easily in the dealer's display, think how much harder it will be after corrosion, building settlement and so on. In older houses, the relative ease of hinge doors is an even bigger advantage.
-- YankeeDam
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Yankeedamn:
I was unaware of the actual statistics for the amount of effort required to operate the 2 types of doors. Interesting.
Adimttedly, I have never owned a house with a pocket door so I have little experience with pocket doors, and all of the doors I have installed have been prehung hindged, howerer I still think it would be unfair to liken pocket doors to the 1960s patio door - what a bummer!!
*I've used pocket doors that were not at all hard to open -- in fact they seemed to glide on air almost. Perhaps the quality of the door and installation is the difference.
*Matt,I've had good luck making my own "kits" although the Johnson ones are pretty good.I use 1 5/8" 20 guage or heavier metal studs in a 6" track for the framing, a good quality commercial sliding channel and ballbearing trolleys for the mechanism, nylon guides screwed to clearpine trim and a nice hidden pull to finish it off. Pocket doors are only a pain in the a** when they ain't done right or you have to fix someone elses mess.P.S. 5/8" drywall or a backing layer of plywood really stiffens the wall up nice if the wall run is short and it won't interfere with any other trim details.
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Can somebody please give me the basics on pocket doors?
I have never installed one before and am building a house with 3 of 'em. About the only thing that I know about them is that I've herd that they are a pain in the a**, and that I have read that if you get a quality pocket door kit, it helps a lot.
One basic thing that I don't really understand, is at what phase of construction is each necessary step performed for the pocket door install. I am guessing that the door and track must be installed prior to drywall. If that is the case, how do you keep the door from getting "mud" all over it? Another question is can I use regular studs turned sideways beside the door pocket if the P.D. is to be installed in a 2x6 wall? Also, what is involved in the trim out of the P.D.?
TIA
*Johnson makes a so so pocket door kit. Prior to drywall, you need only install the studs, bumper and track. You can hang the door in the trim phase. The instructions with these door kits are almost fool proof.
*well I'm glad your pocket doors are a pain in the proverbial. Have the same trouble down here.
*Install using kit and instructions; OR install using instructions and substitute studs as you mentioned, being sure to retain door clearance; OR some yards have them prebuilt so all you do is nail in place and hang the door; lots of versatility in pocket doors. The frame goes in when you frame the interior wall, the door gets hung whenever you want but before finish trim.Never had a problem with the doors I've hung. Just be sure to get the door level and everything tight.No trick to trimming except to be sure you don't use long nails that penetrate through to scratch the door or bind it.
*OK, I went and bought a Johnson pocket door track/stud kit and read the instructions. As Kcoyner said, the instructions are very complete and at first glance, I was suprized how long they were, then I realized that 2/3s of it was stuff like "Clavo en el centro" and Clou au centre" (which means "Nail on center")!Anyway, I'll go ahead and install that one kit in the 1 standard 3/0 - 6/8 door hole, and then think about the 7'+ tall holes.Thanks
*Matt, if you get the header dead level, and the jambs plumb, the door will will be a breeze to hang. If you're using the metal studs, stick a few spacer sticks between the pairs to keep them from bending when the sheetrock is nailed. or screwed on. As well as the trim nails, make sure that those sheetrock fasteners aren't too long. Johnson also makes frames for 7' doors, and, 2x6 walls.Slidin' not scratchin', BB
*I also recommend the Johnson door kits. The door is installed after the drywall. Trimming is like a hinged door except the jambhead and one side is split for the door to pass thru. We add a piece of molding inside the jamb next to the door to cover the edge of the door when closed. Follow the directions no problem.
*Thanks for the tips Greg & Billy. I was going to get my lumber yard to order me some 7' kits, but didn't know they made 'em for 2x6 walls too. I'd like the install to be as turn-key and trouble free as possible. I printed your replies and stapled them to my instruction sheets!
*Having had to go in to repair old pocket doors I recommend that you look for doors with 3 or 4 wheels on the trollies and preferably all metal.One other item...I was in one house, owner complained couldn't open pocket door. I found out whoever had installed towel rods had screwed them into wall...right into open door!
*Matt G.
Joseph FuscoView Image
*Interesting...Are the vertical members 2x6s I see turned sideways to create the sides of the pocket? Is it a 2x4 wall?Thanks
*Matt G.
Joseph FuscoView Image
*Joe et all:Thanks much for your help.
*Joe's suggestion is the route I'm following next time around with pocket doors; in lieu of that though, on a couple of the kits I installed, I put a layer of 1/4 ply first followed with 1/4 sheetrock. Helped stiffen things up a bit- not great but better than straight 'rock. S.
*There is a "trick of the trade" for installing trim too. I can't remember exactly, but maybe you can think it through from this - if you install the horizontal piece of trim before the vertical pieces, you can remove ONE of the vertical trim pieces allowing the door to swing out of hole without taking apart the whole shootin' match. I may have this reversed in my mind, think it through and you'll see what I mean. - yb
*Bob, we usually make the head jamb and casing removable on the least visible side of the door. Dry biscuits in the casing miters and screws in the jamb. Keepin' 'em rollin', BB
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Great info.. also I remember being surprised that a 6-8 pocket door didn't quite sgueeze into a standard 82" high opening, I believe 84" high is needed for the track, also adjust height for flooring, (if necessary), also install door, and shim strike jamb to door in closed position, mortice for latch, add stop on one side only, then remove door to safe place for finishing, re-install after mud/paint etc. Use short nails on pocket side of door casing, and on stops!