I have a pocket door that was installed by the builder 1.5 years ago and it’s already broken.
Should I go back to him even though the terms stated 1 year for workmanship?
OR
I have found that the opening for the door was not wide enough to remove the door after some minor decontruction, rather I had to remove structure just to get the door out. I did this because the door hanger hardware was hanging up on the channel running up the inside of the pocket structure at the top and we could not close the door once we opened it.
I cut back the channel above the door to remove the obstruction. But in the process the door hanger extrusion, which the door hangs from, became detached and it had a bend in it.
So now for the question I have for anyone perseverent enough to read this note: I got the extrusion out how do I screw it back in again? I have average length arms and there is no way that I can reach that far back into the slot.
Woo is me
Clark800
Replies
Clark,
I'm trying to picture this in my mind's bleary eye. When you say the extrusion are you talking about the track that runs parallel with the floor that the door hangs from? Is this what you cut? If the track has come loose from the header back inside the wall, I can't think of a way to fasten it properly (i.e., perfectly parallel with the opening), other than do cut a piece of wallboard out and get inside the pocket with a screwgun.
Then again, maybe I misunderstood your post.
IMHO, pocket doors are a major pain that I avoid unless there is not other workable solution. If you have to use a pocket door, always use the best hardware you can get. Places like HDepot sell garbage pocket door hardware that is just asking for trouble.
The house I was raised in had double pocket doors in the dining room, solid mahogany with beveled glass. These doors glided together and clicked closed with never a shudder or scrape, and had been doing so for more than 75 years.
They don't make 'em like they used to.
Good luck with yours.
Thanks for your experiences. I was hoping to avoid going through the wall, it's a new house.
I guess now if you want reasonable workmanship you have to pay 300 plus, i.e. just a little more than you can afford.
Clark 800
Clark,
Going through the wall is not as traumatic as it sounds - unless of course there is some type of wall finish that would make it difficult to conceal the repair. A few years ago, I had just finished a fabulous house when the interior designer decided that it just HAD to have remote controlled window coverings, which entailed running line and low-voltage wiring through the walls in several rooms. The only way to access it was to cut dozens of holes in the just-finished walls and a number of ceilings. What a nightmare, but turned out fine in the end. Yours should be a piece of cake.
If you're not sure how to go about it, let me know and I'll be happy to give you some advice - it's really pretty simple.
Roger
Thanks for the encouragement, I just don't want to do this job again. Maybe I should consider using better hardware at this point.
I've got 3 boys who use this bathroom everyday and to me that says strong hardware = necessity.
The local painter gave me a few pointers on matching texture and such.
H. Clark
As long as you're going to take the thing apart anyway, replacing the hardware might be well worth it. Johnson makes pretty good hardware if you get the heavy duty type, especially if the door is solid-core. Be sure to get the type that has 4 wheels on each trolley, two on each side of the rail. There are other good brands too - ask at a good door dealer for their recommendation (NOT a big-box store).
You can use a utility knife to cut out a piece of drywall as large as it needs to be, to access the rails screws. Try to get the piece out intact if you can - that way you have much less repair to do.
If the door is not already out, you can take it off the rail by pulling off the 1x2 pieces that usually run from the header to the floor - these are the pieces that keep the door in place. If there is casing attached to these pieces you have to remove it first.
Take the door off, remove the old trolleys and fill the holes with Bondo or some other good filler matl (not spackle). Install the new trolleys, being really carefull to follow the mfr. instructions for proper location and alignment.
Then put the new rail in place, being careful to keep it exactly in the center of the channel.
Replace the door, adjust the trolleys where they need to be and tighten the lock nuts (if present) to keep it from coming un-adjusted.
Replace your piece of drywall. If you cut between the cross-members, glue a piece of 1/2" plywood on 2 sides that over-laps the hole a couple of inches and attach the drywall piece to these backer pieces. I usually screw it to the plywood, but construction adhesive alone will hold it for a couple hundred years.
Then replace the 1x2 trims and casings and let the painter take over.
Hope this was helpful. Good luck!
Thanks again. I think with your recommedations and notes I am ready to tackle this one.
This site is a great opportunity to live and learn some really practical stuff.
Bye for now.
Clark800
By the way, your builder might appreciate the chance to fix this for you if you contact him. I will go back years after I complete a job and adjust doors, etc. - not because the law says I must, but because I like to have a long-term relationship with my clients. Maybe your builder is the same.