Installing a Pocket Door

One thing that homeowners (and thus home designers) look for is maximizing space.  Installing a pocket door can certainly allow you to maximize the space in any area of your home because unlike a hinged door that swings, a pocket door slides into a pocket in the wall.  A pocket door is simply a conventional door that is mounted on rollers that glide on a track overhead.  Installing a pocket door allows you to make use of the space that would normally be required to accommodate the swing of a traditional door, which can be up to ten square feet depending on the size of the door.

Most pocket doors that are installed in today’s homes come in a pocket door system – a kit or pre-assembled unit that you can buy at nearly any home improvement center or online.  The basic parts of the pocket door kit include a jamb, hanger track, and pre-fabricated cage that will become the pocket that your door slides into.  Installing a pocket door can be tricky but will pay off big time with added space for your home.

The optimal time for installing a pocket door is obviously during the construction of a home.  If you plan to install a pocket door in your existing home, it’s a bit more difficult as you will need to open up the walls around the door to install the pocket.  In either case, once your door framing is open, you’ll need your pocket door kit, a tape measure, level, hammer, hacksaw, casing lumber, construction adhesive, drywall, drywall tape, and joint compound to begin installing a pocket door for your selected room.

Following the kit instructions, you will proceed to frame the opening for the pocket door, paying special attention to make sure that the rough opening is level (if not, your pocket door will never function properly). Your next step will be installing the pocket door hardware, which consists of the door header and track assembly, installed with fasteners and brackets and reinforced by pocket door stiffeners, jamb stiffeners, and side-split jambs.  The door bumper will then be installed at the back of the pocket opening.

It is important when installing a pocket door to completely finish the door on both sides before setting it on its track.  It will be very impractical to finish once the door is installed in its pocket, and unfinished doors can draw moisture and become warped after they are installed.  Mounting the doorplates on the top of the door should be done next, followed by putting the hangers onto the track, and finally, hanging the door itself. Drywall is then hung over the framed opening and any joints are taped and finished. The adjustable door guides are put in next (to help the door glide smoothly) and the side and head jambs are installed, finished up with installation of the door casing.

As you can see, there’s lots of work involved when installing a pocket door, so now’s the time to call in a favor from a friend, or to hire someone to help you (especially if your door is heavy).