What Is A Pocket Door & How to Install Pocket Door

What Is a Pocket Door: Types & Installation Guide

The pocket door is a sliding door that neatly tucks into a wall or separator. It slides on a track, so you can shut off a room for more privacy or open it up to connect spaces. It is suitable for small rooms or areas where a standard swing door would not utilize correctly or would take up too much area.

Since the pocket doors hang on the track and slide into the recess of a wall, the doors themselves are generally thin, lightweight, and don’t prohibit all sound from traveling between rooms. Though you can engage a handy person, establishing sliding pocket doors is a relatively simple DIY project!

What Is a Pocket Door?

A pocket door is a sliding door that, when completely open, disappears into a compartment in the adjoining wall. Pocket doors are generally used for architectural impact, or when there is no room for the swing of a hinged door.

 Pocket Door
Pocket Door

They can travel on rollers suspended from an overhead path or tracks or guides along with the floor. Single and double-door versions are utilized, depending on how wide access is needed.

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Read More: 25 Types of Doors for Your Perfect House

Common Locations To Install A Pocket Door

Here are some of the vastly popular locations to install a pocket door system in your household

1. Master Bedroom

Pocket Door
Master Bedroom

If your master suite has an accessible bathroom design, installing a single pocket door between the bedroom and bathroom would necessarily add more privacy when many people are using the area at a similar time.

2. Laundry Room

Generally, older houses were often not created with a dedicated laundry room, so homeowners have had to turn a nook in the kitchen or a small spare bedroom into a laundry room. You can create your laundry room look better and lessen noise by installing a pocket door system into an existing wall.

Pocket Door In Laundry Room
Laundry Room

3. Pantry

A single pocket door is a greatly popular choice when it gets to improving your home’s pantry. Choose a pocket door kit that fits the actual look and realize your kitchen design.

4. Home Office

Pocket Door In Home Office
Home Office

Looking to separate yourself from the family and obtain a moment of peace when you work from home? Install a pocket door system good into your existing wall to improve productivity.

5. Kitchen And Dining Room

Pocket Door In Kitchen & Dining Room
Kitchen And Dining Room

Most of the houses have their kitchen and dining room attached with an open design. But if you would rather have the choice to distribute the spaces when prepping a big meal or hosting a small get-together, installing a pocket door would provide you with the decent of both worlds.

How To Install A Pocket Door

Before you start your Pocket Door Installation, examine the directions for the pocket door kit you are installing to give an overview of the procedure and what’s involved.

All pocket door systems are established in virtually the same way, but the manufacturer’s recommendations should provide you with the best advice for installing that particular product.

How to Install A Pocket Door
Install A Pocket Door

That being said, follow the list below for the standard procedure on how to install a pocket door:

1. Establish the rough opening or modify the containing wall to fit the rough opening dimensions for the door jamb provided by the manufacturer of the hardware.

2. Make sure that all studs are plumb (faultlessly vertical) and the header is.

3. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and cut the pocket door header and track assembly to length with the help of a hacksaw.

4. Establish the header and track assembly on the top jamb with the fasteners and brackets provided with the door. Nail the edge plate to the wall studs.

5. An inspection that the track is level so that the door rolls easily.

6. Connect the split jamb stiffeners to the floor bracket and accordingly plumb them with a level and nail the brackets to the floor. Nail the split jamb to the header.

7. The same repeat for the second pair of stiffeners, establishing them in the middle of the pocket.

8. Color or stain all perimeters and faces of the door to avoid it from warping.

9. Establish hanging hardware on the top perimeter of the door according to the manufacturer’s advice.

10. Slide the wheel fasteners into the track and hang the door on the two hangers.

11. Modify the hangers until the door is plumb.

12. You can also establish the door handle/lock at this point.

13. Remove the door and then establish drywall over the door pocket, utilizing construction adhesive and 1-inch drywall screws.

14. Complete the joints with drywall tape and various coats of drywall compound.

15. Reinstall the door and then establish the door guides on the inside and outside of the door at the jaws of the pocket.

16. The adjustable guides should center the door in the opening and enable almost enough clearance for the door to slide smoothly.

17. Utilise screws to establish one side of the head jamb so you can extract the door in the event of a problem.

 18. Establish a full-width strike jamb on the opposing side.

 19. Drill a hole and chisel a shallow mortise in that jamb for the strike plate, which the door fastener engages.

 20. Install the door casing, nailing it to the jamb and pocket door studs.

21. Use 6d finish nails to establish the top and strike the jamb casing. Use shorter nails to establish the casing on the pocket side of the door jamb to avoid destruction to the door.

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3 thoughts on “What Is a Pocket Door: Types & Installation Guide”

  1. I really like the mystery of pocket doors! And yes, you usually see them in a small laundry room. Speaking of sliding doors.

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