Step By Step Process Of Installing A Pocket Door Frame
A pocket door is the ideal option to add a short path between rooms where there is currently a wall or to close off an open area of your house or workplace. When opened, these doors don't take up space in either room; they just disappear into the wall. You can install pocket doors yourself, save the headache of hiring a contractor, and participate in the design of your own home with the correct equipment and knowledge. When a sliding door fully opens, it disappears into the wall frame, earning the moniker "pocket door." When there isn't enough room for a typical hinged door that swings open, these doors are fantastic for smaller spaces and constrained locations. The best rooms in your house to put pocket doors are closets, laundry rooms, and utility areas. For detailed instructions on how to install a pocket door in your room, continue reading.
Step 1: Measure The Space
- You can begin installing your pocket door as soon as you've decided on the inside door style. Measure the area where the door will go using a tape measure. To conceal the door in the pocket, you need a space twice as wide as the door.
Step 2: Determine Wall Type
- Choosing your wall type is one of the most crucial phases in learning how to install a pocket door. A pocket door cannot be installed in a wall that has plumbing or electrical wiring. To identify whether a wall is a partition or a load bearing wall, use a stud finder.
Step 3: Remove The Old Door
- Place a drop cloth on the ground to protect your floors before drilling or removing the old door. The old door and frame can be started to be removed once it has been verified that the wall is a partition.
- Take the old door off the door frame and remove the moldings before you start constructing a pocket door in an existing wall. Use your reciprocating saw to remove the shims and nails. Wear safety goggles when using power tools, never forget.
Step 4: Remove The Drywall
- The drywall from both sides of the wall needs to be removed next. Make sure there are no concealed wires by checking twice. A new junction box will need to be installed for all cables. If you require assistance discovering any hidden wires, contact an electrician.
Step 5: Cut The Studs
- To make room for the new door and header, remove any exposed studs with a reciprocating or circular saw. Using either a hammer or a crow bar, shorten the nails and pry the studs apart.
Step 6: Install A New Header
- The pocket door installation can now be started. Start with the header. To determine the new header size, carefully read the assembly instructions. Utilizing your lumber, hammer, and nails, construct the new header.
- Your new stud should be located at 84 1/2 inches as most doors are 80 inches in height. The majority of door jambs extend 4 1/2 inches above door frames.
Step 7: Install Pocket Door Slider Kit
- To install your individual kit, adhere to the manufacturer's instructions. Make that the door moves smoothly and evenly into and out of the pocket by using a level.
Step 8: Install Door On Track
- Using your drill, insert the metal studs into the track. Attach the hangers to the door's top. The wheeled carriages should be slid into the track. Make sure the door hangs straight by securing the hangers to the carriages.
Step 9: Repair The Drywall
- Make use of your drill and screws to patch the hole with fresh drywall. Before painting, fill in any holes with joint compound and sand.
Step 10: Install Latch & Door Trim
- Using your drill, attach the pocket door hardware to the new door as well as the wall.
- The trim should be fastened to the door studs and jamb with a finish nailer. Matching paint.
Advantages Of Pocket Doors
- The pocket door glides into a concealed wall compartment to allow entry and leave rather than swinging open and shut. This design is ideal for spaces where there isn't enough clearance for a swinging door or if you want to maximize the available floor area.
- When a swinging door is removed and replaced with a pocket door, at least 10 square feet of floor space surrounding the entrance is recovered. Additionally, space on the walls that would typically be occupied by fixtures or artwork when a standard door is opened is made available. Furthermore, a pocket door is more discrete than its hip cousin, the sliding barn door, because it disappears into the wall.
- When homeowners want a flexible separation, pocket doors are also a good option. Pocket doors draw out when you need them and disappear when you don't if a door rarely needs to be closed or if you're trying to separate a smaller room—like the laundry room, office, or pantry—from a larger open-plan area.
- Some designs are adaptable to contemporary usage. Dutch pocket doors, for instance, are a fantastic substitute for those unattractive or flimsy safety gates that guard youngsters or pets since they extend only half as high as a typical 80-inch-tall door and draw out from either one side or both.
Disadvantages Of Pocket Doors
- Unfortunately, pocket doors are not universally functional. Consider these potential issues before moving forward with the project: wall space requirements, door frame stability, and locking restrictions.
- The seal around a room is not as tight on a pocket door as it would be on a conventional swinging door, and the standard locking mechanism is weaker than a tubular latch or deadbolt. (If the people living in your house can understand that a closed door speaks for itself, you might decide to forego the locks entirely and look for something more inventive. To make an otherwise plain piece of hardware stand out, some people add cabinet pulls or even antlers.
- Examine the wall where you plan to fit the door if the flimsier seal is not a concern for your home. A pocket door needs space inside the wall to open and close, just as a regular door needs space inside the room to swing open and shut.