I installed one about 5 years ago. Bought a kit, either at Home Depot or Menards, can't remember. For wall space, you need to have 2x the door entry space, plus some constant, like 6" (don't quote me on that constant). In that space you can have no plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc -- it has to be clear. You actually frame out the rough opening as if it was the 2x+ size, then put the kit in. At least that's how my kit worked. The kit included some metal "half studs" that you hung the sheetrock on over the "hidden" part of the door.
With my kit, you bought the kit, plus a standard door blank and trim -- and that was everything you needed (except for the handle hardware).
I am not certain that I am naming this type of door correctly as a pocket door. It slides on rails that are located within the wall structure, rather than having hinges. Is this the correct name ?
I need to research the installation requirements, such as how much wall space does this door require ?
Are Pocket Doors available from Home Depot? I've not seen any there.
In my case, this is to be the bathroom's 24 inch wide entry door. Next time I am at HD, I will inquire about availability and sizes, etc.
I cannot go to the left due to existing electrical, and to the right, means subdividing the master bedroom closet, which is small to begin with. The depth of the closet is approximately 28 inches between finished drywall walls.
If the electic isn't anything more than a single cable feeding the outlet you may be able to get by with a shallow box and still have clearance for the door, being careful that any screws protruding from the back of the box are cut as short as possible.
Also depending on your installation, you may be able to build a 'double wall. I have a pocket door on my bath and there is plumbing in that wall. I built built the 'pocket' using only one side of the kit, making the wall about 7 inches think - 4 for the plumbing, and 3 for the pocket. It required some 'custom cut' trim since a normal jam and casing was too narrow.
Not if the door trim is attached with screws on one side. This is really the only right way to do it. If there are problems, just remove the screws and the trim pops right off.
The track system I had was designed so the entire track could be removed without tearing up the wall (there was a hanger on the far end that the track would slip onto).
Not sure what you mean by "screw slots" and why that would be harder than tearing up the wall...
I agree that pocket doors are not my first choice, but in some situations, they work very well. In the case I had in our previous home, there were three doors in a very small bathroom. Having all those doors swing in was not an option, and the layout of the surrounding rooms meant they couldn't swing out either.
There is a link here to pdf install instructions for this particular manufacturer.
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Well, pockets are, suppose the doors are too. ________________
Lumber yards, building suppliers, etc. ________________
You didn't ask about the efficacy of pocket doors but if you can avoid them do so. There are some potential problems with them...
The wall where the pocket is winds up very flimsy - unless you build a double thick wall it can't be framed with 2x4s where the pocket is. The pocket itself becomes the wall structure and most of the consumer pockets aren't built all that well.
The pocket wall can be firmed up considerably when the opening is trimmed; however, you have to know what you are doing and tie the trim pieces into each other as well as the pocket frame. Even with that, the wall will still be shakable.
If there is ever a problem with the track or door carriers/hangers, stuff (trim) will have to be torn off on one side to gain access. That's a real PITA...I know, just did so with my bedroom door. If the problem is with the track within the pocket you may have to tear up the drywall on one side. I say "may" because there are tracks with screw slots so that (supposedly) the track can be replaced more easily. Personally, I would rather tear out drywall.
In short...
avoid pocket doors
if you can't, put them in a double wall
if you can't, buy (or build) the very best pocket possible
get the most solid, best made hardware possible (track, rollers, hangers)
-- dadiOH ____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at
In addition to the triple width electrical box, I should have included another reason why I cannot go to the left side, now that I know that
2x the door's width + is required.
The existing door is a RH swing 2ftx6ft8in. The width of the hallway wall space to the left of that door opening is approximately 27 inches OA, measured from the outside corner edge with the kitchen to the existing door jamb. Going left would also mean removing one piece of
12x23 x3/8 thick wall tile when relocating the electrical box/wiring.
Dual-track sliding doors in two peices. Use batwing doors, that swing both ways. Or a bifold (or trifold) accordian door. Build one of those things for a roll-top desk, opening either upward, or sideways.
There are sliding doors other than pocket doors; i.e., doors that hang from and slide on a track affixed to a 2x4 that is mounted *externally* on a wall. Usually, the 2x4 has sort of a valence over it as a pretty-pretty. About the only mod you'd have to make for that is to extend the existing jamb on the closed side so that the door would hit it and a stop on the open side.
There are also "accordian" doors that open and close in just the opening space. Something like that would be dead simple.
-- dadiOH ____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at
"Torn off" = "remove" regardless of how it is attached. I always attach most everything with screws. Countersunk and filled with face grain plugs. Ever try to get a plug out so the hole stays nice and need and can be reused? Ever get a screw tight in its little hole so it will turn but not back out - and no way to get something on the treads to climb on?
Any way the stuff is attached it is a PITA to remove, fix, replace and refinish. _______________
I would prefer something holding the track within the pocket other than one hanger. YMMV
By "screw slots" I mean a keyhole sort of thing...slip screw head into large part of slot, slide track to narrow part. I figure if the screws are loose enough to permit sliding the track on/off the screws it could do so itself at some inopportune time.
-- dadiOH ____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at
If you can live with looking at the screwheads, it's a simple matter to unscrew it, do the work, and screw it back on. That's how I did mine (in my previous home).
Not hard at all.
As an aside (referring to other comments elsewhere in the thread), accordian doors are UGLY. Never seen one I'd install in my own home. I'd hang a curtain before I'd resort to the ugly, plastic-fake wood or other styles of accordian doors.
We were considering an external sliding door for our bathroom just like they have at the Omni Hotel in San Diego. In essence it was a single pane french door with frosted glass. The track was hidden behind a valance. Wife vetoed it because she thought it might make the house harder to sell down the road. I still think it was a great idea but...
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