Seeking a custom size pocket door

[strangways]

Hi my bedroom has a pocket door (door slides into the wall like on star tre k). But the frame itself, inside the wall, has bent - and the result is that w hen the door opens or closes it scrapes and the door gets scratches on it. To fix the frame you'd have to open up the wall and I want to avoid that. T he easiest solution is a new, thinner door. The door itself is actually pre tty cheap, it's hollow. So i need a new door that is thinner than normal. D oes anyone know where to have a cheap door custom cut? Or is it possible to take a half inch of thickness out of the existing hollow door? Thanks

[micky]

Tbis is a good idea, but be sure to remove the 1/2" from the middle and not from the surface.

I'm joking. The trouble is that the door isn't entirely hollow or it would break too easily. There are a few things glued in the middle that would be hard to reach, probably impossible to cut, even if you could cut a straight enough line around the circumference.

[DerbyDad03]

when the door opens or closes it scrapes and the door gets scratches on it . To fix the frame you'd have to open up the wall and I want to avoid that. The easiest solution is a new, thinner door. The door itself is actually p retty cheap, it's hollow. So i need a new door that is thinner than normal. Does anyone know where to have a cheap door custom cut? Or is it possible to take a half inch of thickness out of the existing hollow door? Thanks

How thin does it need to be? How did the inside track get bent?

Have you considered making your own?

Perhaps you could use some nice birch plywood and trim it out with just eno ugh wood that it won't scrape. This, of course, assumes that the hardware can handle the wei ght of the plywood.

If not, buy some lighter boards and either glue them into a panel or glue a nd screw horizontal boards to hold the vertical boards together. Similar to a barn door.

Shower curtain? ;-)

[Thomas]

I think if the door is rubbing top or bottom sand if off where the rubbing is with a belt sander on the hang. 2 min job.

[Stormin' Norman]

Having read everything you have written, I would urge you to reconsider opening the wall and repairing the track properly. Otherwise, you could easily end up damaging your new, thinner door too.

Here is a decent article on the process.

Are your walls made of drywall or plaster? What is the age of the construction?

[Dean Hoffman]

Would a couple pieces of wooden paneling back to back be a solution? Maybe with a 1x2 in between? What about using a PVC panel to make a door?

[gfretwell]

I would open up the wall if we are just talking about drywall. Then go get a decent track and roller system and have a door that will work flawlessly forever. That stamped metal "C" track is trash. Get one that uses extruded aluminum rails and good rollers. The Johnson 100 series is very good, the 200 series is excellent. It is also US made.

[dadiOH]

I rather doubt that the frame has bent. There isn't much of a frame, and what there is becomes the outside walls once drywall is applied.

A more likely cause is that the gap in the front trim for the door is too narrow and/or the door is swinging slightly from side to sde as it is opening, thereby rubbing on the trim. Normally, the opening should be door width + about 1/2"

There should be a slotted fixture - the door slides in it - installed on the floor at the bottom front of the opening. Its purpose is to keep the door tracking straight as the door opens. They are often made of plastic and get broken. Check to see that yours is in place and functional.

If you want to make or have made a thinner door it isn't hard. You need a well made frame made of 3/4" stock; poplar, douglas fir, phillipine mahogany, etc. would all be suitable. To that, glue door skins which are available at Home Depot and the like. They are pieces of ply 1/8" x 36" x

80", normally phillipine mahogany. That would give you a 1" thick door and I wouldn't try for any thinner.