Pocket Doors

Source: AARP.org |  | February 1, 2004

Pocket doors are a little like the sliding doors that lead to a deck or sun porch. But they have one important feature that sliding doors don't have. When the pocket doors open, they disappear inside your wall.

Pocket doors give you more room, especially in small rooms. A regular door takes up about 10 square feet of floor space when it swings open. Pocket doors don't take up any space. And they are easy to open for people who use wheelchairs or walkers.

How Do They Work?

To install a pocket door, you'll need to have wall space right next to the doorway where the pocket door will go. The wall space should be the same size, or a bit larger, than the doorway you want to cover. That's because the door will go inside that wall. The space inside that wall must be free of barriers like plumbing, electrical outlets, and heating ducts.

Install the frame for your pocket door before you put up the drywall in your bathroom. If it's too late for that, you could mount the door on the outside of your wall. This door will still work fine. It just won't disappear from sight when you open it.

The cage for your pocket door includes the track that your door will slide on as it moves in and out of the wall. It also has nylon wheels - about 8 or 10 of them - that help the door slide smoothly on the track.

When you go to the store, ask for a pocket door kit. This kit will include the frame and hardware you need to hang the door. You buy the door separately. Any door will do, as long as it's at least one inch thick and not thicker than 1¾ inches.

Popular Features

A pocket door is only as reliable as its parts. So pay attention to these features:

• Ask for ball-bearing wheels. These make a pocket door easier to open and close.
• Make sure you can replace your wheel tracks and wheels without opening up the wall.
• Make sure the kit you buy will fit the door you choose. Most hardware can handle doors that are up to 9 feet high and don ' t weight more than 150 pounds.
• Look for a kit that has a quick-release device. This will let you take the door off easily if you want to paint or repair it.
• Get pull handles for the door. They will be easy to grab when you slide the door in and out of its pocket.

AARP Resources

This Bold House
Take a tour of the world's most accessible house.

Getting Bids and Selecting a Contractor
This worksheet will help you select a home repair contractor.

Other Resources

Adding a Pocket Door to an Existing Home
"Ask the Builder" tells how to install a pocket door.

Install a Pocket Door
DoItYourself.com gives installation instructions with pictures to help you with this project.