Adding a pocket door during a home renovation - what to plan for

Pocket doors are enjoying a 21^st century renaissance due to the practical nature of their space-saving qualities and how they enable a home to be linked and zoned effectively. They also add a contemporary feel to a home as they are sleek, unfussy and elegant, and the way they disappear from view when opened is ideal for clutter-free modern homes with flawless minimalism. For this reason, pocket doors have become popular in home renovation projects as they can be retrofitted whether it is a modern home or a more period property. However, there is a lot to consider because retrofitting a pocket door into an existing wall presents a number of challenges, compared to installing a pocket door within the stud wall construction of a new-build home.

The main advantage of pocket doors is that they create space in small rooms, because they open horizontally into a wall pocket, rather than opening into a room like a traditional hinged door. This opens up opportunities for how the space is used immediately in front of the door, and allows people to repurpose rooms, create multi-purpose rooms and essentially use all their available space much more efficiently. This is why retrofitting pocket doors has become very popular, because it is a cost-effective way of using all the space available in a home and not wasting any space, and is much cheaper than building an extension or carrying out a loft or cellar conversion.

How does retrofitting a pocket door improve a home?

• New rooms – You can create a small toilet, an en-suite, a utility room or an additional bedroom by dividing large rooms into two smaller rooms.
• Multi-purpose rooms – With the space created you can make a room multi—purpose so that all the space in your home is fully utilised seven days a week. This could be making a guest bedroom also a home office, or making the kids’ playroom a home office during the day while they are at school. With the space created you may be able to add the furniture required.
• Storage – Zoning off small spaces enables you to create vital storage space, or a walk-in wardrobe.

What to consider when retrofitting a pocket door

Before making any significant plans you need to establish whether retrofitting a pocket door is feasible and a good idea. So you need to think about:

• Finished wall thickness
• Overall wall space
• The load-bearing capacity of the wall
• What utilities might exist within the wall, such as electrical wiring and plumbing works
• Preserving the feel and architectural essence of the home, ie. will a pocket door fit in with existing features and décor?

Why is retrofitting a pocket door harder than installing in a new-build property?

Essentially, you have the challenges presented by the issues listed above. In a new-build property the pocket door installation is planned from the beginning, so it can be installed within a stud wall construction when there is plenty of space, no plasterboard obstructions, no wiring and no décor to damage. When retrofitting you have the following challenges:

• Structural work – You may need to cut into a wall or reinforce the wall to make sure it can accommodate the pocket door frame and the weight of the eventual system. You should assess this with an experienced professional to ensure the structural requirements are suitable. If you have an existing stud wall, you will need to remove the plasterboard to access it, and if you have a solid wall, you will need to construct a ‘dummy’ stud wall adjacent to it, to accommodate the pocket door system, which will then need to be plasterboarded-in to disguise it.
• Wall dimensions – You need to ensure you have sufficient wall thickness and width to accommodate the pocket door system, bearing in mind the entire door width needs to open into the wall cavity. In other words, you need double the door width, plus an allowance for the pocket door frame and some room to install it. You need the same allowance in the vertical direction, and in terms of thickness, you need space for the door to operate freely and for plasterboard. Some walls may be too thin or require more structural support, so again, get some professional advice.
• Utilities obstacles – Firstly you need to identify whether any wiring or gas pipes exist in the wall, but even if they do, they can be safely rerouted using a professional contractor.
• Proper door alignment – A common issue found with older properties is that walls aren’t straight when it is assumed they are. This can lead to doors jamming or not closing flush to the wall. You should ensure that all measurements are accurate and that the installation is carried out to a good standard to ensure smooth operation of the system.
• Budgeting – In addition to the pocket door system itself, you need to create an allowance in your budget for other costs which may arise, such as structural work, new plasterboard and finishing costs, professional advice, utilities work and subsequent decorating, as well as any professional installation costs if you decide not to do it yourself.

If you choose to retrofit a pocket door as part of your home renovation project, you can choose from our range of pocket door systems at Pocket Door Shop.