Are pocket doors more expensive than regular doors?

If you are assessing the viability of a pocket door for your home or workplace, then there is a good chance that you have a specialist need. The pocket door is a versatile solution to many structural and design problems in a building, but a common concern is whether it is as cost-effective as a regular door.

The truth is, yes, a pocket door can be more expensive than a regular door, but it can also be cheaper, and yes, you’ve guessed it, it can also be pretty much the same price. It all depends on what you are comparing and what you are wanting the two doors in question to do. And in many cases, if you are paying more for a pocket door than a regular door, you can offset the cost with the practical and lifestyle benefits you can achieve.

The benefits of a pocket door

We all know that the headline benefit of a pocket door is the space-saving qualities it can deliver compared to the traditional hinged door. Installing a pocket door can save you around 10 square feet of space because it slides into a wall rather than swings into a room. So the space in the way of the typical swinging arc of a traditional door can now be used for a practical purpose.

The pocket door is therefore ideal for a small room where space is tight, and it can open up the opportunity to re-purpose a room or make a room multi-purpose, such as creating a guest bedroom, a home office, a kids’ playroom, an en-suite bathroom, a downstairs toilet or a utility room. A pocket door can also be used to separate off two spaces or to create a temporary divide between a living room and dining room which can be opened up when entertaining or when lots of family are round. The pocket door also enables you to make a better use of space, by dividing off a section of a large room and creating more storage, or a small toilet, a small canteen/rest room, or a computer server room in the workplace.

How to compare the costs of a pocket door and a standard door

When we say you can’t compare the cost of a pocket door and a regular/traditional door without knowing exactly what you are comparing, this is because the type and size of doors can make a huge difference. A regular door that is thicker, a non-standard size and made from premium quality materials can be more expensive than a pocket door that is:

• Standard size
• Single configuration (ie. not a double, or telescopic)
• Has no extra accessories
• Is non-fire-rated

What can add cost to a pocket door?

All these features listed above add cost, but in this instance a pocket door could be cheaper or about the same cost as a regular door. So if you have a pocket door that is non-standard size and carries extra features, this is where you are adding cost.

Fundamentally a pocket door is a more complex product than a regular door, because you have the frame and track system which holds and positions the door and which also enables it to open and close. This also requires a more challenging installation than a regular door, but which is still relatively straightforward for an experienced DIY enthusiast or handyman. However, in terms of the material construction of the door itself and the hardware involved, the pocket door and the regular door are largely the same.

It is important to remember that the pocket door system comes with pre-cut stainless steel framework that is easy to fit together, and it also comes with all fixings and jambs, so there are no extra costs and once you have taken delivery of your pocket door system, you have everything you need for installation and use of the door.

Comparing the value of a pocket door and a regular door

When looking at the cost-effectiveness of a pocket door system and a regular door, we need to look at the overall benefits and what the pocket door allows you to do. For dividing large spaces or for using as external doors, the pocket door is more versatile and provides a much neater and more aesthetically-pleasing finish than a barn door or a sliding door, and is certainly much cheaper than bi-fold doors. This is because the track system and the door itself can’t be seen when opened, they are hidden in the ‘pocket’ cavity.

And for single doors for a small room at home or an office at work, a pocket door is a specialist product that solves a specific problem, and in that sense, if there is a small additional cost – and that isn’t always necessarily the case - this is more than offset by the practical benefits. The fact that a pocket door enables you to re-configure your property and use your home or workplace in a new and different way, delivers lifestyle and efficiency benefits that can make a huge difference and render any cost differential insignificant.