What Are The Considerations For A Pocket Door Installation?

In addition to the amazing space-saving qualities of the pocket door and the aesthetic appeal of their contemporary design, one of the most popular benefits of the pocket door is how easy they are to install. At the Pocket Door Shop all our kits are supplied as a complete system, with everything you need to put your frame together and install the door in less than a couple of hours.

However, while the installation process is really straightforward and we have some great installation videos to help you, there are still quite a few considerations you will need to make to ensure you are well prepared for the job and have everything you need. And also, when undertaking the installation task itself there are some great tips and pieces of advice you should be aware of to make sure your finished door is the best installation possible.

Wall preparation

There are a number of things to think about before you even purchase a pocket door system and which will help you establish if a pocket door is suitable for your room and your needs. So do you have enough wall space to accommodate the wall pocket? What condition is the wall in? If you have a solid wall it may not be suitable if the structure of the wall is poor and plaster, stone or brickwork is crumbling. Also, if you have pipes and/or wiring in a solid wall it may not be suitable for a pocket door.

You can install a pocket door easily in a new-build property which will probably have a stud wall, by simply removing sufficient studs to accommodate the door frame. With a solid wall you can either create an opening in the wall and install a lintel above the door to hang the track and door on, or you could create a new wall adjacent to your old wall and plasterboard it all in. Stud walls are most popular in modern properties and if it is an existing property you will need to remove some sections of plasterboard as well as the stud, in order to install the frame and door, including a few inches above the door.

Eclisse Unico Classic Frame installation

When you are ready to install your pocket door system you need to:

• Find plenty of space and layout the whole contents of the package, making sure you identify all the pieces
• Make sure you assemble the frame to the correct frame thickness to suit your stud work
• Using two strong and level items to stand everything on, such as a pair of portable workmen’s benches, start to assemble the frame laying out the vertical sections and then clicking into place the horizontal sections on both sides and from bottom to top to form the pocket detail
• Add the polystyrene blocks to stabilise each horizontal section
• Screw the track in place at the top of the frame
• Attach the metal slam post
• Position the frame into your opening and attach the floor brackets and screw into your surrounding studwork

Hanging the door

To hang the door you need to secure the meting hanging brackets on the top of the door (these are screwed into position) and hang the door on adjustable bolts hung from the nylon rollers within the track. The door should immediately slide along as normal. However, as mentioned above, it is essential the track is fitted level and plumb. You can make minor adjustments using the roller screws, but any more major adjustments may require the track taking out and re-setting.

Common challenges and best practices

So as you can see, installing a pocket door system is relatively straightforward and if you have done your prep and thought ahead, can be done in a few minutes. But there are some great tips and advice which can help you make the best job possible:

• Make sure you have enough room to work in – the pocket cavity is required to be twice the width of the door, plus at least another inch. You also need to create space above the door to fit the track and rollers, so measure this all out carefully. In terms of room to work in, you might be able to get away with removing drywall/plasterboard from one side of an existing wall, but it would be much easier to remove both sides.
• Don’t forget flooring – when making your measurements for door length etc, don’t forget to allow for flooring materials, if they are not already there.
• Finish your door first – if your pocket door requires primer, painting or varnishing, it is best to do this before you hang the door.
• Fitting the timber jambs – this is the last job in the installation process, but not the end of the work. Make sure you fit the jambs before you replace the drywall/plasterboard. Also, make sure everything lines up correctly and the opening and closing process is smooth and practical before fitting the jambs.

Great advice on pocket door installation from the Pocket Door Shop

If this guide and our installation videos don’t answer the queries you have on the installation process, contact our sales team and they will be happy to advise, recommend and help with your pocket door installation.