Adding A Pocket Door To An Existing Wall

The total space should be about twice as wide as the door.

Adding a pocket door to an existing wall.

Pocket doors are easiest to install during the new construction phase but can be added to existing walls with the proper planning and tools. In some older homes a sliding pocket door was used to create privacy and separate a living room from a parlor or dining room. Then cut the exposed studs to make room for the new framing. Doors in these walls will have headers usually laminated beams over their openings.

Installing a pocket door is not quite as fast a project as installing a sliding barn door on the exterior of the wall but like we mentioned last week we really love it for the sleek space saving benefits especially in an already narrow hallway every inch counts extra privacy and it still gives us that bit of hallway wall space to decorate. Be sure to screw the brackets into the studs. Make sure the frame is level. There are double sliding doors that meet in the middle and one sided sliding doors that meet the wall along the door frame when closed.

With the old door removed you can cut a hole in the drywall next to the existing doorway for the pocket. Attach to the ceiling by screwing through the frame into the ceiling joists. Detail description of how i installed a pocket door frame kit without damaging or removing one side of the sheetrock drywall. To install a pocket door start by removing the existing door and the drywall on one side of the wall.

Then put the hardware and door into the slider track. To install a pocket door in an existing wall you have to remove drywall and it s easier to uncover the entire wall instead of trying to work in a limited opening. Before we get into pocket door installation it s important to understand the function and design of this door type. Pocket doors slide into the wall and disappear completely from view.

Next install the slider track using the rails that came in your pocket door kit. Installing a pocket door in a load bearing wall requires replacing the old header with a longer one. Cut wall space. This can be done with plenty.