How to Install a Pocket Door
Save precious floor space with a pocket door. We'll show you how to install one.
Store smarter with a pocket door. These easy-to-install doors save floor space since the door disappears into the wall when opened. While basic types are used for closets and bathrooms, heavier, more elaborate double pocket doors are available for areas where appearance is important.
A pocket door hangs on carriers that travel on an overhead track. The door slides between split jambs inside the wall. A bumper at the rear of the frame or the side of the door keeps the door from sliding too far into the wall, and guides at the floor keep the door from rattling inside the frame.
For successful installation, there must be room for the pocket door to travel inside the wall. The wall must be wide enough for the door and it must be free of plumbing, wiring, or ductwork.
Pocket door frames are available at many home centers and come as a unit with the track already attached, making it easy to install. In some cases you may need to buy separate parts—including individual split jambs, spacers for the jambs, wheel carriers, and the overhead track—and install them one at a time.
Before you begin, make sure there is room for the pocket door to slide into the wall, and cover the floor with a drop cloth. Also make sure you have enough time to devote to installation. Once the rough opening is done, expect to spend half a day installing the pocket door frame, the drywall, and the door; then a day or two more to finish the wall.
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