Pocket Door Installation Tips
The following instructions will help you install just
about any pocket door hardware kit. I URGE you to completely read and follow the
enclosed instructions you will find with your pocket door hardware. These
systems are really easy to install. They require minimal tools and some
patience.
The Rough Opening
This is the foundation of your system. Get this wrong and
you will suffer later. The rough opening will seem huge. Why? Because it will be
more than twice as wide as a usual one. The width is almost always two times the
actual finished door with plus one inch. So if you intend to install a 2 foot 8
inch door (32 inches) the rough opening needs to be 65 inches. The height of the
rough opening off the rough floor surface is usually 84.5 inches. Be sure you
measure from the highest point of the subfloor if your floor is out of level.
Also, the rough opening needs to be plumb, level and NOT
twisted (a helix). The top of the rough opening really needs to be level. This
is where the track is attached. The side jambs must be plumb. That should be
common sense. As for twisting, this means that the bottom plate of the wall
(before it is cut out) must be directly above the top plate. All too often
rookies frame the opening without a bottom plate in place. One end or both of
the side rough jambs can drift out of plumb this way. Here is how you can check
your opening for perfection. Simply string a line tightly from one corner to the
opposite diagonal corner. Do the same across the other corners to make an X. The
strings should just barely touch one another. If they do not touch or one string
presses significantly against the other, your rough opening is a helix! Fix it
if it is.
Installing the Track
Once the rough opening is complete, you can install the
track assembly. Each track is slightly different. Follow the individual
instructions. Make sure it is level before you proceed with anything else!
Installing the Pocket Uprights
To do this correctly, you need to snap chalk lines that
are directly below the top plate. If your rough frame is not a helix, this is
easy. Just snap the lines where the bottom plate stops at each end. These chalk
lines serve as your reference point so you can properly locate your floor plates
that hold the side split jambs.
The Side Split Jambs
These are the thin studs that create the pocket. The
placement of two of these is critical. They form the beginning of the pocket.
Your instructions will tell you precisely where to mount these. The other two
jambs simply are placed half way between the first two and the actual wall
studs.
Finish the Wall
If you installed the frame correctly, you can now add
your drywall or plaster. Be sure your nails do not go through the thin side
split jambs! If they do, they will scratch the door.
The Easy Part
To complete the job all you have to do is attach plates
to the top of the door and trim it out. Of course you sealed the door on all
edges and surfaces didn't you? This is critical. You must seal those parts of
the door that will disappear in the pocket forever. Without sealing, you will
loose your door warranty and it can warp!
The pocket door wheels are set into the track at this
time. The mounting plates on the top of the door allow you to hang the door.
Once this is complete, the door will slide in and out of the pocket. You can now
install the finish side jambs. Always install the top jambs last. Be sure to
install these with finish screws, NOT nails. To remove the door at a later date,
you will need to remove at least one top jamb.
When you attach the door trim casing, try not to nail
into the finish jamb material. This will interfere with the removal of the jambs
at a later date.
The finish jambs can be tough to fabricate on your own.
It requires using a table saw and sanding the rough cut edges. Certain
manufacturers sell these materials already sanded and cut to size. It is a
tremendous advantage to use these.
Installing pocket doors is not as tough as it sounds or
looks, especially if you buy a quality hardware set. Remember, the key to a
trouble free installation lies in a proper rough opening. If you get the rough
opening right, the rest of the job will flow like a smooth vodka and tonic.
Once again, read the instructions carefully!
