Framing Wall For Pocket Door


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Old 05-05-17, 08:14 AM
S
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Framing Wall For Pocket Door

I'm renovating the powder room in the basement of our 1969 house. I want to put a pocket door into a wall which I have opened (removed the cheesy wood paneling) on the outside. The wall is not load bearing and no plumbing or electrical exists in this wall, although there are a couple of ducts that I have to deal with working around.

There are 2 ducts which run perpendicular in the middle and the back of the proposed wall. The height to the bottom of the ducts is 82.5". I have attached an image to illustrate. Also an adjacent door frame (sistered 2x4 studs attached to the proposed wall for entry to the furnace/ laundry room) which I will have to remove to have access to the wall. The framing is all exposed so I think that I can make adjustments or rebuild as necessary to accommodate the pocket door track/frame work. The existing rough door opening has a height of 80" and the top has 2 2x4s running horizontally butted up to each other (one for the header above the door opening and the other for the wall which are not aligned). All the tutorials for installation show the header built to support the door track for the entire length.

Does the header have to span the entire length of track to give proper support?
Would I be able to make the door height shorter to allow a header that goes the whole length of the opening and wall?
 
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Old 05-05-17, 09:41 AM
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You will need a flat and level surface the whole length of the track. Doesn't necessarily have to be a single piece as long as it is flat and level, although you could shim part of the track if necessary to adjust for a small offset.

You can certainly trim the door down if needed. An inch or two is easy; more than that may require resetting the bottom stile of the door. I avoid trimming the top of pocket doors as you need as much meat as you can get on the top edge to fasten the rollers securely.

I always use solid core doors for pocket doors, especially for bathrooms. They just feel so much more substantial and block noise better. You don't get the cheap pocket door feeling. If you go that route, make sure door kit you choose is rated for the weight of a solid door.
 
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Old 05-24-17, 10:20 AM
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Thanks for your response Paul. Definitely will make sure the surface is flat, level and plum as per the instructions. I am just concerned about weight without the header running the full length of the wall (due to the ducts). I will attempt to use 2x6s to frame the wall to add extra rigidity, and then beef up the pocket door frame to match up the width. I think this will be sufficient with the door frame opening being anchored to walls on either side...fingers crossed.

p.s. I am using a 24x80 solid door but I'm not sure how much it weighs.
 
 

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