I am about to start a project that is new to me when I hope to remove a door and install a pocket door for my laundry room. The hinged door that is there now is a 36 inch door. Lowes sells a kit to install a 36 inch pocket door. What am I to expect when I do this project. I was looking at a video on the Lowes site and the man who installed that one said you must remove the drywall from both sides of the wall. Why? Isn't it better to keep the inside wall up? Any suggestions or cautions would be helpful. Thanks.

 

Not sure what kind of advice you are after. A 36" pocket door needs a rough opening that is about 74" wide, so the header it needs over it is going to be at least 77" long to span that entire opening. If you think you can do that without removing the drywall on one side, more power to ya. But you need to be able to fasten that drywall to the new prehung frame.

You will sometimes find electrical wiring or an unexpected vent pipe in the wall to the right of your door. Those are major hickups that you hopefully won't encounter.

 

Remove drywall? You're going to be removing studs so the drywall is the least of the concerns. Is there any plumbing or electrical in that wall?

 

No plumbing or electrical is involved. And as I said in my post, I couldn't understand why the drywall from BOTH sides has to be removed. I don't see any way it can be done without removing at least ONE wall. I also realize studs have to be removed and that can be done using a Sawzall or a Dremel, right? I don't understand why the inside (toward the room) has to be removed. Wouldn't it be better to leave one wall up, and if not, why?

 

If you're removing studs, you will have to pull the screws or nails out of the drywall on the side you intend to leave up and, if that works, you better hope it wasn't glued as well. If that doesn't destroy the drywall, it may just collapse since you removed the structure.

 

Thanks. I'm pretty sure it wasn't glued because I helped put it up but that was 20 years ago. I will have to ask my wife. She has a much better memory than I have!

 

I'd remove the drywall, IMO you aren't saving any labor by trying to leave it. It's a LOT easier to frame it up without drywall in the way and drywall work isn't overly difficult.

 

Hanging drywall is no problem for me. My problem comes in finishing it. When I do it there is no question that I did it! My wife has said it looks okay but I guess I'm too picky. Thanks for the reply.

 

If you can leave the drywall up on one side that's fine but chances are you will destroy it when you do your demo. Especially the old header, assuming you have one. They are hard to get out without doing some damage. It's also easier to frame it back in properly when drywall is removed. Headers are supposed to be fastened from both sides of the framing.

As for the drywall finishing it takes practice. The more you do the better you will get. Using the right knife for the right job is part of it. Taping is where some people screw it up. They leave the tape too proud, leaving too much (or too thick) of mud under the tape. Fibafuse tape is one of the best innovations in taping that I have come across, so I would recommend that for any of your flat taping.

And when you put on mud, you just need to keep in mind that you want to put on as thin of a coat as possible every time. Sanding is kept to a minimum when you use wide knives and clean up your edges. It better to put on 3 or 4 thin, neat coats than two heavy and sloppy ones. Minor imperfections here and there are fixed with just a thin skim coat. Once you get the hang of it you might even enjoy it in a warped, twisted kind of way. LOL

I often want to be the one that primes the walls after after have finished sanding the drywall... That way when I shine a bright light on the wall, I can see and fix anything that shows through the primer. Fix it and spot prime it. Minor things are often hard to see until the wall has been primed. Then you lightly pole sand between coats of paint to ensure the finish is perfectly smooth.