How to Seal a Pocket Door

a pocket door between a yellow and green room
  • 1-2 hours
  • Beginner
  • 30-50
What You'll Need
Brush insulation strips
Draft excluders
Double sided tape
Glue
Solvent based cleaner
What You'll Need
Brush insulation strips
Draft excluders
Double sided tape
Glue
Solvent based cleaner

Pocket doors are very popular because they are a good way to have a door when you have little space available. The door slides into a pocket on the wall which makes them very useful to use. However fitting them can be difficult and complicated. They also tend to be very drafty which is why you might need to learn how to seal them.

Sealing pocket doors from drafts will prevent any cold air from entering or leaving the room. This is actually a very easy project which makes your door much more useful. Similar seals can be used to make a door light tight which will make them possible for use in dark rooms or projection rooms.

All of the gaps around the door need to be sealed to prevent the door suffering from drafts.

Step 1 - Identifying the Causes of the Draft

Take a look at your pocket door and look at the possible causes of the draft around the door. Pocket doors are notoriously drafty and you will need to be careful to successfully avoid all drafts and make your pocket door a much better insulator. By spending time doing this you will be able to avoid drafts getting around your door.

Step 2 - Fixing the Gap

The pocket in the wall is one of the biggest causes of drafts in your pocket door. You will need to find a way of insulating this gap so that you can avoid air from escaping around the door. This can be done by using brush based draft excluders which are simply pushed out of the way when the door opens and slides inside the pocket. The brushes can be pushed out of the way when the door is opened, however when the door is concealed in the door they will be fully secured.

Draft excluders will also work by stopping any drafts while the door is open or closed. The fill any gap between the door and the pocket.

Step 3 - Gap under the Door

Another possible cause of drafts is under the door. Pocket doors fit in rails which allow the door to slide and open. Draft excluders can be fitted along the bottom of the door and seal any gaps which are otherwise causing drafts to be created.

Step 4 - Gap above the Door

The gap above the door can also be prevented in exactly the same way. Using the insulating material the gap can be filled and prevented from causing a problem.

Step 5 - Testing

Test the door to find out whether it's still drafty. If there are still drafts, you may need to repeat the whole process, looking for the cause of the draft and then insulating it again.

Sealing a pocket door isn't as difficult as you might imagine and it will prevent you from suffering from drafts. Slightly different types of draft excluders can also provide light tightness which will make the doors suitable for dark rooms.