Anyone have experience with pocket doors?

[seaglass]

We are just starting on the path of a bathroom remodel. We have only 1 bathroom and it is smaller than 5x7. To gain some space, I was hoping we could put a new door in that opened out but that definitely wouldn't work because the hallway area is tiny. The bathroom door would need to be kept closed because it would completely block the door of the room next to it when open.

So I was thinking about a pocket door but before I mention it to my husband I was wondering what people think of them. Also I am not even sure if there is enough wall space for the door to go into. I assume I need the same number of inches in wall space as the width of the door.

Any other suggestions or thoughts on pocket doors?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. We installed a kit in my neighbor's and purchased one for my....

....bathroom remodel but chickened out on ours because I didn't want to demo the whole wall. As it turned out, we didn't have the room anyway due to plumbing being in the way. We returned ours to Home Depot. It didn't matter for us as the (former closet) door swung in to our bedroom anyway and the traffic pattern wasn't interrupted.

Home Depot (and I assume the other big box stores) carries in stock a cheapo kit for about $50 bucks. But I would steer clear of that kit because it feels like its made of balsa wood and the metal parts are super cheap. We haven't had any problems (knock on wood) in my neighbor's but the door doesn't get much use (single woman on suite bathroom door that probably is almost never opened/closed).

So.....

Now I just looked at Home Depots website and they carry (special order) Johnson Hardware kits that I wished we had used. These are the quality parts contractors use.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbuda/h_d2/Navigation?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053#/?c=1&Ns=P_Topseller_Sort|1

http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windows-Door-Accessories-Pocket-Door-Hardware/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbuda/R-100658081/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I would go this route.

Home depot's website is a bit lacking in the exact specs you will need for rough opening but you can refer to the Johnson website for exact specs a rough-in:

http://www.jhusa.net/

You can also compare prices (and shipping) as Johnson sells direct online. HD looks like they may discount the part a bit but you need to compare shipping policies.

I used Johnson for another project - a large three door "by-pass" door kit and I was impressed with the quality.

The kits typically don't come with doors (johnson's don't) but we used our old vintage door that matched everything else.

Home Depot's cheapo in store kits only fit 80" door heights. We ended up ordering a height extension as our doors were 84" inches high. The damn extension kit was as much as the total frame kit. $50 bucks for a little bag with two pieces of wood and two brackets (Home gouges the piss out of you for special orders in-store).

I assume you can order the exact needed heights from johnson.

Hope this helps.

[seaglass]

2. Thanks for this info and sorry for the delayed response! We lost power for 5 days in the NE

storm and I completely forgot I posted this; with all the craziness of the last week or so I hadn't been thinking of the bathroom. :-)

We have a friend coming over this week to take a look at the bathroom so I am going to see if he thinks it is possible.

Again, appreciate your response!

[mopinko]

3. i have one on a bathroom. dh would like to put them everywhere.

but don't be like the dorks who did mine. they were already framing up the wall when they brought in the door kit. instead of putting it on the floor, like you are supposed to, they set it on the sill. so there is a gap at the bottom that is too big for the rollers. so i rolls on the upper track.
it works fine, tho it also doesn't have a follower. so it swings a little and has a wear mark in the middle of the door.
i also wish it was a nicer door. it's a cheap, hollow core, luan door. i have another bathroom that needs a door, and i think i will try to build the tracking myself and use a regular door.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. Can you un-clip the door and mount a new door with the old hardware?

[mopinko]

5. yeah, i could.

but a heavier door would make the whole no lower rollers worse. the only way to fix that is to rebuild that bit of wall.

[seaglass]

6. Thanks for your input. Our friend - GC - came over last night and

while he could put a pocket door in, unfortunately it is not going to give me the usable space I wanted so we've decided the expense and effort is not worth it.