Pocket doors were invented in the 1850’s. They were quite popular, yet they faded out due to issues. The rollers were located at the bottom of the door and would eventually became very loud and hard to open. Over 100 years later, and a few modifications, pocket doors successfully made their comeback. When remodeling or building your home, you might be considering installing pocket doors. Here are a few factors to consider.
Pros:
Space– A major benefit for a pocked door is the space you save. When you are working with a smaller room, or tight entry way, a full swing door can take up a lot of valuable space. When working with a bathroom, laundry or closet space, the standard door needs a radius of approximately 3 feet to swing. This impacts your layout for shelving, cabinetry and the overall function of the space. By installing a pocket door, the design is quite elegant, and functional in this space.
Versatile– in some homes, it would be common to have a door, or French Doors connecting two rooms. However, when the doors are open, they take up extra space, and there is still this fine line of separation between rooms. That is the benefit of pocket doors. When open, they completely disappear, creating that streamlined look and flow between rooms.
Cons:
Hard to Grasp– with pocket doors, the knobs can be hard to grasp. For someone with limited dexterity, a pocket door would not be ideal, unless you add a bar to grab onto. On the flip side, for someone in a wheel chair, pocket doors are incredibly efficient. When you slide the door in, you don’t have to worry about dinging the door frames, and you have more space to move around.
No Tight Seal- with pocket doors, there isn’t a tight seal, like conventional doors have. This can impact the noise barrier in your office space, light creeping through rooms and odors escaping the kitchen or bathroom.
Challenging Installation– Installing a pocket door is not an ideal DIY project by any means. You will want to have the professionals, like Crew Construction and Restoration, handle the install. Not all doors and walls are fit for a pocket door. The wall must be at least twice the size as the door. If there are any wires, utility lines, pipes or heating ducts, you will want to have these relocated. When working with a load-bearing wall, you will want to add extra support. The smallest error installing the frame or track will prevent the door from rolling smoothly. If the frame becomes damaged, extreme repair may be required, which could include removing part of the wall to get to the track.
Pocket doors are elegant, versatile and efficient. You have a variety of styles to choose from. However, they are quite sensitive and finicky. If you have children who might be rough on doors, you might want to stick with a conventional door, or a single track barn door, to avoid issues and repairs. When planning your remodel or building your next home, contact your team at Crew Construction. We will work with you on the project from start to finish.
