Installation Of Pocket Doors In Existing Walls

So inspired by two sets of original pocket doors in our living room we decided to turn our existing bathroom door into a pocket door.

Installation of pocket doors in existing walls.

To install a pocket door start by removing the existing door and the drywall on one side of the wall. A pocket door slides into a metal and wood cage that is installed as the walls are framed. Doors in these walls will have headers usually laminated beams over their openings. Installing a pocket door in a load bearing wall requires replacing the old header with a longer one.

Then put the hardware and door into the slider track. Be sure to screw the brackets into the studs. In some older homes a sliding pocket door was used to create privacy and separate a living room from a parlor or dining room. If the old frame is in poor condition an extra 100 to 150 may be added to the cost of having a pre hung unit installed depending on your location.

Next install the slider track using the rails that came in your pocket door kit. Then cut the exposed studs to make room for the new framing. To install a pocket door in an existing wall you have to remove drywall and it s easier to uncover the entire wall instead of trying to work in a limited opening. It will cost you between 1 000 and 3 500 to have a pocket door installed in an existing wall.

Before we get into pocket door installation it s important to understand the function and design of this door type. The rate charged by a professional hang a standard model is 150 to 200.