All You Need to Know About Pocket Doors
Get a handle on the smart slide-and-hide solution for versatile spaces
Julie Butterworth
5 March 2021
Houzz Contributor and homes, architecture and property journalist. I work on a range of homes websites and edit commercial and editorial digital content at the Royal Institute of British Architects Journal. I have managed subbing departments at magazines Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home and web content teams for Time Inc UK’s Homes Network.
Houzz Contributor and homes, architecture and property journalist. I work on a range... More
Whether you want a great space-saving alternative to conventional doors or to have the option of opening up or dividing an open-plan room whenever you feel like it, pocket doors could be just the thing. Here’s how they work, what configurations are available, and what it might cost to install one or two in your home.
Professional advice from: Philippa Richard of Ace Your Space; Richard Skinner of ARCHEA; Veronica Congdon of VC Design Architectural Services
Professional advice from: Philippa Richard of Ace Your Space; Richard Skinner of ARCHEA; Veronica Congdon of VC Design Architectural Services
What is a pocket door, how does it work and how is it constructed?
“A pocket door is exactly what its name suggests – a door that slides into a pocket created in a wall,” Veronica Congdon says. “Either the wall is constructed to suit the door or a false lining can be added to an existing wall to create the pocket.”
“There are various types of tracks,” Richard Skinner adds, “and the pocket itself can also be built in a number of ways to suit most construction types.”
“A pocket door is exactly what its name suggests – a door that slides into a pocket created in a wall,” Veronica Congdon says. “Either the wall is constructed to suit the door or a false lining can be added to an existing wall to create the pocket.”
“There are various types of tracks,” Richard Skinner adds, “and the pocket itself can also be built in a number of ways to suit most construction types.”
Do they need to be custom-made or can they be bought off the shelf?
“There are two key elements to a pocket door,” Philippa Richard explains. “The door frame or kit and the door leaf. Usually, the leaf is just a standard door, as they don’t need to be special. Some kit suppliers include the door, too.”
The door frame, she says, is the clever bit. “It can be custom-made, in effect building a double-thickness wall, but it can also be bought as a kit. The kit replaces an existing section of wall, so the wall need be no thicker than usual.”
Pocket door kits can simplify the specification and construction process, Richard says. “Some manufacturers also provide fire-rated kits, which can increase the viability of a pocket door in more situations, particularly loft conversions.”
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“There are two key elements to a pocket door,” Philippa Richard explains. “The door frame or kit and the door leaf. Usually, the leaf is just a standard door, as they don’t need to be special. Some kit suppliers include the door, too.”
The door frame, she says, is the clever bit. “It can be custom-made, in effect building a double-thickness wall, but it can also be bought as a kit. The kit replaces an existing section of wall, so the wall need be no thicker than usual.”
Pocket door kits can simplify the specification and construction process, Richard says. “Some manufacturers also provide fire-rated kits, which can increase the viability of a pocket door in more situations, particularly loft conversions.”
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Do pocket doors have to be installed in false walls or can they be accommodated using existing walls?
“It’s usually not possible to set a pocket door within an existing wall,” Richard says. “It would be more common to create the pocket specifically for the door, sometimes requiring the removal of an existing wall and replacement with a new pocket system.
“However, you can use an existing wall as one half of the pocket [retaining the wall’s structural function] and simply add a skin next to the existing wall, forming a pocket in-between.”
Building a custom wall like this can provide unexpected opportunities, Philippa says. “You can bulk out the rest of the wall by creating some display niches or bookshelf storage,” she says.
“It’s usually not possible to set a pocket door within an existing wall,” Richard says. “It would be more common to create the pocket specifically for the door, sometimes requiring the removal of an existing wall and replacement with a new pocket system.
“However, you can use an existing wall as one half of the pocket [retaining the wall’s structural function] and simply add a skin next to the existing wall, forming a pocket in-between.”
Building a custom wall like this can provide unexpected opportunities, Philippa says. “You can bulk out the rest of the wall by creating some display niches or bookshelf storage,” she says.
Are there any issues concerning permits, building regulations and health and safety?
“There may be planning issues if you wish to install a pocket door in a listed building,” Veronica says. Conservation guidelines will have to be consulted and checked.
There are restrictions on door sizes, Veronica adds, in that they must be easy to open without strain. “Pocket doors are generally top-hung, so the loadings aren’t taken on the floor. Therefore the beam overhead needs to be justified based on those loadings.
“Use by anyone in a wheelchair is also limited to the door being easily pushed without having to engage the brakes for resistance,” she says. “Fitting a low recessed ring pull to the end of the door makes it easier to use from both sides.”
Pay attention to the opening width, Philippa advises, “particularly if the door won’t slide fully into the pocket because of protruding handles. You need to ensure the opening width still meets Building Regulations.”
“The most common issue would be regarding fire safety,” Richard says. “Most pocket door systems aren’t fire rated as standard, so there’s an extra specification required in this instance. There could also be issues regarding access and use, particularly for those with limited mobility.”
“There may be planning issues if you wish to install a pocket door in a listed building,” Veronica says. Conservation guidelines will have to be consulted and checked.
There are restrictions on door sizes, Veronica adds, in that they must be easy to open without strain. “Pocket doors are generally top-hung, so the loadings aren’t taken on the floor. Therefore the beam overhead needs to be justified based on those loadings.
“Use by anyone in a wheelchair is also limited to the door being easily pushed without having to engage the brakes for resistance,” she says. “Fitting a low recessed ring pull to the end of the door makes it easier to use from both sides.”
Pay attention to the opening width, Philippa advises, “particularly if the door won’t slide fully into the pocket because of protruding handles. You need to ensure the opening width still meets Building Regulations.”
“The most common issue would be regarding fire safety,” Richard says. “Most pocket door systems aren’t fire rated as standard, so there’s an extra specification required in this instance. There could also be issues regarding access and use, particularly for those with limited mobility.”
What advantages do pocket doors have over standard or sliding doors?
“Pocket doors require less floor area then standard doors to function,” Richard says, which is not only a benefit in confined spaces, but in more generous, open-plan arrangements, too. “The pocket door can be far more discreet when left open, and it gives a space greater flexibility to function as either open-plan or separate rooms,” he says.
“When a pocket door is open, it creates a full reveal and you’re not aware there’s a door there,” Veronica says. “We tend to use these ‘invisible doors’ between sitting rooms and kitchen-diners.”
“Conventional sliding doors can’t be fire-rated, because they don’t allow for a tight-enough closure to block out smoke,” Philippa says. “Pocket doors can be fire-rated. They also allow you to put pictures up and furniture against the wall. Standard sliding doors preclude this.”
“Pocket doors require less floor area then standard doors to function,” Richard says, which is not only a benefit in confined spaces, but in more generous, open-plan arrangements, too. “The pocket door can be far more discreet when left open, and it gives a space greater flexibility to function as either open-plan or separate rooms,” he says.
“When a pocket door is open, it creates a full reveal and you’re not aware there’s a door there,” Veronica says. “We tend to use these ‘invisible doors’ between sitting rooms and kitchen-diners.”
“Conventional sliding doors can’t be fire-rated, because they don’t allow for a tight-enough closure to block out smoke,” Philippa says. “Pocket doors can be fire-rated. They also allow you to put pictures up and furniture against the wall. Standard sliding doors preclude this.”
How can they be used creatively in the home?
“You can decorate pocket doors with the same wallpaper as the adjoining walls,” Veronica says. “I’ve used that trick to conceal an en suite. You don’t even know there’s a room behind the wall panel.”
Pocket doors are particularly useful for people who use wheelchairs, Philippa explains. “They’re easier for someone in a wheelchair to use than a conventional swing door, which requires a lot of forwards and backwards.”
Corner pocket doors can also be very useful, she says. “This is where two sliding doors meet at a corner. They’re brilliant for closing off a section of an open-plan layout when required.”
However, pocket doors won’t work everywhere. “The door needs a cell wall to slide into and some rooms just won’t have a large enough expanse of wall space to house the necessary pocket.”
Richard is particular about where he’d use pocket doors. “Generally, we’d only use one in a contemporary space, such as a loft conversion or rear extension, or at the interface between an original room and a new space. We’d rarely try to integrate them into an original doorway within a period property, because it’s usually better to retain the original features.”
“You can decorate pocket doors with the same wallpaper as the adjoining walls,” Veronica says. “I’ve used that trick to conceal an en suite. You don’t even know there’s a room behind the wall panel.”
Pocket doors are particularly useful for people who use wheelchairs, Philippa explains. “They’re easier for someone in a wheelchair to use than a conventional swing door, which requires a lot of forwards and backwards.”
Corner pocket doors can also be very useful, she says. “This is where two sliding doors meet at a corner. They’re brilliant for closing off a section of an open-plan layout when required.”
However, pocket doors won’t work everywhere. “The door needs a cell wall to slide into and some rooms just won’t have a large enough expanse of wall space to house the necessary pocket.”
Richard is particular about where he’d use pocket doors. “Generally, we’d only use one in a contemporary space, such as a loft conversion or rear extension, or at the interface between an original room and a new space. We’d rarely try to integrate them into an original doorway within a period property, because it’s usually better to retain the original features.”
Can pocket door walls house pipework, light switches and insulation, and can pictures be hung on them?
“The wall forming a pocket can be designed to accommodate pipework and electrical installations,” Richard says. “However, a typical kit wouldn’t accommodate these as standard.”
“Because you can’t fill the pocket with insulation, you need to add it to the wall structure by using a board insulation under the plasterboard,” Philippa says.
Accommodating services can be done, Veronica agrees, but it’s not always straightforward. “It’s best to engage a professional to consider all these factors,” she says.
It’s usually fine to hang pictures, Richard adds. “However, lining the pocket with an additional sheet of plywood will increase strength and flexibility.”
“The wall forming a pocket can be designed to accommodate pipework and electrical installations,” Richard says. “However, a typical kit wouldn’t accommodate these as standard.”
“Because you can’t fill the pocket with insulation, you need to add it to the wall structure by using a board insulation under the plasterboard,” Philippa says.
Accommodating services can be done, Veronica agrees, but it’s not always straightforward. “It’s best to engage a professional to consider all these factors,” she says.
It’s usually fine to hang pictures, Richard adds. “However, lining the pocket with an additional sheet of plywood will increase strength and flexibility.”
Are there any issues with sound- and draught-proofing?
It’s hard to make pocket doors as soundproof as swing doors, Philippa admits. “When the door’s closed, the hollow pocket still allows sound to travel. It’s possible to dampen the sound, but it isn’t easy.
“Gaskets and brushes can be applied that will fill the gap between the frame and the door,” she says. “This stops sound from travelling through. And there are seals that can be applied to the base of the door that will drop down to fill the gap. These are known as automatic drop seals.”
“Typically, there’s no acoustic insulation within the pocket itself,” Richard says, “but if pocket doors are installed carefully, with silicone seals around all the edges and junctions, that should be largely mitigated.
“It’s possible to add acoustic plasterboard, or increase the pocket depth to accommodate a layer of acoustic insulation,” he adds. “In terms of draughts, so long as the pocket system is installed well, with silicone seals, draughts shouldn’t be an issue.”
It’s hard to make pocket doors as soundproof as swing doors, Philippa admits. “When the door’s closed, the hollow pocket still allows sound to travel. It’s possible to dampen the sound, but it isn’t easy.
“Gaskets and brushes can be applied that will fill the gap between the frame and the door,” she says. “This stops sound from travelling through. And there are seals that can be applied to the base of the door that will drop down to fill the gap. These are known as automatic drop seals.”
“Typically, there’s no acoustic insulation within the pocket itself,” Richard says, “but if pocket doors are installed carefully, with silicone seals around all the edges and junctions, that should be largely mitigated.
“It’s possible to add acoustic plasterboard, or increase the pocket depth to accommodate a layer of acoustic insulation,” he adds. “In terms of draughts, so long as the pocket system is installed well, with silicone seals, draughts shouldn’t be an issue.”
What styles, designs and configurations are possible?
“Pocket doors can be plain, panelled or glazed,” Veronica says.
They can be used in all sorts of ways, Philippa adds, “to create a wide opening, or connected at 90 degrees so that, when closed, they form the entire corner of a room. There are also telescopic doors, where two leaves slide back into the same pocket. This enables you to have a wide opening even if the adjacent wall space isn’t large.”
There are also different options for the door frames, she explains. “You can have either a standard frame with an architrave, a frameless design, which is just a simple plasterboard edge, or a shadow gap. This is a narrow recess between the door frame and the plasterboard that creates a neat join.”
True floor-to-ceiling doors are possible, she says, “but this does require building the hanging track into the ceiling space, so it might not be possible if there’s a beam in the way.”
The configuration of the door system is flexible, Richard agrees, and many different sizes and door styles can be incorporated. “One thing to bear in mind is that you need more than the width of the door itself to form the pocket to receive the door when open. This is where telescopic systems can come into their own.”
“Pocket doors can be plain, panelled or glazed,” Veronica says.
They can be used in all sorts of ways, Philippa adds, “to create a wide opening, or connected at 90 degrees so that, when closed, they form the entire corner of a room. There are also telescopic doors, where two leaves slide back into the same pocket. This enables you to have a wide opening even if the adjacent wall space isn’t large.”
There are also different options for the door frames, she explains. “You can have either a standard frame with an architrave, a frameless design, which is just a simple plasterboard edge, or a shadow gap. This is a narrow recess between the door frame and the plasterboard that creates a neat join.”
True floor-to-ceiling doors are possible, she says, “but this does require building the hanging track into the ceiling space, so it might not be possible if there’s a beam in the way.”
The configuration of the door system is flexible, Richard agrees, and many different sizes and door styles can be incorporated. “One thing to bear in mind is that you need more than the width of the door itself to form the pocket to receive the door when open. This is where telescopic systems can come into their own.”
Do door handles have to be flush? What styles are possible?
“Face-fixed pull handles do need to be flush, otherwise they’ll stop the door recessing fully into the pocket,” Veronica says, “and if they don’t fully retract, they’ll reduce the opening.”
Flush hardware can be tricky to use, says Philippa. “Often the handle recesses are quite shallow. On a door that will be used often, or for someone with poor manual dexterity, I prefer leaving part of the door always visible and using a large bar handle.
“Some kits have a soft-close mechanism,” she adds. “You just push the door and it bounces back to close gently behind you.”
“Face-fixed pull handles do need to be flush, otherwise they’ll stop the door recessing fully into the pocket,” Veronica says, “and if they don’t fully retract, they’ll reduce the opening.”
Flush hardware can be tricky to use, says Philippa. “Often the handle recesses are quite shallow. On a door that will be used often, or for someone with poor manual dexterity, I prefer leaving part of the door always visible and using a large bar handle.
“Some kits have a soft-close mechanism,” she adds. “You just push the door and it bounces back to close gently behind you.”
Is it necessary to clean inside the pockets?
For Veronica and Richard, this is not an issue. “The door will always stay partially within the pocket,” Richard says, “and there should be very limited dust getting in.”
“There’s not much space for it to get in,” Philippa agrees. “It’s a good idea to clean occasionally, but this needs to be done by removing the door. If the door isn’t running well, then that’s a good time to clean.”
For Veronica and Richard, this is not an issue. “The door will always stay partially within the pocket,” Richard says, “and there should be very limited dust getting in.”
“There’s not much space for it to get in,” Philippa agrees. “It’s a good idea to clean occasionally, but this needs to be done by removing the door. If the door isn’t running well, then that’s a good time to clean.”
Tell us
Do you have pocket doors in your home? Why did you use them and how have they helped to improve the space? Share your experiences in the Comments section.
Do you have pocket doors in your home? Why did you use them and how have they helped to improve the space? Share your experiences in the Comments section.
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Hello is there anywhere in Ireland that sells & installs pocket doors? I have been looking but found nothing? Thanks!
Hi, Is it possible to add a pocket fire door at the top of a small staircase leading into a kitchen? The kitchen is situated next to the front door of my first floor flat so I am aware that I need a fire door of some description. The kitchen is small & currently an awkward L shape and at the moment, I am losing 1sq meter at the bottom of the stairs to allow for a door to swing open. Many thanks.
I install them full time , the are a great job ,
chevk us out
www.pocketdoorsdublin.ie