Designer Secrets To Making Pocket Doors Work!
If you’re tight on space but need privacy, a pocket door could be the best solution. I’ve got some tips for you to make sure you maximize your storage and function while utilizing these hidden gems!
This bathroom features two pocket doors; one from the bedroom to the vanity area and one from the vanity to the toilet/shower area.
One of the biggest benefit to pocket doors is the fact that they don’t take up any floor space while they’re open, they literally slide into their ‘framed pocket’ inside a wall and disappear. Pocket doors can make small spaces feel bigger since the door doesn’t take up space in either direction when it’s open and they’re convenient for connected spaces where you may occasionally want separation (like the example above, between the vanity space and the toilet/shower space). To maximize the convenience of pocket doors, you have to plan ahead because there are considerations that need to be made in order for them to function properly!
When planning ahead for a pocket door, you must keep in mind:
Wall space for the door to slide into - this wall space must be the width of the door.
Empty space, free of electrical outlets and switches - outlets and switches recess into wall space and won’t allow a pocket door to slide in the wall. Pro trick - if you need electrical in the wall, then we plan to frame a thicker wall than what’s required/standard so we have the ‘pocket’ for the door, then we basically frame another wall on top of that so you can add outlets or switches - that will make the wall about double the thickness of a typical interior wall.
The same rule applies to plumbing in the wall - you can’t have plumbing (think shower valves, shower heads, drain lines, hot/cold water supply lines) in the wall where you plan to have a pocket door because the space required for the door to slide into must be clear of any obstructions in order to accommodate the ‘hollow pocket’ for the door.
Slightly less privacy; the wall that the pocket door slides into is essentially ‘hollow’ (see the pocket door framing photo above) to accommodate the door, so that means there’s a little more of an opportunity for sound to travel… but, the trade off is valuable open floor space!
If you you think a pocket door could be the solution you need in your remodel project, start by evaluating the wall space that you have available. If you don’t like pocket doors, a barn-style door could be a great alternative and you can check out these tips to make sure it would be a perfect fit!
Don’t get stuck on the technical stuff, should you be interested in upgrading your door space contact me and I’ll help you through the entire process and ensure you’ve got the perfect solution for your home.