I have several pocket doors in my home - 6 panel maple - the Johnson hardware works very well. I have Baldwin pulls.

The shower wall (left, inside bath room wall) needs 2x4 studs to make it strong enough to hold the cement board and tile. Additonally, it must be ridgid so it will not flex.

You will have to build a new (false) wall to contain the pocket door. Johnson sells the headers and the 'split studs'

Thanks Geoffrey, for your information.
The shower wall (left, inside bath room wall) needs 2x4 studs to make it strong enough to hold the cement board and tile. Additonally, it must be ridgid so it will not flex.
Are you saying that I need an 8" wall? The 2x4 to hold the tile, and a 2x4 space to accommodate the pocket door hardware? Well I guess I could do this, but I'd be taking away from my planned pantry pull out. I might have to void that pullout all together :(

I have looked at Johnson hardware and see that the uprights are clad in steel. This looks good. I have looked at Hafele, and this hardware looks terrific, except it is SO expensive at around 1k per hardware kit.

You need to keep the 2x4 wall for the tile - and infront of that wall you will need to build a pocket for the pocket door.

The pocket width will be 1 1/2" for the pocket + 3/4" for the split stud (you only need one side, since the other is against the 2x4 tile wall) + 1/2" for drywall. So the new wall will be 2 3/4" deep.

Geoffrey, Thanks again. The problem is that I can't build the pocket door assembly infront of the 2x4 because that is our hallway. I can only come into the bathroom space for the extra space. I could have an extra wall built for the shower, that bumps into the room at the shower area.

I just got off the line with Johnson Hardware people. They stated that they recommend sheathing the pocket area, once constructed, with 3/4" ply. Then on top of that goes the cement board for the tile installation. I asked if the ply should be exterior grade, and the customer service rep. said they didn't think so, or it would have been specified that way by their people. I also indicated in our conversation that I would be using their framing kit that includes the steel clad split studs, and all the hanging hardware. I don't know if that made a difference in the recommendation of the plywood or not. What do you think of that plan?

I had hoped to use the hardware from Hafele, but not the framing kit, that is way expensive. But I thought the Hafele might be a good system. I watched an independent Youtube video on Hafele pocket door and it was mentioned sometimes people use the Johnson combined with the floor channel kit from Hafele, to keep the door centered.

I was about ready to throw in the towel and do a barn door in the hallway side of the room. I don't know, it might just be a lot easier and I still might do this.

Assuming you need a 32" pocket - then you would have to remove one stud, and if it's not a load bearing wall it would not matter. Naturally, the extra wall thickness (for the plywood/cement board) would extend into the shower side.

I have a real easy way of keeping the door centered. Forget the channel in the floor.

Get a piece of hardwood (oak, maple, whatever) about 1/8" to 3/16" thick. Cut it just a little less than the width of the pocket. Center it (and screw it) to the bottom of the door. This 'shoe' will keep the door centered.

Geoffrey, I don't get your 'shoe' discription. The Hafele channel is really a dado cut into the bottom of the door and a fin is screwed to the floor. The channel in the door rides on the short low profile fin near the opening. Hafele has a plastic piece that sets into the dado to protect the sides of the groove. These two pieces can be purchased individually.

When I talked to the Hafele rep on the phone today, He suggested that I just buy their roller system (not the framing) and have the carpenter build the pocket as needed. Hafele's pocket framing system, as I mentioned above, is VERY expensive.

" I don't get your 'shoe' discription."

Imagine you door is 1 1/4" thick. Take a piece of hardwood that is 1 3/4" wide x 1/8" thick, and fasten it to the bottom of the door (underside of the door). So the wood will protrude 1/4" on each side of the door. Now slide the door into the pocket. This 1 3/4" wide 'shoe' will keep the door centered in the pocket.

I've used Johnson tracks and split studs with good sucess - and they an not very expensive (I believe less than $100 a door.

Stick with Johnson hardware. You can find Brickeye's description in multiple places of the way he uses an aluminum angle piece and a channel in the bottom of the door instead of the little plastic things...
I would imagine, if you used sheathing on the pocket walls instead of usual sheetrock, you'd be able to not build that extra 2x4 wall described above.

Well you guys, I bought the Hafele track system over the weekend, but not the framing system. I hemmed and hawed over this and thought that I never want to cover this territory again. I was reading on a carpenter forum, not remembering the name, and there was talk of Hafele, Hager, and another I don't recall. One stated if you want this system to last 100 years then go with Hafele. Well that sold me on that track and roller system. Because that is exactally my motto with these remodel projects, "I want it to last for 100 years". I haven't got the shipment yet. So I will update when I get them.

As far as the Johnson stud system I did see an open box at the lumber yard on Friday. They looked very workable and stable. Since the box was open and I think missing the track system I thought about calling and making an offer for just the studs.

On the above mentioned carpenter forum there was mention of a laminated stub that can be special ordered. I thought that might be a grand solution too. Any input on that item?