like a pocket door...but outside the wall

17 years ago

Can anyone give me any information on hanging a sliding door? It would be the same idea as a pocket door, but not going inside the wall. It would slide along the surface of the wall instead.

I've searched google like a crazy, but I don't know what this type of door would be called. My search keeps bringing results for patio doors, and closet doors.

Is there a specific name for this type of door?

Has anyone had any experience with this type of door?

The house we're planning on buying has a loft bedroom, but no door at the base of the stairs. There is no room for a traditional door there, and there is wiring inside the wall, which would make a pocket door more complicated to install...so we were thinking of the idea of a sliding door.

thanks to anyone who can offer advice,

Kim

Featured Answer

jrice

17 years ago

I have done several of thest type installs. The thing to consider is if you have at least an equal amount of wall space to open the door enough to clear the jamb opening. So if you have a 2'8" door you will need at least that much wall space to slide the door for a full opening.
they can be great conversation pieces and can be used as pieces of art as well depending on the door design, if any. We have a couple of these in our bathrooms replacing the hinged doors that took up space when open. One of the slab doors I cut out a part of and framed in a wire glass piece we found in an antique shop. Have taken it with us to three different houses we have lived in. Replaced it with a simple slab door from the local lumer supplier when we left. They work great and are easy to install. Just purchase a pocket door track , or barn door track if you like, and rollers, frame it in and you are in business. Good luck.

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Comments (17)

sierraeast
17 years ago
You might have to go with the closet door route by using an overhead track and doing some creative woodwork to cover the tracks(valance).

Or you could frame out another wall against the existing for a pocket door, if you have the room.It wouldn't have to be a full wall, just wide enough for the pocket door. You could do some creative wallbaoard/trim work to make it asthetic.

You might try googling door hardware and see if there might be an outfit that has something. I've only seen barn doors that slid on tracks as well as some metal buildings that have a track door system, but haven't seen anything interior.These days there has to be something out there.

Possibly contact a door outfit in your area, or a cabinet shop.
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sierraeast
17 years ago
Might be something here

Here is a link that might be useful: sliding doors
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If you're in the planning stages think about eliminating the jogs in the front wall - it'll be easier to frame and give you more interior floor space. Check with builder - if it costs less to frame the front wall as one continuous wall broken only by the front door, then it shouldn't be too hard to convince your DH. My DR is 13'1" x 14'3", and even though I have a large hutch on one side and small buffet on the end, I only seat 6. I bought 2 more chairs (unfinished) on CL, we'll have to move the buffet away from the stair wall in order to seat 8 people and still have room to push the 2 chairs at the ends out for people (arm chairs) to get in and out and also be able to walk past one end to get to kitchen. As far as opening up the stairs, I can't tell how far the wall comes out in front of your bottom tread (or how much room you have from the front of the tread to the front wall), but pretty much you'll just be getting rid of the door and then losing maybe 3ft of wall space from the door to the corner (depending on run of stairs). Unless you're planning on putting a big screen TV or large hutch on that wall, I don't think it will affect furniture placement much. And if the door isn't 36" or more, having it open will as I said help with moving furniture like sofa in, even if you have a newel post there before moving in. I only have 36" from edge of bottom tread and opposite wall, there was no way we could have moved the DR furniture in with a newel post in front of, or even on, the bottom tread. And forget about a wall and door there (which I originally wanted, but glad the builder talked me out of)! My DR table is 42" wide - a lot of sofas are close to 40" front to back.
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Before my DH bailed, he jury-rigged a metal and glass door between the mudroom and the kitchen. He simply used a normal screen door. He just changed the hardware. Actually he took it off and was going "to get it later" so I just have a hole there, but as always, I can live with it. It's even the kind where the top glass portion slides down, so the screen can be open between the rooms. Someday, I'll put in a regular door. Why would you need kick plates, michoumonster? You never use your feet to shut them... LOL! Also, my doors aren't all that unique, actually. I love the doors like rhome has, with the 5 panels. I've found old ones at the reuse centers that even have 6 panels. To be honest and fair, my existing doors are just fine. Solid, exterior, modern 6-panel maple doors. I just don't like them. In the name of not settling, I am going with the older doors with more character. I'm even saving to have some of them dipped (I know, careful of veneers, glue, etc.) so I can fix them up without ruining them. At this point, most are lying against the living room wall. I love them, though. :) gypsy_jazz, what do you use the the guide? I'm in a position to install these doors well, so I want to explore all the options. Thank you!
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Keep in mind that when the door is OPEN it is IN the pocket. When the door is CLOSED it is OUT of the pocket. The 2x6 is turned 90 degrees so the wide face is exposed to the room, and they are used in pairs on EACH side of the pocket (both rooms). You could also just use 2x4s, but turned flat they still flex. The extra wood in the 2x6 helps stiffen the wall back to nearly normal. It also provides the extra depth required to mount any electrical boxes in the wall compared to the metal wrapped 1x in the pre-framed kits. If you use the angle trick to capture the bottom of the door, when a regular width door is closed it will be pretty much OUT of the pocket. This means it is NOT caught on the angle but is free to swing. By extending the door (or using the next LARGER width door, some of the door will remain in the pocket when it is closed. This allows it to stay captured on the track. The pocket needs to be deeper to allow the door to open all the way. The track should also NEVER be attached to a header in a weight bearing wall. A secondary header should be installed with about a 1/2 inch clearance below the structural header. If the header bows (and they all do to some extent) it can cause problems with the track. If the wall is NOT weight bearing the header will not be loaded and you CAN omit the second header.
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Well, I opened the wall Friday and I found two heating ducts in the way in one wall and two supply pipes and a waste pipe in the other, so the usual pocket door is dead. Guess what else I found, two splices of 15 amp lines, and not the first time I've found shortcuts and outright code violations in this house. I won't say who built this house but it rhymes with A$$hole Bros. Matt, the doors I want to hang weight 100 lb. Do you think that on the wall track who gave me a link to is robust for long term track stability? The instructions claim good for 150 lb but I'm paranoid. Perhaps to be totally safe, should I construct a new frame from whense to hang the track in the usual fashion. Or am I just being an old woman. Don't want to open up the wall in 10 years to fix a sagging track. Brick, I'm a little confused. By 1X lumber, do you mean frame the wall next to the door with 1X2s and then attach 3/8 plywood to it, finally cover with 3/8" drywall? Or would the plywood go first and then the 1X2s to attach the drywall? Thanks!
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abnorm
17 years ago
Or try these at Johnson Hardware

Here is a link that might be useful: Johnson Hardware
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mag77
17 years ago
Either pocket door hardware or bypass closet door hardware will work. You'll have to work out the details yourself, but it's not complicated. I made privacy doors at a couple of my college apartments by hanging them from closet door track which I'd fastened to 4x4s bolted to the wall.

John
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patti_bee
17 years ago
We plan to use the Johnson hardware for this type of door between my sewing room and the laundry/mudroom. Our architect recommended it and it looks like a perfect solution to our dilemma. I'm planning to put cork or a magnetic board on mine so that I can use it as a bulletin board too (it's right by my sewing machines).
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sierraeast
17 years ago
That johnson hardware website is awesome!
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abnorm
17 years ago
""That johnson hardware website is awesome!""

I agree !!

Their (heavy duty) hardware itself is VERY strong and beefy compared to "normal" Big-box brands.......

and they even have a line of Universal hardware to replace other brand broken parts
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sierraeast
17 years ago
Thanks for posting that site, abnorm!
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brickeyee
17 years ago
Thenonly problem with the Johnson hardware for pocket doors is the plastic 'tabs' that are used to prevent swinging of the door.
They invariably scratch the door finish.
I put a section of aluminum angle in the bottom of the pocket that catches a groove cut into the bottom of the door.
No swinging, no scratches.
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oruboris
17 years ago
Johnson makes great stuff, but I personally like the oldfashioned exposed hangers better than a set that has to be boxed in for home use [I use both in my barns].

From barndoorhardware.com
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taft
17 years ago
We're doing the same thing for a door that goes between the master bath and the master walk-in closet. We're using the exposed barn door hardware because it will be on the closet side and no will see it but I wanted to add that since this sliding door will be in our bathroom that I'm having a large mirror mounted on the door, both sides, to elimnate the need for a full length mirror elsewhere.
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mahatmacat1
17 years ago
Look in the back of the current Dwell Magazine. There are no fewer than 5 suppliers of the type of hardware and doors you're talking about.

Quite the trend.
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homemasons
17 years ago
Kim,

Barn Door Hardware is what you want. Google that, and find the track from any of a number of farm & tack supply stores.

As for an actual door panel, anything like a door will work...a standard right-sized door slab, etc. We love to go to architectural salvage houses and find beautiful, unique old doors - even old barn or garage doors - for fairly cheap. It makes for "architectural art"; adds instant history and interest.

Mason
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laurmela
17 years ago
I am interested in doing this between the bedroom and bathroom. The only problem I see is that on the wall the door will open on there is an electrical outlet, that we currently have the TV plugged into. I guess we could run the cord along the baseboard pass the door opening.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Laura
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laurmela
17 years ago
Mason,

Wish there were more architectural salvage places around here that weren't really expensive (soCal). Would this work with french doors? Like using the overhead track to have 2 french type doors that open to opposite sides but meet in the middle?

Just thinking aloud!

Thanks,
Laura
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oruboris
17 years ago
Yes, you can do it with 2 panels. You use one track and 4 hangers.

I did for my pantry. In fact, on the inside of the pantry, I rigged some ropes and pulleys so that the doors move together [open one, the other opens too]. Not really pretty, though, so you wouldn't want it to do it where both sides would be visible.
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like a pocket door...but outside the wall

jrice

Comments (17)

sierraeast

sierraeast

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