Pocket door? Door swing directions??

16 years ago

Hi! I posted this on the "Baths" forum, but it is technically a remodel question to, so...

Our bathroom is 7' x 9'. The door is in the center of a 7' wall.

We're remodeling and have the opportunity to move the door, but only to the right on this one wall. The linen closet fills the area to the left.

Every bathroom I remember had the door swinging into the bathroom. If this door could swing out into the 6-ft. wide hallway, navigation in the bathroom would be so much easier.

Is there a "rule" or a reason why a bathroom door cannot swing outward into a wide hallway?

Also, what's the smallest wall area that can support a pocket door?

Thanks for any info you can share.

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Comments (6)

mightyanvil
16 years ago
The rule is simple: "try to avoid a door standing ajar, the edge of which someone would be likely to walk into".

Of course, adding a well made door closer will solve the problem.

A pocket door is expensive and is usually a bad option for a bathroom because it offers little sound separation; it will be left open most of the time; and it is virtually impossible to lock for privacy.

Why would a 7x9 bathroom not be able to accommodate a door opening inward?
borngrace
16 years ago
Our bathroom (6 x 10) has a door than opens outward -- but it is not into a hallway but into a corner of our bedroom.

It is very rarely shut and I would think could be a complete pain in a hallway unless your family has a habit of closing bathroom doors when they leave.
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I am facing the same design dilemma now for a new build. This was supposed to be a private bath for our daughter, but thought it would be good idea to put a door from the hallway as well, so that it is accessible from the hallway. One end of the hallway is a bonus - hangout room, where kids might have friends. Originally, we had it planned for the door to swing inside the bathroom (right hand in-swing). But, the builder said that, the in-swing direction would interfere with the ability to reach the switch (red box), so is recommending it to make it out-swing door. Even though this door will rarely be used, it would interfere with hallway traffic. Door is already ordered. Need to decide quickly. I guess the main problem is that I have a biased for bathroom doors to swing inwards. There is a possibility to get a new left-hand in swing door, but could hit the vanity, but would work. Unrelated note, my wife is leaning towards not putting the door there, keep the bathroom private for daughter and open son's bathroom from the hallway (too late for that due to plumbing)
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You'll find that any method used, which mitigates the potential of damage to the dining room wall, will be expensive, may be the deciding factor and you'll be hard pressed to find a contractor who can legitimately say there will be no damage to the dining room side. This is the method that I have employed on several occasions, and keep in mind that these are full 2" x 4" stud walls. I used a 2x4 pocket door jamb amended to fit. The plaster and lath is carefully removed about 10" up from the floor. Metal brackets are attached to the studs at the bottom plate to add additional vibration damping, and the plaster and lathing removal is then completed. Metal brackets are added at the top plates. The nails are cut and the diagonal bracing is carefully removed. With the depth of cut set at 2-7/8" I use a beam saw to cut the studs for the top of the header height.(The wall may not be "load bering" but it's still weight loaded). Using a 4" grinder with a masonry blade, the plaster which has penetrated the lath is removed adjacent to the studs to allow clear passage of the table of a cordless skill saw to pass unobstructed. The DEWALT that I use is 1-1/8" table edge to blade. The studs affected are then ripped from the header cut to the bottom. The metal brackets are removed, individually, and using a sawzall blade with least kerf, the cut is completed. This DOES NOT affect the lath attachment on the opposing side. The nails attaching the bottom plate to the floor joists are removed and the bottom plate is attached in the 1-1/8" area that will remain. The bottom plate is cut and removed and depending upon the height of your existing door, filler is added or additional floor sheeting removed for the placement of the new jamb. If it's your decision to retain the aesthetics of a cased opening, the jamb will need to be amended to fit. The header and framing is set and the amended jamb is installed. With the jamb set, square and aligned, pre-drill the horizontal 1x slats in the jamb and attach to the dining room studs, further stabilizing them. A flat 2x4 is added to the side of the top plates on the kitchen side. A 2x4 is ripped to create a 5-1/2" wall thickness for the bottom plate and nailed in place. 2x6's are then ripped, installed and they are similarly attached to the jamb. The rock lath secured with screws and the gypsum plaster applied.
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That means reframing the space for the door. Pocket door framing has smaller studs on each side, leaving the door opening in the middle. So, if the pocket door is a 32" door, the existing wall will need about 34" removed and the new frame installed.
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If you like swinging doors, but don't have the area for a full-sized door, consider this hack: http://www.2littlesuperheroes.com/2013/02/bifold-doors-turned-fancy-french-doors.html/ And convert a bifold (which screams "closet") into a double door (which screams "fancy"). All the perks of a full door, with half the swing. You can also add really easy to use locks on the doors still to make them functional, as well as full-size (dummy) handles for when you are older.
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sierraeast
16 years ago
Been waiting to read more responses to see if i can get this, but not gettin' it. We remodeled our two baths into one larger w/ a half bath and i changed the swing of the door to open out into the hallway. We have a small hallway comparitavely (36"), leaving about 32" in the area of the open door counting it's thickness and leverset. The door opens up flat against the hallway wall. We enjoy the freed up space in the bath because we only use the hallway as just that, a hallway. The door is almost always open w/ just my wife and i but when guests use the bathroom, they simply shut the door. I might see this being a hassle w/ a large family that has eight children w/ constant heavy traffic in the hall, but overall, im not seeing this as being too big a deal. Just a thought!
nicemac
16 years ago
I put a pocket door in a bath that had limited space and it worked very well. I bought a premium track and the latch mechanism I bought (don't remember where I found it) made it no problem to close or lock. It required opening a wall up to do, but in my opinion, was worth the effort.
raehelen
16 years ago
Caroline,

I'm the one who suggested/asked about a pocket door on your 'baths' post. I don't understand the sound separation comment. I grew up with two bathrooms with pocket doors, and we're probably replacing our current bathroom door that swings in, and is creating a mold problem by containing damp robes against an outside wall- our BR door is pretty well left open all the time. Since we're DIY, a pocket door won't be too much of an added expense, probably save money, cuz I won't have to buy handles! :>)

You basically need double the width of the door for a pocket door. I've included a link to Bob Vila (have to endure a few seconds of commercial first)

Here is a link that might be useful: Bob Vila installing a pocket door
sierraeast
16 years ago
Dont go w/ the cheap units at the big box stores, pay a little extra for a quality pocket door unit and have it installed professionally if it is unfamiliar territory.

Pocket door? Door swing directions??

Comments (6)

mightyanvil

borngrace

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