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!

I thought about doing this for my office doors, but it was just too much money and time. Instead I am using this barn door hardware and some doors I found at Habitat Restores. HOpefully it will get hung tomorrow. This is the hardware These are the doors This is the opening I also did a barn door for the kids bath. This is a small house and it saves room not having to worry about the swing of the door. Good Luck, Laura

What did you do? (Warning: Novel coming:) I am here to tell you that antique pocket door hardware is perfect, but 50s through early 90s hardware is AWFUL. Who ever thought a J channel would hold a door that gets a lot of use was an idiot. But not as big an idiot as anyone who installed it and walked away. It is ALL in the installation. I've put in 15 pocket doors using the Johnson Hardware's extruded tracks, with their 3-wheel system. No matter what the weight, I always use 3 rollers. Not only can I, a self-taught, dangerous DIYer, do it, but it's well balanced and beautiful. You don't need those giant pocket door kits, either. A 2x6 base plate, then 2x4s turned sideways down either side of the 2x6 makes the channel. The hardware goes on the top, add wheels, bumpers, trim and DONE. DONE I SAY! Your hardware fears are only valid if the same installation you're experiencing is used again, or the installation is too quick or faulty. I don't know what I'd do without the 9 extra square feet in my rooms. I've even used antique French doors (perfect for your dining room!?) in 3 of them. In the other doors, I'm using antique, horizontal 6-panel doors (harder to find than the 5-panel and cooler doors, I think) which are solid and beautiful. More interesting than any slab door. The only other tip I would suggest is to make certain they're exterior thickness, which is at least 1.75" thick. Interior doors these days are usually 1 3/8" thick and rather flimsy for a pocket. Today I'm installing the trim on the last of the French doors I'm using. It's an antique (i.e. also reclaimed) and just beautiful. Great sight line from the window in the mudroom, into the kitchen. Gives me more light than my dark kitchen than I'd had before. As you can see, I can't rave enough about my pockets. Don't let some contractor tell you they're too difficult or more expensive. Show them this DIYer's post and I'll help their pro-butts out. Remember, if this (nitwit) chick can do it, a pro should do it with their hammer tied behind their back.

That is why the electrician needs to know exactly what you want. It is likely that a 3 gang box will need to be 1/2" deeper than a single gang box. It can be done, but you want the extra trip to the specialty electric supply warehouse to be on the electrician, and not charging you a big up charge. The closet dimmer should have a 1.5" deep 4 square with a single gang drywall extension (mud ring) so the dimmer fits easily. If you do not mind the pocket door being off center, that leaves 2" of framing on the bathroom side which "should" be deep enough for a 3-gang if the right type of box exists. (Too lazy to look t up just now) It still might require some extra thinking on how to run the wires. If you want the door centered in the wall, it may be a little tougher. *Thinking a little more on the math, if you "assume" that all the lights are on the same circuit, then only one neutral would be required for all 3 switches. This would mean that the box would not necessarily need to be deeper for a two gang compared to a single gang since the lack of a second neutral wire partially offsets the proportionally skinnier box. The fact that all the ground wires are only counted once had only marginally helped before the new rules.