In #1 you really need to consider headering, support for the header, milling the studs to conform to lath deformation caused by tile masonry base coat. 2) "I have a situation" To quote Dave Hester YUUUP "Both doors would need to slide to the same side and could either be enclosed in a pocket or left visible." If you are building a pocket in the room, why do you need two doors? If the pocket is in another room or outside the building envelope, how is it going to be encased or wether protected?

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.

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.

"I went to work in an office that had a pocket door that never worked right because someone had driven nails into it at some point and it was never the same after" (palimpsest) Yes. This happened to us when DH nailed the baseboard on the wall between the laundry and kitchen. The door came off track. When we renovate I will replace or remove. However, this was builder grade. On our extension I added three pocket doors. The one I had put in for the powder room is a solid core door, not thinner than most doors, as I wanted as much sound-dampening as possible with such a device. We used Johnson Hardware - not the home depot variety which runs $ 40 or so, but commercial grade. Look at the Johnson site under 1500 Commercial Grade and you will also find non-standard size frames (door max thickness 1 3/4"). Use a good carpenter.