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Home Repair Building a Home Design Dilemma

wire closet system on wall with pocket door

2 years ago

Hi,

We want to use a closetmaid wire system - you mount horizontal top track, hang vertical pieces that lie flush against back wall, and mount shelves with brackets on the vertical pieces.

Closet is 60" wide. The left half of the back wall has a pocket door in it.

The right half of the closet will have the rod. The left half will have 4 shelves for clothing so it won't be a ton of weight.

We're trying to figure out how to mount this.

Instructions say to mount the top track to studs. Is it safe to mount to the top plate instead since that goes all the way across?

To secure things on left side, would it be enough to use L brackets with slots so we screw into stud on side wall and then into the wire system for support.

Thanks,

Monica

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Comments (4)

M Riz
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
The weight for that closet system should be supported solely by the header track. Its important to screw it into wood. The vertical shelf supports have to be anchored to the wall so the shelves can be attached. I have pocket doors and i saw them as they were framed in so i have a bit of an idea how the inside looks. The header should have no problem being screwed into the wall OVER the door. There should be a header over the door, probably transitioning to 18“ on center studs to the right of the door. The difficulty will be with the vertical supports. In my situation, theres a cage made with what looked like 1x3s that the open doors slides into. You can screw the vertical supports into that wood but you must be careful with the size screw. Too long screws will go into the door. Im not sure how you would secure it if there isnt a ’stud’ available to screw into. You would need support for a hollow wall, like a drywall anchor. You would need something super shallow as to not interfere with the door. I suggest you plan this while the wall is open for the door installation. Take pictures and measurements to use when youre ready to hang your shelves. Maybe ask the door hanger for advice. Good luck.
Monica H thanked M Riz
bpath
2 years ago
Use elfa. The track screws into the header (or, optionally, studs) and the standards hang from it. It's very strong.
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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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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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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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Peggies you are now on the blacklist - pockets are the "doors du jour" on Houzz. I have removed pockets and left in the frame for clear openings. If it is a steel frame you will need to expose the side to unscrew the track, as your steel studs are mounted integral with it. If the swing door latch is against the pocket frame, I suppose you could get away with just a jamb, but if it's the hinge side you will need 1 or 2 trimmer studs. The swing door will be smaller than the nominal pocket door slab size in any case.
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jackowskib
2 years ago
Consider Elfa system from The Container Store. You can configure your layout on their website. I have several shelves and love the product.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
I need to see the space too.

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