How Much Bigger Should A Pocket Door Be Than The Opening?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Determining what size to make rough openings for single pocket door framing is a simple process. Almost all hardware manufacturers state in their instructions,

width of the rough opening is two times that of the door plus one inch

and the height is seven feet one inch.

What size pocket door do I need?

Check That You Have Enough Space

A pocket door requires a “sleeve” inside the wall to retract into. For a traditional 32-inch-wide interior door, you'll need

at least 66 inches of linear wall space

: 32 inches for the door and the rest for the housing.

How do you measure for a pocket door?


Double the width of the desired door, or pair of doors

, to determine the wall space that's needed to install the pocket door frame. For example, 48 inches is needed to install the frame for a 24-inch pocket door, and 64 inches is need to install the frame for a 32-inch pocket door.

What is the rough opening for a 32 inch pocket door?

For example, a 2-foot 8-inch door (32 inches) the rough opening needs to be

65 inches

. The height of the rough opening off the rough floor surface is usually 84.5 inches.

Can I install a pocket door in an existing wall?

To install a pocket door in an existing wall, you

have to remove

, and it's easier to uncover the entire wall instead of trying to work in a limited opening. … You'll need to set new king studs and trimmers, place the header and install cripple studs between the header and the top plate of the wall.

Can a pocket door go in a 2×4 wall?

Pocket doors are really convenient when you are tight on space, but they aren't always the easiest doors to use. … This is especially the case on pocket doors that are taller than the standard 6'8′′. The reasoning is

a 2×4 wall really has no room for framing other than a 1×2 or 1×4

.

Do pocket doors have a bottom track?

Typically, pocket doors have an upper track only, but

if you plan ahead you can have a bottom track

. This gives the sliding door a robust fixing and makes it less likely to flap about when in the open position. It involves fixing the track into the floor — one way to do this is with a router in a timber floor.

Are pocket doors hard to install?

If you have simple tools, you can install the pocket door frame and

hardware with little difficulty

. Installing the door into the pocket is also fairly easy to do. … The most important part of installing a pocket door is making sure the rough opening is square, plumb and in the same plane.

Can you install a pocket door without removing drywall?

If you simply want to replace a pocket door or remove it in order to repair it,

you don't have to tear into the drywall

! That's great news. All you have to do is lift the door off the sliding track. … To replace the whole door, you have to get the old door out by using the same method – getting the trim off.

Do pocket doors work well?

Pocket doors are a great solution for

smaller spaces

that lack the wall space for a full swing door. This makes them perfect for small bathrooms, closets and connecting those two areas, for example between a master bath and the walk-in closet. … A large opening can reduce the structural integrity of the exterior wall.

What size rough opening do I need for a 30 inch pocket door?

The rough opening width should

equal two times the door width plus 1” (25.4mm)

. For example, a 30” (76.2 cm) door multiplied by two equals 60” (152.4 cm) plus 1” equals 61” (154.94 cm) rough opening width. Refer to Table 2 on page 2 for all other door width dimensions.

How much space do you need for a 36 pocket door?

The rule of thumb for sizing the opening is door width times 2 plus 1 3⁄4”. For example, to install a 36” pocket door you're going to need an opening that is

73 3⁄4” wide

– (2 X 36 = 72, 72 + 1 3⁄4” = 73 3⁄4”) while installing a 32” door would require an opening 65 3⁄4” wide.

What size opening do I need for a 36 inch door?

Presuming the door is a 36-inch wide door, the dimensions of your opening should be

371⁄2 inch wide by 811⁄2 inch tall

.

Can you change a regular door to a pocket door?

To hang a pocket door, you need a rough opening that is

twice as wide as the door itself

. This means taking down the old swinging door, removing the jamb and disassembling the wall framing. You'll also need to remove drywall and relocate any electrical wires that are in the way.

How long does it take to install a pocket door?

It's important for the size of the pocket door to match the pocket frame size. How Much Time Will It Take? After the door opening has been created, it should take

about half of a day

to install the door, drywall and door frame, the wall and installation, it could take another one or two days.

How thick does a stud wall need to be for a pocket door?

The idea is to build the pocket to the same thickness as the studwork –

75mm (3′′) or 100mm (4′′)

which are the two standard studwork sizes generally in use – so that you can directly continue the standard 12.5mm plasterboard over the pocket providing the finished wall thickness of either 100mm (4′′) or 125mm (5′′).

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.