I’m building a house (post and beam) and now tackling interior framing (which I have never done before). I’m framing in my first pocket door. I want to put a hall closet against the pocket door wall. Since the door has split studs I don’t want to damage them or poke nails into the pocket. Do I have to put up another entire stud wall next to the pocket door frame so I can have a back wall for the closet?? Hope this makes sense.
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Replies
I would try putting a sheet of 3/4" ply on the side where the closet is and then drywall. This would allow you to securely screw in hooks and brackets (hardware needed for closet), Ensure appropriately sized fasteners are used for hooks and closet hardware.
I'm so focused on 2x framing that I never even thought about plywood. Thanks for expanding my view through the forest. It sounds like it is going to work for my closet. I'm sure to have more questions as I tackle each step in building this house.
Lori
farmgal, I am only a DIY'r but I like the Johnson brand pocket doors, you assemble them and set it in place. I did sheet mine on the pantry side with 3/4 ply and it works great. Be sure to install the hardware carefully and make sure the jam is plumb and square (looks better when the door closes square to the floor and to the wall)I was impressed with the quality of the Johnson hardware, some other brands use cheap rollers and after a few years can come off the rails (ask me how I know). Then its a royal pita to get the door out of the jamb and rebuild the hardware. Jim
Framing a wall next to the pocket is cheating. Everyone needs to experience screwing/nailing a door open at least once. DAMHIKT. ;-)
Serious answer: If you have the design space, you can (as was suggested) skin the pocket wall with 1/2" or 3/4" ply to make nailing/screwing easier. Or, you can just be careful. Carefully mark where the pocket framing is, post large notes all over the wall ("USE SHORT NAILS - POCKET DOOR") just to remind yourself later as you're buzzing along on trim (you WILL forget) or, to inform somebody else working on that wall of the issues. And when you paint the wall, replace the marks/notes along the base immediately. (See above comment about you WILL forget).
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
See above comment about you WILL forget
HOW would you know that? HEY - Have you been on my jobsite?!! (I thought no one saw that!)View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
>Everyone needs to experience screwing/nailing a door open at least once. DAMHIKT. ;-)<
try same door 3 times in 2 days
"try same door 3 times in 2 days"
You win!
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
>You win!<
Saddly. Wasted far too much time fixing those 3 f-ups than I did on any other that I can think of.
Mike, good ideas, but have you not made notes for yourself, walked passed them several times during the day until they just become part of the woodwork so to speak? Then when it come time to use them they are completely out of mind. I would wager that a big note on a wall would just become noise to the mind after a week or so. LOL.
ONe would be laughing pretty hard after putting a screw through the wall and into the door and then go back to look at that big gaint note through which the screw were driven. LOL.
You're right. Notes do tend to "disappear" after you look at 'em long enough. I have taken to putting my notes on Blue Tape, affixed to the DW exactly where I'll be nailing the trim later. That way, I'm forced to deal with the tape/note as I am working the trim.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
When I can I use 2x6 framing for pocket door walls. Use 2x4 studs on the flat for the pocket area. Stronger, less flex, good nailing.
Everything everybody else said. and this too. I used 1/2" MDF to skin both sides of a bath/closet wall instead of the rock. Textured right over it. Doesn't telegraph like ply, and holds screws well. For heavier items I'd run a piece of 1X between the split studs on the outside of the rock/ply/mdf, and screw to that. Distributes the load.
Remember to put the inside trim in with screws to you can remove it if you have door track problems. I also made my finished openings 5/8" larger with another strike jam that I could remove. Door ever messes up, just remove the inside top door trim, split headjam, strike jam, center the door in the opening, lift it up, unclip, and remove it. A piece of 1X with an metal angle that can slip under the door makes it easy to lift.
I don't understand why you would install a second strike jamb. Every pocket door I have ever had to replace rollers on, all I had to do was remove the 3/8" stop from one side of the pocket-side jamb and split header, tilt the door and lift it out. BruceT
Edited 1/21/2008 11:13 pm by brucet9
The second strike takes the place of the stops on the split jam side. Just a different way to do it. IMHO, makes a cleaner install.
Interesting; How do you close up the large gap on both sides between the door and the pocket frame if you don't put stops there and how do you hide the plastic bottom guide?BruceT
The gaps are no more than 3/16" and the guides are screwed to the split jam. Visible, and easily adjustable.
I'lll shoot a pic if you're interested.
TomT226 - A pic would be great! I've got a few pocket doors in my future and would love to get a good handle on your way of doing things!
MBR closet, 2/0 louvered door. I have a 2/4 louvered door on the other side of the vanity, also a pocket. The wall is MDF so it could support a 50 lb oak mirror for the vanity. The strike jamb is 5/8" and has a 1/2" radius on both sides. You could make it as wide as the jamb, but that would ruin the 3/16" reveal around the casing. Used trim heads in the strike so it would just pop out. Just another way to do it.
Attached are some Sketchup images showing different ways to do pocket door framing using the widely-used Johnson frame kit. The "ply" and "five quarters" ways yield a beefier wall, but require 2x6 studs ripped down so the surrounding wall planes out to the boosted pocket plane.
The other pic shows it done with 2x4 studs and furring all over.
The pics are a great help. I am using 2x6s for the stud wall (probably overkill but I already have them) and I'm planning to order the johnson kit that is listed for 2x6s. The extra strike plate mentioned by Tomt also seems like a good idea if the door ever has to come out.
If you are using a 2x6 wall then all you need is the track kit, not the split studs,etc. Just use 2x on the flat on either side of the pocket.