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Nee help fast! (Pocket Door trim)

Doug E | Posted in General Discussion on October 3, 2007 05:22am

I have to trim my very first pocket door tomorrow or Thursday and was wondering what the correct procedure is for installing jambs.  I asked at the yard if they had PD jamb stock and they had never heard of such a beast.  I now have a rocked 2×4 wall on the “strike” side and the two tracks (rocked) on both top and the “pocket” side.  Do I premake a jamb like a CO?  or install piece by piece starting with the top ?   If the latter do I use shims or just go tight to the top and pocket sides?  (Looks like it would be hard to shim there).    After I get the jambs in do I use stops, or anything else to pretty it up?  Both sides are fairly plumb. The tracks on the pocket side are enclosed in a metal “stud” with a small openings I assume for nailing the jamb.  Thanks for all your help.

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  1. User avater
    Jeff_Clarke | Oct 03, 2007 05:53am | #1

    The pocket doors just trimmed here ... we used a pair of colonial stops on the head and receiver jamb but nothing on the pocket side.

    Jeff

    1. grpphoto | Oct 04, 2007 05:19am | #10

      I used colonial stops all around for appearance.George Patterson

  2. dovetail97128 | Oct 03, 2007 06:06am | #2

    Doug,

    Take a deep breathe.

    Not all that difficult.

    I assume your track and frame are square, level and plumb.

    1)Hang the door on the track and adjust it to plumb.

    2) I start with the jamb side , stock should be the width of the finished wall plus 1/8" (1/16 ea. side). Cut to length so that it goes all the way up past the track to the pocket door header. (Tracks should stop short of the header) Shim the jamb so that it is plumb, now gently close the door against it and make sure they meet all the way down the mating surfaces. Adjust as needed( check that the door is plumb when open and closed, adjust the jamb , not the door).

    3) I use a 1 x 2 as jamb stock on each side of the pocket, install them next , length is such that they go all the way up to the pocket doors header (piece the track is fastened to , not the framing header)
    Shim and adjust so they match the door when it is slid back almost into the pocket.

    4) Now cut the head jambs to fit tight between the side jambs, you can nail the outside one in place (outside being the side the door is viewed from most often). I use small screw to fasten the "inside" head trim as this allows for ease of removal in the future if problems occur or adjustment of the door is necessary.

    5) Now nail your casing up , SHORT Nails! I use a pin nailer, do not nail or pin the top inside piece of casing to the jamb piece, nail above it so that the top inside jamb piece remains removable.

    6) DO NOT FORGET : This is a pocket door when you are nailing your base up!!! Long nails in the base will nail your door open or closed!

    "Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca

  3. DougU | Oct 03, 2007 02:11pm | #3

    I do mine exactly like dovetail except for one thing - when I do my inside head piece, the removable one, I will pin the corners of the casing with a micro pinner so that the casing stays put, if you do have to take it apart you wont have any problem pulling those nails loose. Remember  though, dont glue the miters on that head casing.

    Doug

    1. User avater
      basswood | Oct 04, 2007 01:45am | #6

      Doug,Here is an interesting pocket door I installed earlier this year with arched trim. It makes the square door look like a much more expensive arched top door. Adjusting this door will not be easy though...any ideas?Another idea...I use bipass door bottom guides on my pocket door installs.Cheers,Brian

      1. dovetail97128 | Oct 04, 2007 02:22am | #7

        basswood, Very nice !

        Why can't you use the same technique of a removable head piece for adjusting though?

        How about a pic of the door in a half closed/open position, I am trying to visualize just how you hung it from the rail. I will second the use of the bypass door guides. I have done that on occasion."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca

        Edited 10/3/2007 7:23 pm by dovetail97128

        1. User avater
          basswood | Oct 04, 2007 05:48am | #12

          The door is a complete rectangular slab--mounted to the rail as any standard pocket door would be.The trick is that I had to plow the corners of the pocket door frame to allow the arch to be covered in drywall into the corners of the door opening...does that make any sense?Access is a problem, even after you remove the casing there is drywall in the way of getting a wrench on the trolleys for adjustment.I may be able to get another picture in the next week or two.

          1. dovetail97128 | Oct 04, 2007 06:00am | #14

            basswood,
            thanks for the answer, I will remember that trick."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca

        2. User avater
          basswood | Oct 12, 2007 03:58am | #30

          Here is the pic you asked for:

          1. dovetail97128 | Oct 12, 2007 04:41am | #31

            Basswood, Thank you , the pic "connects the dots " so to speak as to how you did it.
            They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

      2. DougU | Oct 04, 2007 04:38am | #8

        Brian

        I saw that when you originally posted  it, very nice.

        I'm not trying to one up you but take a look at this pocket door! It's in the house that I'm supposed to be closing on Friday, we'll see how that goes, damn realtor and HO's.

        You can see in the archway where the pocket door track is........... carpet doesnt allow the door to open all that well.

        There isn't any visible way to take this door our or adjust it without tearing into the plaster, which is exactly what  I will do, its not a keeper. This door was probably installed somewhere back in the 1930's, its in a picture of the house that appeared in the local newspaper back then.

        I think you improved on this idea(the arched pocket door) vastly!

        Doug

        Edited 10/3/2007 9:40 pm ET by DougU

        1. dovetail97128 | Oct 04, 2007 04:51am | #9

          Doug,
          Hardwood floors under that carpet?"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca

          1. DougU | Oct 04, 2007 05:33am | #11

            When this place was built hardwood floors were still a few years away.

            In the living room there is oak flooring that was added in the 20's or 30's but that will come up, not going to have any oak in my house!

            Doug

        2. User avater
          basswood | Oct 04, 2007 05:56am | #13

          Wow Doug,There is nothing new under the sun! I never did claim this as my idea though...the builder asked me if I could do it (at the HO's request)...I figured out a way to get it to happen.And you can "one up" me any day...I'm usually amazed by the pics you post.I'm callin' it a day,Brian

          1. DougU | Oct 04, 2007 06:20am | #15

            I'm callin' it a day,

            Well then read this when you get up!

            Brian, I wasnt trying to one-up ya, just found it funny that I had, albeit somewhat primitive, a similar pocket door. I'd much rather have yours then the one I have.

            To tell you the truth I dont even know what the door looks like because I cant open it up all the way. And it will stay that way for some time, I'm going to gut the upstairs and redo three bedrooms and two baths before I even start to work on the main floor. And we both know how well that will go considering its a non-paying job!

            ga-nite

            Doug

          2. calvin | Oct 04, 2007 01:53pm | #16

            What hangs it up doug? A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

            Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

            http://www.quittintime.com/

             

          3. JohnT8 | Oct 04, 2007 04:48pm | #17

            I'm gonna guess the carpet.  Looks like it isn't too old and I can't see any sign of a track on the floor.

             jt8

            "Those who wish to sing always find a song." -- Swedish Proverb

          4. DougU | Oct 05, 2007 04:43am | #22

            Calvin

            I assume you mean what is keeping the door from opening/closing?

            Like T8 said, the carpet but also the track/rail system that was fabricated out in some barn!

            See my post to Bryan, these people were pretty imaginative when it came to saving money on store bought material if they thought they could make something better out of scrap!

            One of the main reasons that I will tear it out is because it just don't fit! The Amanas are similar to what most people think about Amish, Shaker or Mennonite, religious sect and communal living. I want the house to have those characteristics when I'm done and a pocket door with arched top just doesn't fit.

            Doug

          5. calvin | Oct 05, 2007 04:50am | #23

            Thanks Doug.

            So, the Amana's are a group of people.

            And the Amana plant was started outta that group?

            Just interested in a little history here and watching the game and google-ing just don't work.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

            Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

            http://www.quittintime.com/

             

          6. DougU | Oct 05, 2007 05:42am | #25

            Calvin

            http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amana/intro.htm

            this will probably give you a better description then I ever could!

            Amana Refrigeration was started by George Forstner who was an Amana-nite, also my neighbor when I bought my first house out here 21 years ago.

            I'm not Amana, and everybody out here knows that! Your either one of them or your an outsider, I prefer the latter.

            I didn't read much of the link that I posted but Amana Refrig was started after WWII and has been here ever since(In Middle Amana). They started out making big refrig units, I think store type stuff and then with the boom for housing and more electricity in homes the shift for more appliances for the home became their MO.

            I gotta catch up on some baseball too, Go Arizona!!! Not a zona fan but if your a true RED Cardinal fan you sure as heck don't want to see a Cub in the world series!

            Doug

             

            Edited 10/4/2007 10:43 pm ET by DougU

          7. calvin | Oct 05, 2007 05:54am | #26

            Thanks Doug.

            Go Tribe!A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

            Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

            http://www.quittintime.com/

             

          8. User avater
            basswood | Oct 05, 2007 07:01am | #27

            Doug,The arched pocket door I did was the first I had seen...it figures that it had been done before. Ecclesiastes makes more sense the older I get.I'm glad you posted that pic. I look forward to seeing and hearing more about your project/home.I've not made too much headway on my foundation fixing...trying to catch up on business projects.

        3. BryanSayer | Oct 04, 2007 04:56pm | #18

          I would not jump to the conclusion that you have to rip into the plaster to remove or adjust the door. Maybe, but maybe not.Bill Rigby knows a lot about old pocket door hardware and how they work. You might want to check with him.http://www.wmjrigby.com/

          1. DougU | Oct 05, 2007 04:35am | #20

            Bryan

            Thanks but I've probably dealt with 50 old pocket doors in my time and I'm real familiar with them but the people that lived in these Amana homes were the most ingenious people when it came to saving a buck, they knew how to do a lot on nothing. The track and door is all hand made/cobbled together, not a typical store bought system.

            I have another old Amana house and all the plumbing in it was old Amana refrigeration used pipe(the house is about a block away from the Amana Refrigeration factory), 1 1/4" down to 3/4" up to 2" back down to 1/2"........you get the drift, these people are about as thrifty as it gets!

            I appreciate the link though, maybe I can use it on a more conventional system some day.

            Doug

            Edited 10/4/2007 9:36 pm ET by DougU

          2. JohnT8 | Oct 05, 2007 07:11pm | #28

            you get the drift, these people are about as thrifty as it gets!

            I don't know about the Amana area, but the parts of IA I've been in were full of Swedes.  Well known for their "thrifty" natures ;)

             jt8

            "Those who wish to sing always find a song." -- Swedish Proverb

          3. DougU | Oct 05, 2007 08:40pm | #29

            John

            I come from an area that's all Bohemian, man nobody can stretch a penny better then them, well......... except for the Germans! This community is a German sect just like the Mennonites and the Amish.

            Doug

            Edited 10/5/2007 1:41 pm ET by DougU

  4. dovetail97128 | Oct 03, 2007 10:54pm | #4

    Doug,
    I hope this isn't too late to help.

    I forgot to list placing the bottom guides for the pocket door.

    I usually place them before installing the pocket side jambs and then remove (simply carve it out , Dremel, sharp chisel , whatever) the back of the jamb stock where it overlays the guides as I install the jamb pieces.

    "Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca

  5. User avater
    dedhed | Oct 04, 2007 12:48am | #5

    I used stainless screws and finish washers on the inside pocket jamb and header

  6. DanH | Oct 04, 2007 04:58pm | #19

    > I have to trim my very first pocket door tomorrow or Thursday and was wondering what the correct procedure is for installing jambs.

    Well, obviously -- you install the jambs with pocket screws. Screw them in with your pocket knife.

    If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
    1. dovetail97128 | Oct 05, 2007 04:43am | #21

      Dan ,
      I wonder if he ever read the replies to his question.
      They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

      1. DanH | Oct 05, 2007 04:50am | #24

        Who cares? I never read the question. ;)
        If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

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