Pocket doors are excellent space-saving solutions for cupboards, passageways, bedrooms and bathrooms – in short, almost anywhere in an interior!

Ermetika Pocket door systems are extremely easy to assemble and install.  However, there is a few checks that should be carried out before embarking on a retro fit pocket door project.  Before deconstructing anything, the following points should be worked through to ensure a pocket door is suitable for the interior or room in question.

  • Pocket doors require an opening to install that is twice as wide as the door itself. This means, that if there is a regular swinging door installed already, this will have to be removed, and also the wall structure along side the door.  (The exact amount of wall that needs to be removed, depends on what size kit has been chosen).
  • The wall should be checked to see if it is a load-bearing wall or a partition. Installing a pocket door in a load-bearing wall is a dicey proposition and shouldn’t be attempted without the advice of a structural engineer. Load-bearing walls would need a new header and a temporary support while the door is being worked on.
  • The wall thickness should also be considered. The existing wall thickness will need to be checked with the size of kit that has been chosen to ensure the final wall thickness will be the same.
  • The wall should be checked for wiring or plumbing. A wall with pipes or wires in it is not a good place to put a door, as these would have to be moved.
  • The direction that the door is desired to slide will need to be considered as this will only be possible if there is enough wall width that can be deconstructed to the required side of the door.

Once these checks have been carried out, the existing door and architraves can be removed.  The plasterboard to the side of the door where the pocket door frame will be situated should be cut away.  The exposed studs should then be carefully cut to make room for the new framing.

The Pocket Door installation guide should then be used to install the pocket door, as if the wall was a new construction.