Installing pocket doors in existing cavity ...

[kelt65]

I just closed on a home, and while it was apparent that the front two rooms were originally joined via a doorway and since closed up with a closet build out, and the original wide door frame covered with french doors over the closet. I want to remove the closet and restore the original floorplan .. and when examining the door frame, I realized the French doors were not original (and will actually look quite goofy if I demolish the closet) and there are cavities on either side between the walls to accomodate pocket doors, which are a very common feature in New Orleans homes. Unfortunately, the hardware seems to be entirely missing and the doors are no longer there. I hope the upper track is still there ... will I need to cut into the walls to install them? Please tell me it can be done without destroying the plaster walls!!!!!

How difficult is it to install these? Obviously there are tracks at the top and bottom, and pocket doors are fairly easy to come by at salvage places. It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult ... all the info I see on the web is about home depot type junk.

[CS in Low Hud]

I take it that the doors are actually removed... and not just sitting in the closed off wall pockets? I ask, because so many times people take the easy way out, and leaving them buried in the wall is a not-uncommon easy way out.

Assuming that they are really gone, the big challenge is going to be finding hardware that matches the remaining tracks. Its possible that to do that, you will need access to those upper tracks.

If you do, you may be able to access the upper tracks, by removing the molding around the opening. This is doable if you are careful - break the bond between the plaster and the molding with a good matte knife, then using first thin putty knives, and later a good pry bar, slowly start to remove the molding, easing it off the wall a little at a time. Often there is a nail that was driven from the head casing into the side pieces. A reciprocating saw will make short work of that, but it's easy to rip up the wood. I like to take a loose hacksaw blade, wrap one end in electrical tape for a handle, and slip that into the gap to cut those nails.

Use a nail pull to draw any remaining nails out through the back of the trim pieces before you re-install.

Chris

[kelt65]

Well, there are planks covering the cavities, but one side has a hole I peered through. Door's definitely not there on that side. Keep in mind I do not even have the power transferred yet. Once I move in - 14 days and counting - I'll take the covers off and see what's still there.

I talked to some people at a local salvage place and they have all the hardware I'd ever need, if so.

The bottom track is definitely not there - no trace of it. Usually one can see at least where the bottom track was, but the floors have been refinished since then. Next weekend I'm going to go and pry off the little boards covering the cavities and see what's really up with it.

At this point I'm resigned to the fact I may have to remove or at least partially destroy the plaster walls on one side to get new doors installed. I feel like I am stabbing my house in the back doing that. Uggh, I hate tearing up plaster.

[Neighmond]

There may never have been any lower track-most of the pocket doors up here are suspended from a wood or steel track overhead, and have a pair of trollies on top of each door with rollers that are adjustable to height. Bear in mind that, if you have undisturbed plaster and they are still gone, someone got these doors OUT without wrecking the plaster, and if you can find the proper hardware, you can probably get them IN. As Chris said, the jamb will come out, and if you have a pair of singles instead of a double, as long as the track is sound you can hang and adjust the actual hang and fit of the trollies while the door is out in the middle of the opening, and then roll the thing out of the way in its own pocket and deal thusly with the next one. A good cheap way of keeping the doors from pulling out too far is to affix a little chunk of lath or some odd or end to the back of each door about halfway up. Once adjustments are made and all is well, use a hack saw blade to tip it at right angles to the door and it'll hit the back of the jamb and keep the door from coming all the way out. Some old timers did it that way when metal was dearly priced or hard to come by-you'll even find wooden rollers and tracking from those times.

If needs present you may get by with just cutting a portion of plaster just large enough for a fist with a large screw driver or box wrench, and if the door is a habitual offender (won't stay on track, floors shift each winter, whatever the case may be) or repair can't be made that is invisible, perhaps could be hidden with a flue cover or dummy heating grate.

Good luck!

Chaz

[kelt65]

Thanks for your reply Chaz. I don't think I've ever seen pocket doors with no bottom track here in my life, but I suppose it is possible. I looked in there yesterday and the top track is still there and not all rusted out or anything! Whew! They take 10 footers. It's going to be GRAND.

Yes sometimes people do put a bit of lathe as a stop, but normally there is a little handle to flick out on the edges of the doors to pull them.

[Neighmond]

.....Yes sometimes people do put a bit of lathe as a stop, but normally there is a little handle to flick out on the edges of the doors to pull them......img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-arZqkFlSGOU/U14_-hvvc8I/AAAAAAAAA6s/3x3zrn3XOLw/w1109-h832-no/2014-04-27+16.16.33.jpg[/img]

No, the lath goes on the pocket side of the door and you never see it back there-it keeps the door from coming all the way out of the hole.

[Texas_Ranger]

I've also seen small bottom track pieces just inside the opening, basically just a T-shaped piece of metal bolted to the floor and going into a groove at the bottom of the door.

[kelt65]

No, the lath goes on the pocket side of the door and you never see it back there-it keeps the door from coming all the way out of the hole.

Oh of course! Just never had the problem, didn't think of it.

[Chevygirlalways]

My house has 3 sets of pocket doors and there aren't any bottom tracs, just the top with a metal rail and brass rollers. Maybe the Southern states did things different than the Midwest.
Your new house is beautiful.

Susan

[Nettie]

My two sets don't have a lower track either. You can see one of them in the right side of this picture. Ours date back to the mid 1890's. I looked into removing them when I was stripping the paint off of them and it looked way too complicated so I stripped them in place. The instructions I found said to remove the molding strip that holds them tight in the opening and then find which way they swing and pull them out horizontally that direction until you can lift the roller off the track.