Pocket Door Assistance

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jjbodean1970

jjbodean1970

Joined
May 10, 2004
Threads
59
Messages
1,218
Location
Huntington, WV
so, i installed 2 pocket doors that had been framed in with the johnson pocket door kits by my contractor. the first one was a major PITA, never done one before. the second one was easier once i had one under my belt. heres the problem: door number 2 keeps sliding closed when in the open position. not all the way closed, but about half way. i have tried to redistribute the weight back some to no avail, not to mention that it causes a gap at the top of the door. i am thinking the contractor didnt install the track completely level and thats what is causing the door to slide ajar.

looking for a solution that doesnt involve tearing out sheetrock and repositioning the track if possible. surely some of you have much more pocket door experience than myself. TIA!
 
Yep, sounds like the track's not level. I am no pocket door guru, so I don't have any worthwhile advice for you. I'd look to see if there might be some sort of leveling apparatus, but I've never seen one before.

-Spike
 
Home contractor for over 20 years.Pocket doors work great if put in right.Use top stanley hardware with ball bearing ,double wheel rollers ,these will allow lots of adjustment.If the track is horribly unlevel you will have to shim the track the wheel rollers glide in, and make it more level. Hope this helps. Mike
 
Slide the level as far into the pocket as you can and still read the bubble. If in fact the lowest spot is back in the pocket, you may have to loosen the screws holding the track and EVENLY shim down the track so that it is level. Make sure your shims are flat and glued if you need to drop the track a bit. You can adjust the doors for a best fit...but it won't correct out of level. Feel free to PM with any other issues.
 
titanpat57 said:
Slide the level as far into the pocket as you can and still read the bubble. If in fact the lowest spot is back in the pocket, you may have to loosen the screws holding the track and EVENLY shim down the track so that it is level. Make sure your shims are flat and glued if you need to drop the track a bit. You can adjust the doors for a best fit...but it won't correct out of level. Feel free to PM with any other issues.
Click to expand...

can this be done from the opening of the door? its kind of a tight fit for my arm, but i could manage it if you think its possible without cutting out sheetrock, which i am trying like the plague to avoid.
 
It's been quite a while since I messed with a pocket door. The way you describe it is that the track is low in the door opening and high back in the wall. The only way I can think of to get to the track in the wall is to cut the drywall. You may be able to take a block of wood and drive up the framing that the track is attached to in the opening and shim it to level things out. Don't hit the track. I know this does not sound like a tried and true way of doing this but I know how you feel. Drywall sucks. I'm a carpenter by trade and run work for a commercial drywall contractor. Good Luck
 
it now appears that the same door is rubbing very lightly on the painted side of the door thats installed. that sucks, but i sure am glad its not the stained side instead. looks like i am gonna need to get with my general contractor and have the sub come out to fix these issues. have not paid the general contractor in full yet so i have some leverage to make sure it gets done.
 
I need to know the size of the door. You can buy extensions, flexible and straight, at the Depot cheap enough to reach in there (combined with lots of patience) You can always take a piece of some light weight aluminum flat stock and tape to your level(so you can see the bubble, but still reach into the pocket). See what the GC says...but no adjustment in the world will make do for an out of level track.
 
the door is 96 tall 30 wide and 1 3/8 thick, solid poplar. big and heavy. PITA to take on and off.

what if i move the door guides so they are more snug to the bottom of the door? may make the door not glide as smoothly, but may also help hold it in place when completely open.
 
There should be a nylon guide at the bottom nailed to the framing on the side where when the door is open it keeps it from rubbing.Easy fix. If the header is way off level ,you probably need to remove rock,this in my view is better than playing with the door for the rest of your life! Shoot the trim man!He should have cought it in the finish out. Mike
 
I'd call the General. Never mind how to fix it. It was his install and his install that caused the door not to operate properly. It does not matter who the sub is, you hired the general and it is his job to deliver a product that is as described.

Besides, in this market, if he wants you to pass his name on to other potential clients, he'll give you what you paid for. Like everything else now, it's a buyers market.

BTW, I used to be a general and I had to deal with some unsatisfied customers due to a subs negligence. Bottom line, they hired my company, not the sub so it was my finished product that was not up to par and my problem to take care of.
 
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