Pocket Doors, Kits, and Systems Explained

What Is A Pocket Door?

Pocket door kits give you everything you need  for installing this type of sliding door system that, when completely open, disappears into a compartment in the adjacent wall. A pocket door system is also known as a concealed door or hidden door.

Sliding doors as such, can be mounted on the outside of a room, with the door running parallel to the point of entrance. However, for it to classed as a pocket door, it should be become hidden from sight when opened by sliding into a ‘pocket’ in the wall.

Pocket Door Kits And Systems

The pocket is hollow, allowing the door to roll in and out as needed. Pocket doors can be extremely stylish. Normally plywood, solid wood, glazed wood, or even the toughened glass of French windows, can be used on a pocket door kit sliding system.

When opting for fully glazed frameless internal doors, this can create an excellent source of natural light if your room is situated to promote this.

Pocket doors are an architectural designers dream, as they are the ideal system when room space is at a high premium and normal swing doors take too much space.

Utilising Floor Space

Double pocket door kit

Pocket doors are best known as space-savers, but they also bring an element of minimalism to any room. In turn-of-the century homes, pocket doors can be considered a convenient and authentic feature. This type of concealed door are also a preferred choice for apartments or studio flats, where space can be paramount.

The average full-swing door opens to a radius of between 2 to 3 feet. For full use of the door, this equates to around 10 feet sq. of free space. This is a considerable loss of space, especially in a smaller room like a small bathroom, closet, or study for example. Other issues with a swing door in a small room may mean the door collides with a toilet or basin for example.

A pocket door kit will free up the area and will not encroach onto this useful space or, will give you that space back if you are opting to replace a standard swing door with a pocket door system.

Because a sliding concealed door doesn’t occupy any extra square footage due to it been hidden in the wall, they can be a great option if you are wanting to split a room by incorporating a concealed door system in your dividing wall, you can immediately create an accessible but separate flexible “other space”.

The History Of These Doors

Popular in the late 1800s, especially in Victorian houses, pocket doors also had a revival in the 1950s. However, back then, the pocket door kits included raised tracks on the floor and, the pocket doors in the main was a simple panel on runners.

The raised tracks were a tripping hazard, and early styles came with many headaches if the mechanism and runners went wrong, so builders and homeowners avoided pocket doors where possible. For further reading visit Martha Stewarts topical piece on the history of the pocket door.

Today, pocket doors can be built out of virtually any kind of door design, in fact, most doors are sufficient for use as pocket doors. Whether you prefer solid or glazed – glass pocket doors are a great addition if you are wanting to utilise light, whether affordable or high-end design; laminate, wood veneered or coloured, pocket door systems are extremely versatile in meeting a multitude of preferred choices.

Video Tour Of The Evo Pocket Door Kit

YouTube video

Space Saving And Silent Pocket Door Track Kit

Depending on the size of your opening, pocket doors are available as single or double pocket door kit. The doors move (slide) on rollers suspended from a track system, giving you a silent running open and close action.

Runners pocket door systems come as a kit, that includes all the latest door gear, guaranteeing a perfectly smooth operation every time. There are also options including soft-close pocket and soft close sliding door hardware to really bring your investment to the top.

Designer

Pocket Door Kits

The pocket door kit range from Runners are not just practical and space-saving, they are stylish, attractive, and classy.

With many options within the range, there is a variety of sizes to fit perfectly into your space.

View the range here.

Other Sliding Door Systems From Runners Include:

Click here to view the full range.