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Look! Pocket Doors

4-23-08pocketdoors1.jpg

Pocket doors are an old school small space solution, and they're a feature that we'll really miss when we move out of our current apartment. Besides allowing flexible arrangements of space, they're energy efficient. In the winter, we would close our pocket doors and cut down on heating half of the apartment when it wasn't in use. In summer, they opened up such great circulation that we were able to stop using air conditioning...

4-23-08pocketdoors2.jpg

We wish more modern buildings were designed with pocket doors, especially since they're so adaptable to flexible small-space living. Green architects, take note!

Comments (15)

Love pocket doors. Have spec'd them for all new doors in our (small) house.

posted by rapidtransitman on 2008-04-23 22:30:03
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Hello, chair. It's been awhile. You seem well.

posted by Thomos on 2008-04-23 23:23:26
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I have one pocket door in my home and wish there were more. In so many situations, they make so much sense. They disappear and take up no living space when they are open. They might not work in all situations, but I too would like to see them used more.

posted by JohnnySlimane on 2008-04-24 08:28:24
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We have pocket doors in our current apartment that we almost never close, so when we do, it feels like there's a weird blank space. But otherwise I think they're really nice.

posted by v in boston on 2008-04-24 09:11:51
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I wish I had pocket doors in my space. I have been tempted many times to take down the doors I have

posted by bigcityboy2 on 2008-04-24 09:36:34
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We need more pocket doors - esp in small spaces like bathrooms and powder rooms where swinging doors just get in the way.

posted by bepsf on 2008-04-24 11:55:06
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Just curious, that really is a cute chair... any name?

posted by woodleyparkzoo on 2008-04-24 12:31:57
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Good point. I wonder why they're not used more often these days.

posted by Gustaf on 2008-04-24 13:35:52
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woodleyparkzoo, it's the Gubi Chair. We got ours on craigslist.

posted by sarah c on 2008-04-24 14:09:51
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Pocket doors are great. Problem is, the hardware you can buy for them at the local hardware store is really bad, the door doesn't run smoothly no matter how carefully you install it. And to hire a real carpenter to make a good one for you costs a fortune. Maybe if we all keep searching the web for better hardware, someone will notice and start selling it.

posted by lagunacharmer on 2008-04-29 23:14:43
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How do you replace a pocket door??? My condo has one - a horrible fake veneer thing from the 70's. You can't paint over it either. Nothing sticks to that garbage.

I'd love to replace it with even a generic 6 panel builder door since even that would look orders of magnitude better. Basically I have a pocket door that's too hideously ugly to use.

The only way I can see to replace it is to rip out walls - and if I do that, I sure won't put one back in. There has to be a better way.

posted by boomer on 2008-04-30 08:56:12
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OK, I should have googled. I do like pocket doors...it's that mine is so fugly and I'm so embarrassed of it (to have something that ugly in my home). It's in good shape, it's just...well never mind.

Here's what I found on replacing them. If the track is in good shape it's relatively easy. I sense a trip to Lowes is in my near future.

http://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/repairing-pocket-door.htm

posted by boomer on 2008-04-30 10:48:43
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Johnson Hardware is a great source for all things pocket door and door hardware.

www.johnsonhardware.com

They even recommend Ron Hazelton's video on their site. You can order new hardware from Johnson's Web site.

posted by JuicyK8 on 2008-04-30 17:07:54
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BTW, I replaced that pocket door today. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be even with putting new trim on. That Ron Hazelton tutorial is great. The worst part is priming and painting...all the little detail stuff. The new one is just a standard 6 panel door from Lowes but compared to what was there...everybody in these condos hates the original doors.

posted by boomer on 2008-05-01 00:27:16
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FYI... pocket doors are an often recommended building or remodeling tip for those who use wheelchairs. It's much easier for someone to push the door to the side then to have to back up to make room for the door, etc.

posted by epiffani on 2008-05-12 13:03:03
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