In today's expensive real estate market, often you end up purchasing a home or condo with a little less space than you would have liked or maybe you have an older home that could use more room. Without expanding your home and spending thousands of dollars, there are other ways to make the best of that small space.
Installing pocket doors is a great way to save on space and get a few extra square feet out of any room that you install the in. The problem with conventional doors is that they take up space simply to open and close. You have to position your furniture in such a way that it's not in the way of a door opening and closing, which can change the way that the space in a room is used.
Pocket doors are installed inside the way on a track and when fully opened or closed, they do not take up any precious space inside a room. For offices, closets or power rooms, pocket doors are very popular, especially when space is at a premium. One handy use for a pocket door is for a coat closet in the hallway of an older home. Since hallways in older homes tend to be narrow, a pocket door is the perfect answer. In older Victorian homes, pocket doors were often used to seal off parlors or sitting rooms, but today they are one of the most overlooked types of doors that are added to a new home.
In order to properly install a pocket door where one was previously not installed it may require a professional. If you're handy though, you should be able to install the pocket door hardware on your own. Basically a pocket door will be installed in a pocket inside the wall that is approximately two times the width of the door. Overall it's not a difficult process, but does require some technical abilities, but should only take a few hours if you have done other carpentry work around the home.
Once installed a pocket door will save approximately 10 square feet which would have otherwise been wastes by an opening or closing door. It might not seem like much savings, but in a small space, 10 square feet could be used from something else like a small table or chair.
If you are using a pocket door for an area that you would like to restrict access, like an office or a restroom, you will want to make sure to purchase a pocket door lock, or sliding door lock. These will vary in design but all have the objective of allowing the pocket door to be locked. For closets, a door lock is most likely not necessary, but you may choose to put a lock on them as well.
Since pocket doors are not very common today, they are a good design choice as they will save space and give your home a different look since most homes do not include any pocket doors at all. No matter the reason you choose to integrate pocket doors in your design, they are a wise and unique choice and will likely generate interest from those that visit your home.