Pocket Door Question

CJanssen

Hello all,

I have a question about a pocket door install. I have installed the doors before, but have ran into a new situation. A potential customer requested a pocket door be installed into an existing wall that has a shower stall on one side of it. The plumbing is not on that side, so my only concern is re-securing the shower flange to the pocket door frame? All thoughts/experiences on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
CJ

D.Foster

Howdy, welcome CT!
Some pocket doors have horizontal wood frames while others have vertical wood/metal frames, which one you use will probably make a difference. I would go with the horizontal wood, while not as good quality, you will have consistant vertical nailing for the flange.I'm assuming the shower is in place already, so once you have the frame set, shim between the frame and behind the rock where the flange is, so as not to suck the door frame over when you screw the flange in. Idunno... Any help?

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carpentershane

When installing pocket doors with horizontal framing, we always filled in the voids between th 1x's with 3/4 ply. This stiffens them up and would give you more surface to screw the shower. The only kicker would be you might have to put the plywood on the shower side before installing it behind the shower. I have never put a pocket in behind a shower stall, but the ply might work.

ClemS

ply is good. whenever possible i fur the wall out to beef up the sides, if you're stuck with 3-1/2" then 3/4 ply's your only option

D.Foster

How do you fasten the 3/4 between the 1x? Pocket screws?

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CJanssen

Thanks for some good info, it helps alot. My main concern was that it couldn't be done (thats what someone else told the homeowner)

S Winklepleck

Just make sure the door itself isn't a cheapy MDF door, it'll have to be solid wood and sealed really well. any variation in that top style will knock it out of alignment and then you get a call "Why is there a gap in the pocket door!?"

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72chevy4x4

adhesive on the plywood with a second guy holding it up to the drywall w/ 1 1/4" screws through the drywall-enough to make the adhesive hold. Fewer screws holes for drywall finishing.

Mike Finley

Okay, I can't figure out this plywood method now that it has been described doing it at the same time as drywall is installed.

I'm going to have to look into this on our next pocket door installation, which we have in a couple of weeks, cause the one thing I hate about those things is how flimsy the walls seem.

loneframer

What's on the opposite side of the shower wall? Maybe you can lose 3" out of that room and not disturb the existing wall at all. I don't like pocket doors in anything less than a 6" wall anyway. Also consider the noise level with a hollow wall against what I'm assuming is a fiberglass shower.

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WNYcarpenter

I'm with mike...

Is the showere stall a fiberglass surround, tile or individual unit? I've never installed a pocket door into an existing wall. Wouldn't You have to demo the wall to remove the studs and add a header?

A very careful demo and you MIGHT get the studs out without damaging the DW on the shower side. Even if you could, you can't screw through the "surround" to hold the plywood. Good tip anyway.

If I am visualizing this correctly...., you'd have to use 3/4" plywood, like birch or something flat, sturdy and more stable than CDX, on end. Scratch the 1x from the kit on the shower side. Place the header 1 1/2" higher and add a 2 3/4" nailer under the header to accept the ply flush with the framing. Some "L" brackets on the floor. Then install your track etc....

S Winklepleck

The way I see it is: If you want a pocket door behind the shower and there's no plumbing, then code wise there's no issue. Installing it may be tough, and you WILL have to expose the flange of the shower enclosure if it's a solid fiberglass unit. You'll have to remove whatever nails are holding it to studs that will be removed, then re-screw it to the slats on the door once it's installed. The drywall would have to be removed from the other side of the wall to do the framing and setting of the door. You'll more than likely have to redo the drywall on the inside as well, but I don't think you'll have to actually remove the shower. Once the door is set, screw the shower to the door slats, and patch in your rock. Pretty straight forward, but like LF said, you'll want to consider the noise issue. I don't think it's a big deal though, most interior walls aren't insulated anyway.

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"I need the skilsaw." ... "Why did you bring me the drill box?" "It says S.A.W. on it." "Those are my initials."

72chevy4x4

consider prepping the plywood, ensure fit, then spray foam on it, slide into place and mechanically apply pressure for a few hours to allow it to set. If you had more precise surfaces, a coat of polyurethane glue would work (such as gorilla glue).

I've used spray foam on the back side of shower enclosures to provide rigidity-even to form a base for fixing fiberglass bumpers...it's the wonder material!

D.Foster

Uhhhh ,...What? i would pocket screw the ply between the horizontal frame before thatIf you are talking about a ply skin on the inside of the wall then it would be too
wide for a 2x4 wall right? 3-1/2" stud + 3/4 ply= 4-1/4". Need to fir out your wall,..If your talkin about a skin of ply applied to the door frame

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eisert

A contractor I used to work for years ago used to have us make all of our own pocket door frames out of 3/4 MDF. We put a 2" rip (2x material)along the header, as well as the stud along the inside of the pocket. Glue and screw MDF along the rips, pre-drill and countersink along the floor. Makes for a solid wall, and also helps with noise transfer because of the density of the material. Might be an option?