Pocket Doors

A pocket door slides into a cavity inside the wall, so when it is open the leaf disappears completely and takes up no floor space and no wall space either. It is the highest-value solution for tight rooms, en-suites and utility spaces, and the most involved to install.

What a pocket door needs

A cavity at least as wide as the door, in a wall that is not carrying services or structure. The cassette frame goes in before the plasterboard, so this is a first-fix decision, not something to add at the end of a project. Hardware must be flush, since a projecting handle will not enter the pocket.

Use a flush pull handle and a magnetic latch. If the wall cannot take a cavity, a surface-mounted sliding door kit or a bi-fold door achieves most of the space saving with far less work.

How a pocket door system works

A pocket door slides sideways into a cavity built inside the wall, so when it is open the leaf disappears completely and the opening is clear. The kits stocked here are Ermetika EvoKit systems from Atlantic UK Hardware: a galvanised steel cassette that is fixed into the stud or blockwork, plastered over, and then carries the door on a top-hung track with adjustable hangers. The door hangs from the track, so the floor stays uninterrupted.

Where a pocket door is the right answer

Use one where there is no room for a leaf to swing: ensuites and cloakrooms, utility rooms off a kitchen, tight landings, and any opening where furniture would otherwise be dictated by the door. It is also the neatest way to link two rooms that are sometimes one space. The trade-off is that the wall cavity must be planned before plastering, and no sockets, switches or pipework can run through that section of wall.

Choosing the right kit

Match the kit to the finished wall thickness and to the door width and weight, and decide early whether you need a standard, frameless or fire rated version, because they are different cassettes. A fire rated pocket system must be installed exactly as tested, so read the fire door guide and use certified leaves. Choose the leaf from internal doors, and if the wall cannot take a cavity look at surface-mounted sliding door kit systems or bi-fold doors instead. Add flush pulls and privacy hardware from door hardware.