pocket door without removing existing steel jamb
Hi all, sorry if this doesn’t belong here, but I think it’s kinda fine woodworking.
I have been remodeling my bathroom, much to many family’s chagrin, very slowly. One of the big hang ups has been how to reconcile a pocket door without removing the old steel jamb. It’s not one of the easier to remove type screw through the face into the framing and clip together. It’s welded at the corners and set into the existing slab. I’m in a 1939 apartment building. Hence, trying to cover instead of spending a day making a very loud mess. I’ve taken a multitool and grinder to it to test, and it would just be too gnarly. We’re very into baths over here so trying to give a bit of an onsen vibe. Lots of salvaged bluestone, hinoki, and concrete. I will make the door at some point, which is my skill set, but finish carpentry is not so much. I was thinking I could just case the existing jamb in more cypress or cedar. I bit of a hack move but could be done. I will attach pics so you all can see what I am dealing with. The apartment side will be extra tricky because when our apartment was converted to a 2br they put the new door trim right up against the metal jamb of the bathroom. I’ll probably just remove the trim from the bedroom and somehow tie it back in in some cohesive manner.
Really want the pocket door as it will make our 36sf bathroom feel ever so slightly larger. There is plenty of room for the pocket door framing.
I’m sharing here to see if there is anything I’m not considering, or if there is a smarter way to go about this. Thanks for looking!
Replies
It's admirable to want to save 6sqft when the door is swinging. I personally love pocket doors especially now that good pocket door hardware is readily available. Pocket doors are 3-4 inches wider than the opening and requires a shallow depression in the frame for the lock edge to go into rather than a protruding stop. This also serves to close the visual gap. Especially important in a bathroom. With as much frame as you will need to cut out of this frame to let the door pass you might as well remove it. You have to open up the wall to get the door track in there anyway.
So this will actually go on a plaster wall. I've removed the plaster and mesh lathe on the bathroom size, but plan to leave the studs in place and just build to the inside of the room. I know that sounds contradictory since I wrote about space, there is already a steam pipe in the corner so bumping this out won't be a big deal, I don't think.
Pocket door is honestly a misnomer. I plan on making more of an unclad/skeleton frame version of a pocket door socket, and make a sliding door that will be visible from the inside even when opened. When closed, it will expand beyond either side of existing jam.
More and more though, I'm thinking maybe I should just cut it out.
Sounds like what they're calling a "barn slider" lately, a nice look and tons of hardware kits out there for them. You'll probably be happiest taking out the steel jamb, you can't work with it, only around it.
If you cut it near the latch you might be able to pull it down and out with just the one cut depending on how well it was made. There are bound to be a few screws.
Thanks! Yeah, I need to suck it up and just cut it out.
My hesitancy comes from a need to have this done within a day while my wife and young daughter visit grandma on Long Island… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Oh good, you have a kid... she can't just leave if it's not done.
Yes, it can be motivating :)
Barn doors for bathrooms. Such a wonderful trend... they let out all the odor and noises for the rest of the house to share. Fun.
Is it a trend?
You could call it a barn door I guess. But really its a sliding door.
I do a lot of sliding doors in my furniture. Will attach a pic for reference. This will act much the same only 30x72 instead of like 29x48 or whatever. Door will be redwood and fiberglass so will be quite light.
But thanks for the encouragement.
Sliding or barn. Same idea for sure at least when considering pedestrian doors.
You're right I was not encouraging about the sliding door. It was the wrong way to discourage you. Just hoping you'll consider the downside. What does it cover when it's open? Do you have to closed the door to flip a light switch on when you walk into the room. I've seen a lot of head scratching things with sliding doors. And truly consider the sound and odor. 😁
Well a barn door usually hangs from a rail or beam or some sort without a lower track. When I think of a sliding door it typically always rides in a track above and below. I’ve never loved a lot metal hardware anywhere it isn’t absolutely necessary so I’ll likely fabricate the whole thing outta hardwood. Please spare me the concerns about moisture and humidity.
Anyways, I’m here to discuss cutting or hiding a metal door jamb. I think I’m gonna grab a pack of fresh blades and chop it up.
PS. I already relocated the light switches…. and it’s not so much about saving space as feeling like you have more space. If you don’t live in a city building maybe you won’t get it.
In a 900sf apartment no noise or smell goes unnoticed, luckily the bathroom is on the other side of the apt from the kitchen and living room.
Its a game changer for space. My place is 450Sqft. i simply removed all my doors.
Only the bathroom remains...and ive considered it but it opens into the bathroom so not as big a deal.
Sliding is deff the way to go.
The barn door thing is something else semantics aside.
The "Trend" is a totally different thing than what your doing.
What's the target date? If 1o more fingers will help I'm in Queens.
Thanks Myko, I'll keep that in mind! Well sooner rather than later but thats about it. I have a contract running panels at 30Rock and its all I can do to keep up. Do you freelance? jkjk. The install hours are 12am-8am.... I do hope to meet up one day though.
Ben, yeah man. We basically only have doors to keep our child in or out of said room, lol. I almost sold my wife on beaded curtains at one point. No we are not hippies, well maybe kinda :) I have a hard time calling what I want to do "shoji", but thats kinda what it is. Minus the second door and adjacent panels. I have a V groove plane that does a great job planing a track. I'll avoid wheels as long as possible.