pocket door between kitchen and laundry

jarleifvaagen · 02-11-2011, 03:22 PM

My mother in law roped me into flipping a house after she saw how nice my own turned out..soo...

We're moving a non load bearing kitchen wall about 3 feet back, and she wants a pocket door between the laundry and the kitchen. The wall is 115" long including the door opening. She wants a 32" door (for obvious reasons since it's a laundry room). The wall will have upper and lower cabinets, as well as half inch drywall.

She picked up a pocket door kit at home depot, and it seems really flimsy..kinda like something i'd expect to find in the kindling bucket by my fireplace..
so my thought is..
why wouldn't I just scrap the el-cheapo frame from home depot, reuse the hardware and frame a wall (with an appropriate header for the door) that can actually accomodate a 3 gang electrical box by the pocket door and let me run wires in the wall, where I can hang cabinets without drilling into the door, and hang drywall without using screws intended for hanging living room paintings..?

I'd be using normal 2x4's on the kitchen side, and 2x4's laying flat on the laundry side, and then constructing the header in between with 2x4's above the header tieing the walls together for something to fasten the header to..
I'd obviously ancher the wall into the subfloor and the ceiling joists as well..

any ideas?

my original requirements are; 1/2" drywall, kitchen cabinets on pocket door wall, wiring in pocket door wall, and a 3gang box by the pocket door opening....

any other ideas, or am I on track here?

Thanks guys!

DangerMouse · 02-12-2011, 07:46 AM

Sounds fine to me, however, remember when you put in a 32" door, there is NOT 32" from side to side of the actual opening after trimming.
If you want to be sure to be able to remove washers and dryers from that room, I'd take back the 32" junk PD kit and get yourself a 36" Johnson PD kit. Made in the USA, and you won't be cursing and tearing your hair out installing it and/or replacing it. I've compared cheapo PD kits (made in *you know where*) and Johnson's PD kits and there is NO comparison in quality.

Good luck!

DM

**BigJim** · 02-12-2011, 12:53 PM

DM made a very important point, if you can't get the washer and dryer in and out of the room you have a problem.

I'd be using normal 2x4's on the kitchen side, and 2x4's laying flat on the laundry side, and then constructing the header in between with 2x4's above the header tieing the walls together for something to fasten the header to..
I'd obviously ancher the wall into the subfloor and the ceiling joists as well..

Are you saying you will have a 6 inch thick wall instead of 4 1/2 inch thick wall? There is nothing wrong with that it is just not the norm. Just be aware of long nails and screws, there is no telling how many doors have been nailed or screwed open or shut.

**Gary in WA** · 02-12-2011, 03:48 PM

I would never again have a pocket door on a laundry room to the kitchen, just for the noise. Perhaps the newer washers and dryers are quieter...... The design of pocket doors let most of the noise through around the hanging door edges, more so than a swing door with full stops. At least get a solid wood one rather than composite panel or ?

Gary

DangerMouse · 02-12-2011, 04:47 PM

Good point about the noise... laundry room....duh.

Definitely use a solid door and trim it all out correctly, and it should be about as good as any other door.

DM

Scalloway · 02-12-2011, 04:50 PM

Sounds like you are on the right track to me. Good luck!

MBatson · 02-13-2011, 08:21 AM

Perhaps adding in some foam boards in the wall for sound deadening as well would be a nice touch?

DangerMouse · 02-13-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBatson

Perhaps adding in some foam boards in the wall for sound deadening as well would be a nice touch?

Darn good idea, considering he'll have 2x walls!
It'd certainly help muffle that echo chamber effect from the hollow wall when the door is shut (and the laundry is running).
Are we good, or what?

DM