Installing a Pocket Door Kit

Let’s install a pocket door- I’m a big fan of these Johnson brand kits. The rough opening needs to be at least 84 ½” tall and the width- two times the door plus 1”. I make a mark on both jambs at 81 ½” measuring up off the subfloor. Then I drive a nail in the center of the jamb leaving it protruding an 1/8” on both sides. This hardware kit says do not remove but I like to remove it to put it in a safe place for later- including these little rollers because they have a tendency to get lost or damaged during drywall. Depending on your door size you may have to trim your kit, but they have all the doors sizes clearly marked for you. Next slip both ends of the header end plates over the nails. Using my speed square, I make sure the end plates are straight and go ahead and drive the nails in tight. Now I add three screws to the passage side of the header; then before screwing the pocket side I use my level to make sure the header is level. If the header isn’t level the door might roll open or shut on its own. I snap two lines on the subfloor even with the side jambs. I butt the first steel stud against the header above and use a level to plumb it- then I make a mark on the floor. I screw the first floor plate down against the mark. This kit is designed for 2 x 4 walls- but I’m gonna modify it to work with our 2 x 6 wall. I center the second floor plate between the first one and the other side of the jamb. These steel studs that slip over the floor plates will be used to attach drywall. To modify this kit so it will work in the 2 x6 wall- I drill 5 1/8” holes in each steel stud. I slide the steel stud over the floor plate and push it against the header above. Then I attach the stud to the header using the panhead screws provided in the kit. Earlier I had ripped some 1” by 1 ½” wide strips of wood to fur out our metal studs. Using the holes I drilled, I screw through the back of the metal studs to attach the wood strips. Adding one inch to both sides of the pocket door kit gives me the exact width I need for a 2 x6 wall. Johnson does make a kit for a 2 x6 wall, but all the suppliers in our area were out of them. On the studs for the other side, I attach the furring strips to the studs before I install them since there’s not enough room to fit my driver between the studs on both sides. Just like the first two- I slide these over the floor plates and attach them at the top using the pan head screws. I also put a 1” strip over the passage side of the header on both sides. Now the drywall can be easily hung and screwed to these wood furring strips. After drywall, I will reinsert the hangers that roll in the track above- they have two wheels on one side and one on the other. I make sure to alternate them when I put them in the track. These two plates get screwed to the top of the door 2 3/4 inches in, one on each side- once they’re installed, they latch rollers above. They also provide this little wrench that adjusts the hanger up and down so that the door can be leveled. Now this door is framed and ready for drywall- Once the drywall is hung we’ll trim it out and hang the door. Let me know what questions you have. ‪@hausplans‬

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