With our expert guide on how to adjust pocket doors, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to fine-tuning your pocket door for smooth operation and optimal functionality. Our easy-to-follow instructions mean you can tackle this project with confidence. Whether your pocket door sticks, drags or refuses to stay in place, we’ve got you covered with practical tips and tricks honed from years of experience.
Table of contents
Why should you adjust a pocket door?
A broken or wonky pocket door isn’t just ugly to look at. If left for a long time it can scrape the floor, causing long-term marks to appear. Adding to this, too much change can risk the pocket door latch not working. This can be a common issue that is easily dealt with but also needs careful planning. So you will not only need to repair as soon as possible but make sure the adjustments are as accurate as they can be to correct height and alignment problems.
How to adjust a pocket door
To make adjustments to your sliding door, replicate the steps we’ve included below:
What you need
- 3/8-inch open-end wrench or screwdriver
- Knife
- Painter’s pry bar
- Piece of cardboard
- Tack hammer
- Nail setter
- Wood putty
- 220-grit sandpaper
- Paint (optional – repainting)
Step one: First, you should close your pocket door and then check to see if you can gain access to the rollers attached to the top of the door.
Step two: Depending on the style of your pocket door’s hardware, the rollers can be adjusted by using a 3/8-inch open-end wrench or a screwdriver. If access to the adjustment bolt or screw at the top of the door is inaccessible, you’ll need to remove the top door casing along with the trim. You only need to remove the casing from the top side of the door opening where the adjustment bolt/screws are visible because they are only visible from one side.
Step three: Using a knife, cut through the paint or caulk along the top edge of the door casing next to the wall. Next, use a painter’s pry bar to get between the top casing of the pocket door and the wall. Place a piece of cardboard between the wall and the pry bar above the opening; this will protect against any potential damage. Now, you can pry the casing away from the door’s opening.
Step four: Inspect the top edge of the door opening to see are any bolts/screws are holding the trim next to the railing. Remove any that are there and take the railing from the top of the door opening which will give you access to the adjustment bolts/screws.
Step five: For those wanting to raise the door, turn the adjustment screws clockwise; for adjustment bolts, rotate counterclockwise to raise the pocket door to your preferred height.
Step six: When you are satisfied with your new height adjustment, you can replace the trim next to the railing. Reattach the door casing using finishing nails.
Step seven: The penultimate step is to countersink the finishing nails into the casing. Using a tack hammer, tap a nail setter over the head of the nails.
Step eight: Finally, you can fill the nail holes with wood putty. Simply smooth the putty over with your finger. Once dry, gently sand the putty with some 220-grit sandpaper before repainting the trim.
If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our expert team by calling 01752 422501 or by using the live chat option in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen.
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