In this guide

What is a Pocket Door?

A pocket door is a sliding door that sits on a track. Pocket doors slide into the wall instead of along the wall. It disappears when the door is open, leaving only a finished opening. When you shut the door, it looks like any other solid door but lacks hinges and a doorknob. They may have a recessed handle for opening, and many have a small metal loop on the interior edge to pull it.

Pocket doors can be installed in existing walls, but they are most often installed in new construction because they require the wall to be built around the track. Installing a pocket door in an existing wall involves removing that wall and rerouting any existing electrical wires and plumbing, before rebuilding around the door and track.

Pocket Door Cost by Size

Like ordinary doors, pocket doors come in many sizes for anywhere in the home. Typically, they come in standard widths like ordinary doors, including:

Larger pocket doors are available but may require special tracks and hardware to keep them level. If you need to cover a wider door opening, you may want to install two doors, one from each wall meeting in the center.

Pocket Door Price by Material

Like regular doors, pocket doors come in several materials, each with pros and cons. Like any door, consider appearance, weight, and durability. Lightweight, hollow core doors are easy to slide but not very durable. Solid wood doors are attractive and last longer but can be heavy to slide. In addition, each material has a cost range:

Hollow-Core Pocket Door

Hollow-core doors are often installed by builders in spec homes and by homeowners who want a lightweight and inexpensive door. These make good pocket doors from the standpoint that they are easy to slide, but because they are only a thin MDF shell with no interior core means that they are not durable or long-lasting. They cost between $120 and $400 each.

Chalkboard Pocket Door

You cannot make a door out of chalkboard. However, any door can become a chalkboard door. You can do this yourself or purchase one readymade. Any material door is covered in either chalkboard vinyl or chalkboard paint that allows you to draw on it with chalk, then wipe it clean. They cost between $120 and $2,000 on average.

Fiberglass Pocket Door

Fiberglass doors are durable and low-maintenance. These are lighter than wood and easy to slide but are simpler to maintain than a solid wood door. They may have a simulated wood grain or be smooth. However, they can scuff over time. Expect to pay between $200 and $800.

Glass Pocket Door

Glass pocket doors are attractive and ideal for many homes from an appearance standpoint. They can be modern and frosted or look like a traditional French door. Glass pocket doors must be installed properly to avoid the glass cracking over time, and they often need a sturdier frame than other doors. They cost between $250 and $2,000 but can cost more to install.

Solid-Wood Pocket Door

Solid-wood pocket doors are the most commonly installed. They are strong, durable, and come in many wood grains and styles. They can be stained or painted and sanded down and restored, making them a good, long-lasting choice. The doors range from $400 to $2,000, depending on the type.

Aluminum Pocket Door

Aluminum pocket doors are a good choice for modern and contemporary homes. They are lightweight and easy to slide and have a clean, modern appearance. They can be painted if desired, but they tend to dent, making them difficult to slide over time. They cost between $400 and $2,000 on average.

Pocket Door Cost by Type

Pocket doors can be installed as a single door, double door, or set of French-style doors. Double and French pocket doors are roughly twice the cost of a single door because you are purchasing and installing two doors to cover a larger space. But these doors can be cheaper than attempting to install one very large pocket door, which requires a heavy and supportive frame.

Single Pocket Door

A single pocket door is the width of any normal single door in your home. It can be rather narrow or extremely wide, but the wider you go, the larger and more expensive the track and the installation become to support the door. Single doors tend to be no wider than 48 inches. Beyond this, it makes more sense to go with a double door from an installation and maintenance standpoint. Single doors cost between $120 and $2,000 on average, depending on the size and material.

Double Pocket Door

Double pocket doors pull together in the center to create a single large doorway. They each operate individually, so you can open one or both at a time. You are purchasing and installing two doors, with two tracks, which increases the costs dramatically. Hollow-core doors are not good for this project because they are too light to close together tightly, but all other types can be used. Material costs for double doors are between $400 and $4,000.

French Pocket Doors

French pocket doors are common in some older homes. These glass doors cost slightly more than a standard pocket door but greatly enhance the room’s appearance. They require special hardware and installation to make sure the doors do not crack, which increases costs. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,000 for a single door and $2,000 to $4,000 for a set of double French pocket doors.

Cost to Install a Pocket Door

The labor portion of this job varies depending on several factors. In new construction, labor is fairly simple. A track is installed inside the framed but unfinished wall. Space is left between the studs on either side of the wall to allow the door to slide. The wall is finished around the track, then the door is hung, and the frame is installed. Typically, for new construction, the installation or labor portion of the door is around $100 to $500.

Cost of Installing a Pocket Door in an Existing Wall

If you install a pocket door in an existing wall, labor is more complicated and expensive. The wall may not be thick enough to accommodate the door. Or, there may be pipes or wires that must be moved. The wall must be opened so that the track can be installed and the door properly hung. Sometimes, the best course of action is to remove the wall and reframe it so that it is wide enough to accommodate the door. This is why there is an enormous cost difference between new construction and retrofitting.

For a retrofit or the installation of a pocket door in an existing wall, the labor costs are between $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the condition of the existing wall.

Exterior Pocket Door

While uncommon, you can install pocket doors on the exterior of the home. The process is the same for both new and retrofit walls, with a few key differences. The doors usually need to be solid and stronger than those indoors. The track in the wall needs to be heavier and stronger to hold the door without sagging or becoming a security hazard. It can also be more difficult to insulate the wall where the door is installed because the cavity must be left open for the door. Under-siding insulation or a tighter building envelope is recommended to help prevent cold spots in this area. Expect an exterior pocket door installation to cost around $1,000 to $1,500 for new construction and $2,500 to $4,000 for a retrofit with these considerations.

Pocket Door Maintenance

Pocket doors have more moving parts than a standard door, so there is more maintenance involved. There are rollers inside the door that allow it to move freely on the track. These rollers may collect hair, dirt, and other debris that can cause the door to stick and not slide properly. When this happens, the door must be taken off the track, and the rollers cleaned out.

Sometimes, the track itself may become a problem, so the wall must be opened and a new track installed. This can usually be accomplished by opening a small access hole in the wall, rather than opening the entire wall.

Occasional oiling of the rollers and track keeps the door moving smoothly, but little additional maintenance is needed.

Pocket Doors Pros and Cons

Pocket doors work in many situations, but they are not right for every home or application. The biggest advantage of using this door is the space it saves. Pocket doors do not open into the room, so small spaces do not need to worry about the door swinging into them. For example, in bathrooms, the toilet or sink is not in the way of a pocket door.

They are also great for accessibility. Someone using mobility aids will find it easier to slide the door than to pull it toward themselves. So, using pocket doors helps with Universal Design.

Pocket doors are also stylish. They work well in contemporary spaces to give an illusion of openness, and they also work well in historic homes.

Unfortunately, there are also some drawbacks associated with them. If they become stuck or go off their track inside the wall, they can be difficult to fix without further damage to the wall. They are expensive to add to existing homes because the wall needs to be opened up, making the project more difficult. They require more maintenance than a regular door, which may only require minimal care, such as oiling the hinges.

Pocket Door Cost vs Regular Door

Pocket doors are not for everyone, and many times a traditional door makes more sense. Traditional doors are easier and less expensive to install, particularly in an existing door. However, pocket doors save space and are more accessible for people with mobility issues. Pocket doors are not visible when open, which can make spaces seem larger. However, they are higher in maintenance than traditional doors, and the locking mechanism has a high learning curve.

Pocket Door vs Barn Door

Pocket doors are one type of space-saving sliding doors. Another popular type is the barn door. Barn doors have a rustic appearance that enhances your interior. Instead of sliding into the wall, they slide along it to be easier and less expensive to install.

However, when the barn door is open, it blocks the wall, outlets, switches, and artwork. Pocket doors come in many styles, including rustic designs, but they slide into the wall when open, rather than over it.

Pocket Door vs Sliding Door

Pocket doors are a subtype of sliding doors. A sliding door moves along a track from side to side. A pocket door does this, but also slides into the wall, rather than along the face of the wall like other types of sliding doors. So, while pocket doors are sliding doors, not all sliding doors are pocket doors. In the case of an existing wall where demolition is too expensive for a pocket door, a sliding door that stays outside the wall is a good solution.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Automatic Pocket Doors

To make a pocket door truly accessible, you may want to invest in automatic door technology. Automatic doors operate by sensor, push-button, or remote control and come in many sizes. Often, you only need to automate the track, letting you use the door of your choice, but some companies sell their own doors and sensors as a package. Expect to pay a minimum of $500 additional per door.

Interior Wall Demolition

If the wall you want to install the pocket door on is not suitable, it must be removed. The cost of wall removal ranges from $300 to remove a non-load-bearing wall to $3,000 for removing a load-bearing wall that needs to have the load redistributed.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• Pocket doors come on a variety of tracks and rollers. Steel rollers tend to be noisy and are more likely to jump the tracks than plastic or other rollers.
• Pocket doors add roughly 10 square feet of usable floor space, normally covered by an open door.
• While not common, indoor/outdoor pocket doors exist to give you access to patios, lanais, and other outdoor living areas. It can be difficult to form a tight seal around them to keep energy costs down.
• Pocket doors are only as durable as the hardware used to install them. Cheap tracks need more maintenance and do not last as long as better quality tracks, making a standard door the longer-lasting option.
• Upon opening a wall, you may discover mold, asbestos, or other hazardous materials, which may require remediation professionals. This adds around $500 to your total.
• If you have an old door to remove, expect to pay around $100 for removal and disposal fees.