How to Repair a Sliding Pocket Door

Pocket doors are great space savers. Since they slide into the wall, you don't have to worry about them swinging. Unfortunately, that makes them hard to repair. Unless you can get your door back on the track, which is difficult, you'll have to cut a hole in the drywall to get at the door hardware. If you are going to that trouble, replace the door with a new track model that has the wheels fixed into the track so they can't come out; the door than attaches directly to the wheel trucks, so the door won't come off track.

Pry bar
Pencil
Drywall saw
Level (2-foot)
Shims
Stud finder (optional)
Screw gun or screwdriver
Drywall patching compound
Drywall screws
Scrap 1-by-3 wood strips
Putty knife

Instructions

- 1
  Lift the pocket door currently installed off the track and take it out of the frame. Remove the hardware from the top of the door.
- 2
  Lift off any trim gently with the pry bar.
- 3
  Slide the stud finder along the wall on the side where the pocket door slides in and mark the studs with a pencil.
- 4
  Mark a rectangle on the wall with the straight edge of the level between the studs, and near the top of wall. You want to take out a rectangle big enough to get your hands into so you can remove the old track, but between the studs. About 1 foot high by 2 feet wide is about right. It must be big enough to fit your screw gun or screwdriver.
- 5
  Puncture the drywall gently with the drywall saw, and slowly saw around your rectangle to cut it out. Cut carefully so you can reuse the piece.
- 6
  Remove the old track by taking out all the screws with a screw gun or screwdriver, and replace it with the new track with the attached trucks. Use the level to check the level; place a shim between the track and the top beam if you need to.
- 7
  Attach the door hardware to the top of the door where the old hardware had been, and prop the door up in the opening. Use shims underneath to raise it up a bit, and lock the new hardware into place on the trucks.
- 8
  Screw in the 1-by-3 strips into the inside of the opening in the wall around the perimeter of the hole, and leave about half the width of the strips exposed.
- 9
  Replace your piece of drywall in the hole, and attach it to the exposed area of the strips with drywall screws.
- 10
  Fill the gaps in the drywall with patching compound, using the putty knife to wipe away any excess, then replace the trim.

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