walboard over pocket doors

[larliz]

How do you install drywall over pocket doors? There arent the usuall studs to secure to and the vertical pieces with metal on them are very thin.

I'm doing this as a retro fit to panelling that I'm taking down. I dont have to pull down the ceiling drywall do I?

[shad]

I'm installing pocket doors in my basement now and am about to install the drywall. I bought prefabbed enclosures for the doors. The instructions say to just attach the drywall to the horizontal supports. Some of the supports are stamped with "Stop drywall here" to allow room for molding. It's a pretty flimsy structure so I guess that the drywall makes it more rigid. You probably know this, but just in case: make sure the nails/screws you use are no longer than the combined width of the wood and the drywall, otherwise you'll scratch the doors, or worse, screw into the doors.

Steve

[daveferg]

Haven't installed one, but got a good look at it when I replaced the door itself---As was said, just attach the drywall to the frame, using short screws---if metal, I'd be tempted to use sheetmetal screws. Then, when you re-install the trim/baseboard, again use short nails.

[srpoly]

I just installed two of these in my home recently. I used the prefab kits from HD. I just followed the directions and everything went OK. If I were to do it again though, I would use 1/2" ply, plus my sheetrock. The entire wall would of course need to be thickened up, and extention jambs where needed. I think this would really beef up the structure. As I went along with the project, I kept thinking "well, once I sheetrock it, it'll be more solid." Then came "well, once I trim it out, it'll be more solid."-- Welp- still pretty shaky!
FWIW

[shad]

Dave,
How did you secure it to the existing structure? I bought and installed the same ones. I decided to drive screws through the top rail (the one that the door slides in) and into a 2x4 plate above. I nailed the closed end to a stud and screwed through the metal plate on the bottom into the floor.

Steve

[Jerry M]

>How do you install drywall over pocket doors?

You screw it to the pocket structure. I usually squirt some drywall adhesive on first, for extra stiffness and to ensure a good bond.

I have seen pro drywall hangers use this trick: squirt on the adhesive, put the wallboard in place, then lay a strip of scrap wallboard over the pocket supports (you could use ---and it would probably be better--- a scrap of wood) and screw through everything. The next day, remove the screws and scraps. The glue holds the wallboard on, and there are no fasteners to work loose later.


>I dont have to pull down the ceiling drywall do I?

No, not if it's in good shape.

Don't forget to be careful with casing and baseboard nails--- keep them short!




---Jerry

You need to learn from other people's mistakes. You'll never have enough time to make them all yourself.

[srpoly]

Sounds about the same. I had to and still need to adjust the little bracket at the bottom. If I close the door all the way, I can't get it open again. All in all I'm very happy with both doors. Mostly because they're pocket doors, and they can stay open all the time without being in the way. I really like Jerry's glue idea below. sounds like it might help make them more rigid.