We have one original one to our library (50+ years old) and one new one that we put in 3 years ago (recycling the original bathroom door, which was solid wood, but installing it in a new pocket door installation -- the old door opened in and we really needed the additional space the pocket door gave us). I adore them both, and we have had no trouble with smooth operation or scraping of the paint. I think it very much depends on the installation and whether the contractor is comfortable putting them in. Our young carpenter did a fabulous job and the door slides like silk -- you can open it with one finger, it locks beautifully, and it was really the only way we could go to make the floorplan work effectively. Our house is 50 years old, so I imagine whatever settling it was going to do it has already done, which might not be true in a new house. I will say that half-open pocket doors and large, over-exuberant golden retrievers are not a particularly good combination, but otherwise ... the doors have not been a lick of trouble. I'm sure they are more trouble for a contractor to install than a regular door and I would guess that may be part of his motivation for trying to dissuade you...? A well installed one is a joy and a huge space saver, IMHO.

The house we sold was 15 years old and had pocket doors, one of which was in the kids' bath and got pretty heavy use. Both were louder than I liked (I'm not sure I ever slept through one of them getting up in the night to go to the bathroom) but they were reliable and looked good.

Based on our experience, we're putting 3 pocket doors in our build, just not anywhere that we'll use in the middle of the night.

I desperately wanted pocket doors in our house, but our architect refused, saying they always stick and are a pain. When we did our electrical
wlkthrough the notion came up again and our builder said he would do it if we really wanted. I think they built three walls, or that's what it sounded like they called it, for the one pocket door in our house--in our kids shared bath. I'm very impressed. It glides effortlessly and is the perfect door for that small
space. I will say, however, that hardware for it has been challenging. I bought antique pulls that are thick and they don't fit in the pocket. So I'll have to go with something new, which will be fine, too

Just wanted to add that you DO hear them... which can be a pro or a con, depending. I loved mine because when my elderly mom used the library as a guest room, I could tell when she'd gotten up in the morning because I could hear the pocket door in the bathroom! I will say when we remodeled (going to the studs) for the bath, the contractor did have to build an extra, "inner" wall for the pocket door because it was going in along a wall that was being tiled for a shower. For a variety of reasons (including weight on the wall) you can't install tile on a wall where a pocket door is hung, so we solved it with what I think of as a false wall. We lost a few inches in the shower but it was SO worth it! Agree that the hardware is a challenge -- I finally found beautiful brass finger pulls online but they required some extra effort in the door to install them so they were flush with the plane of the door. (Also as a note -- remember that you won't be able to have any pipes, light fixtures, or anything like that on a wall that has a pocket door -- and, as our carpenter discovered during the library remodel just last month, you have to REMEMBER that there's a pocket door if you go to nail something (say, chair rail :) to that wall! So you have to think them through a bit but the space you save is totally worth it. I absolutely love having them and we honestly could not have fit a new, fully tiled shower into our little downstairs bath without going the pocket door route. (The one for the library is original to the house, heavy as can be, and still glides like silk.)

My GC is trying to talk me out of the pocket doors stating that as the house settles the pocket doors get misaligned

I'd ask him why his houses settle. Doesn't he stabilize the site, pour good footings, etc. ??

If the settling is enough to throw a pocket door out of whack, it will affect all kinds of doors.

I have a pocket door in a half bath, that is off my back hallway. It is a small room, off a relatively small hallway so I didn't want a swinging door taking up space.

As others said, you can definitely hear it. It sort-of rumbles as it glides along the track. That doesn't bother me though.

If all things were equal I would prefer a swinging door though, just because if something does go wrong I understand pocket doors can be a pain to fix. But I didn't really feel I had the space for anything but a pocket door there...so.....now I just hope nothing goes wrong. It looks great though.

I think contractors don't like to install pocket doors because they are tricky and you have to think about it all the way through the trim stage.

Mine were installed perfectly but I spec'd one in a client's house that I told the contractor in the FRAMING stage that the door would stick out of the pocket and he didn't believe me. And, it sticks out of the pocket 2 inches. I would have had him reframe it and start over but the client isn't bothered by it as the door is left partly pulled most of the time.

Another client's worked until the trim carpenters nailed into every single pocket door when putting up the the trim.

The pocket doors in one office I work in drag like crazy and are scratched by nails from trim work.

That said, I am putting several in my new renovation but I know my carpenters will do it correctly and if they don't they will rectify it.

I would be concerned about having them done by someone who doesn't want to do them because he may not know how to do them well.

You also have to consider all electrical and ductwork with regards to the pocket. It is very difficult to have electrical boxes in a pocket wall unless it is thicker, and impossible, of course to have any ductwork.

We have a pocket door for our "water closet" in the master bath. House is only 9 years old, but I *love* this door and cannot imagine the space any differently. It's such a space saver and I love how it can be completely out of site when open. It does make a noise, but I don't find it disruptive. Door function is great. We are putting 3 into the remodel we're doing on the next home...

We decided to put in two - one 8 x 6 double and one 8 x 30 single in the family room. We have had a heavy wood one in our current house for five years and no problems at all. We had the discussion with two contractors - one is primarily a sales guy who is focused on money and said "don't do it." The other is a real craftsman who does the actual work and he said "I do it all the time, no problem." We went with his advice.

"one 8 x 6 double"

And if they really know what they are doing you can even make them move together fr opening an closing.

The first time I did it for a client they gave me an extra $500 they liked it so much.

There may be some kits to connect the doors now, but 15 years ago you had to figure it all out yourself.

I used steel pulleys (that happened to fit on 1/4-20 bolts) designed for sliding doors and thin steel cable.
A few pieces of bent aluminum to connect the doors to the cable.

It has never had a problem.

Love pocket doors. Have three in current home, no problems. Planning them in new home.

Had a 100 year old home with big, heavy, solid mahogany pocket doors in the past. God how I loved those doors!

We love the 3 that we have. 2 of them are in bathrooms. They open from the bedroom in the bath room. We hated how door-swing was a problem in so many houses and wanted to avoid that.

The other one we have is into our laundry room. Because they are solid, it really helps keep the noise contained. Most of the time they are left open, but they work great, they slide very smoothly. I say 'yes' to pocket doors!

We love the 3 that we have. 2 of them are in bathrooms. They open from the bedroom in the bath room. We hated how door-swing was a problem in so many houses and wanted to avoid that.

The other one we have is into our laundry room. Because they are solid, it really helps keep the noise contained. Most of the time they are left open, but they work great, they slide very smoothly. I say 'yes' to pocket doors!