Return to the Building a Home Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
Posted by swampwiz (My Page) on Fri, Sep 11, 09 at 18:28
| For my new project, I will have a number of applications for pocket doors - most will not need to be locked ) and the one that will need to be locked, I plan on having some type of latch. Basically, I will not be using the funky conventional pocket door latch.
Anyway, I will be having some type of a knob, with the pocket door being restricted to having a lip of 4-1/2" or so when closed, so that the knob can be accessed (a conventional pocket door would have the funky pull lever to open it.) Of course, the knob will not have any type of latch or lock mechanism, as is standard with a doorknob. But I would like it to be ergonomic and comfortable to use. I think that a vertically oriented handle would work the best, but I suppose a "dead" knob (i.e., doesn't turn) could work as well.
So I am just looking for others who have done this to get ideas and insights. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| It's a sounds like a standard English train compartment door configuration. A pull handle is usually the best but it's important to provide an adequate doorstop so you don't smash your hand. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| That sounds right. Do you where I could get the hardware? |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| Do you mean that your pocket doors won't be able to slide all the way in? I think this will look pretty strange to have a knob on a pocket door that hits the molding and then makes your door jut out into the opening. There are some awesome looking sets of pocket door hardware out there. Look at House of Antique Hardware on the web for some ideas to take you beyond the standard dinky pulls from the box store. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| I have several pocket doors that don't slide all the way in because of the door hardware, and I find that I like them better than other pocket doors I've had that disappeared completely and required you to fish around for the hook on the edge of the door. As long as your door openings are a decent size, this type of arrangement actually works and looks fine. Mine have a simple handle on both sides and a little locking mechanism that you only see when the door is closed. Here are two pictures of the door to our powder room. The door opening is 29" wide and the door extends 3" into this, so the effective width is 26"...which is plenty wide: 
|
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| I have the std hdwe for my pocket door. For everday use I leave it out a little, don't have to fish for something to grab. In a situation where aesthetics are primary, it can still be snugged away. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| My builder put in standard square HW so I can't change them. We keep the pocket door to the PR closed most of the time so being able to open the door all the way is not an issue (just take it out when moving vanity in). But I've had visitors confused by the door and try to push it open, I would think with a knob or handle on it people might be tempted to pull on it. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
Just make sure you add 3 or 4 inches to the door size, because a 2-4 door will now only yield a clear opening of 2-1 or so. It's an acceptable idea with clear historical precedent. Make sure that there is a positive stop behind the door pocket so fingers/hands remaining on the knob/handle as it is opened do not get pinched; this could be very painful with a large solid door and inadequate spacing.
Casey |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| "Basically, I will not be using the funky conventional pocket door latch." There are not really any decent looking pocket door latches. A regular knob will not operate as a latch on a pocket door. I have had to make latches a couple time to get something that looked decent (all brass recess with the square bar that when twisted rotates the hook out from the edge of the door).
I would hate to actually figure out how much labor and machine time they took to make (lath and milling machine). |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| If you look closely in my second picture above you can see the little recessed latch. It is simple to install in the door face and does not involve having to cut into the edge of the door. It just pops in and out with the push of a finger. There is a little metal plate you install in the jamb that the catch rests against when deployed. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| gbsim, the doors will be set up with the rough opening not as deep, so that at full open, there will be a lip of about 4-1/2". |
latch
| | |
| kudzu9, how did you get that latch on there? You must have had to drill out a cavity there. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
swampwiz-
With my latch it needs a small rectangular opening, so you can drill out most of it with a spade bit, and then clean it up with a sharp chisel. There is a screw right above and below the opening that holds the latch in place, so you don't want to over-excavate the hole. Also, if it's a hollow core door, you want to know whether you're drilling into the solid frame material, or the hollow area. If you're not careful, and you're going into the hollow area, it would be easy to go through the face you're clearing out and break through the face on the other side before you could stop the drill. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| Ours are similar to this, in ORB. We, also, leave our doors pulled out about 3" so they are easier to close when needed. But they can still be completely opened when desired. We have the locking/privacy version on the powder room, and it seems to confuse some guests. Anne |
Here is a link that might be useful: round recessed pocket door hardware
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| We did what Kudzu did -- a nice large vertical handle and door-stop inside the wall cavity. It works great, and IMO, looks great too. Kudzu - I'd love a close-up of your locking mechanism. Our doors don't get locked, but I'd love to see a nice-looking way to do it for possible future applications. |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| Thank you all for posting this question and answering it - I have the same question :) So, can I just use a "kitchen" cabinet pull for a handle - I am thinking of using the one in my link - as I am looking for a handle with clean contemporary lines and I too don't think I want to use the traditional type of pocket door finger pull and have been wondering if it is possible to install a cabinet pull vertically on the door (like you would on a upper kitchen cabinet) instead. If you think it would work, what size pull do you think is the best - 8" maybe??? We do not need the door to go all the way into it's "pocket" either and they do not need to lock. I guess I am concerned that cabinet hardware would not be strong enough to use. If you can recommend a company that sells contemporary, clean lines door pulls for this purpose I would appreciate any help. Thanks Piaa |
Here is a link that might be useful: Cabinet Pull
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| If you really want a pull that always sticks out from the edge of the door, cut a recess in the opposite jamb so the door can close completely. I have never heard of anyone wanting anything but recessed pulls and an edge pull on a pocket door. All my customers have wanted the clear opening (even on the double pockets doors). |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| I would think there's some boat hardware that would work both ways -- the handle flips out but still recesses into a pocket. Something like the link below, but with a larger handle. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Recessed pull
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| Actually, there *are* some of us that prefer the 'big ole handle on the face of the door ;-) So if you're one of us Piaa, the handle you posted could work fine. The handles Kudzu posted are easier to use because the screws are on the face plates -- so simply screw them in. But yours, like ours, are designed to screw in from the 'bad' side -- which you really won't have. To install them, we drilled through the door where the screw holes would be. Then we bought long screws that were threaded on both ends. Then for one handle, we screwed in the upper screw, and drilled the lower screw hole out a little bit. On the other handle, we screwed in the lower screw and widened the upper hole. Then we used an epoxy glue in the screw holes to secure the threaded ends of the other screws. So no exposed screw heads... |
RE: Anybody use a regular knob for a pocket door?
| | |
| Thank you soo much everyone - you were a great help :) Piaa |
|
|
|
|
