I needed multi-fold doors of fine quality where a pocket door was impossible to mount. I bought mine--solid cherry about 1 3/4 inches thick-- on-line from this company: /www.interiordoors.com/

I can't say enough about their fine service and the exceptional quality. Now that they are finished, they are absolutely gorgeous. They produce many styles and wood species and they make pocket doors, as well.

Thanks for the response. I'll definitely look them up. Do you happen to have a pic of your doors?

I put in a pocket door and used a 6 panel pine door. The johnson hardware fit it perfectly.

you could check building material salvage yards in your area for a door you like. The Johnson hardware company makes hardware that is heavy duty for heavy doors.

It just sounds like your contractor doesn't want to mess with pocket door or doesn't know how to install one.

So does that mean you can use any kind of door with johnson hardware or does it need to be a specific door designed for pocket door use?

Is the johnson hardware expensive? Could anyone give me a ball park idea of cost?

Thanks!

You can use any door that is up to 1 3/4" thick.

The link below has prices in the buy now section. the link is from johnson hardware. It has videos and installation instructions.

Probably get it cheaper at a lumber yard or order it from lowes or home depot

I used it on one door years ago and never had a bit of problems. IMO the hardware is first class,very well made

Here is a link that might be useful: johnson hardware

A friend just finished a remodel of a 1920s home and had a gorgeous divided light pocket door installed. I have several pocket doors in my current house and love them but they are all nice doors and not flimsy. My favorite is the one into our master bath because it doesn't intrude into wall space. I think your contractor doesn't want to do it but if you go with the good quality hardware and a good door I don't think you'll regret it.

"He says you can only use very plain doors so it won't match the rest of the house which is about 100 yrs old. Is this correct?"

Dead wrong. You can use any door you want with pocket hardware. Door thickness is limited if you use the pre-fab jamb systems.
The biggest issue with pocket doors is meeting the outlet spacing rules and installing switches.
If you want a standard thickness wall (about 5.5 inches) you cannot mount any electric boxes in the walls at the pocket.
If you can tolerate a Âwet wall thickness (about 6.5 inches) you can install electrical boxes but typically would not use the pre-fab door kit. Instead you turn the studs flat (and I bump them up to 2x6 width) and use 4x4 boxes that are 1.25 inches deep with a plaster ring.
The wall is a lot stiffer.
The other problem with the Johnson kits is preventing door swing. The plastic guides they supply tend to scratch the face of the door.
I install a section of aluminum angle in the floor of the pocket and groove the bottom of the door.
If the door has panels or is non-flat you typically need to mount a strip of wood on the pocket side of the door edge to make it wider and keep the decoration centered when the door is closed.

brickeyee; thanks so much! Problem is it all sounds so complicated and I'm not sure I can explain it all to him! I'll give it a good shot though as this is really what I want.

Does anyone have any pics of recently installed pocket doors (ie; not the antiques) so that I can show him it is possible?

Thanks!

Have you tried your local lumber yard? They can walk you through your door choices. I wouldn't choose stained glass for that locale though, since not many people will see it, and you won't have privacy. How about mirrored glass?

Good idea - I'll try and check that out tomorrow. Problem is everytime I ask anyone about them, I'm met with either blank looks or people telling me it's a bad idea.

I'm actually really surprised because we are in an area which is so tight on space and pocket doors would be so useful, yet I feel like everyone is badly out of date on them here.

Pocket doors got a bad name when the very old floor rail type systems (and some other more complicated ones) turned into cheap sheet metal track in a C shape and bogies that 'hooked' into the open side.
Johnson has much better extruded tracks and 3 and 4 wheel bogies. The 111PD line is good for daily use.

Here is a link that might be useful: Johnson Hardware

Just went to one of our local lumber yards and they actually carry the Johnson hardware - but only one type I believe - not the 111PD line.

They confirmed that we can use most doors for the project, so I guess I'm going to have to insist that my contractor puts it in place. Don't think he's going to be overjoyed, but that's tough!

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I just hope our GC doesn't botch the job. Fingers crossed!

Ok I want to do this but on the outsides, I think they are called Open Pocket Doors. We have an open vanity and a door that opens into the toilet/shower area, small area at that. I would love a pocket door, but putting inside the wall is a no go. Medicine cabinet there. Was thinking about doing one on the outside, saw one done that way.
Is it doable?

Johnson sells online.
If you get just a track kit it is not that hard to make the framing if you can thicken the wall to 6.5 inches (wet wall size). If you have to stay at 2x4 wall (5.5 inches thick with drywall) you need a framing kit since they use sheet metal to stiffen up the 3/4 in wood used as studs.
The frame kit also requires a double width opening since it is not weight bearing.

Hi!
Sorry I didn't get back to this site--I'm not very good taking pictures, but I went again to the interiordoors.com site and there is a photo in their gallery of a multi-fold door that looks almost exactly like mine, except mine is finished in a darker stain. These are exceptionally heavy, beautiful doors and you can choose, as you probably saw, from about six different wood species. They come with Johnson hardware in the "kit" they send. Anyway, I did a lot of my reno via the internet because it was simpler for me than running around looking for things in big box stores that didn't have what I needed most of the time. You will talk to real people who know their product intimately and the service was wonderful.

By the way, my multifold doors, which are much wider in total than a pocket door--a total of 72 inches--do not swing. They move into position with just a touch of a finger. On the other hand, I don't have children at home running full tilt into them, either--that I can't tell you about! Veda

Hi-
Funny that you should ask about pocket doors since we just received info on pocket door systems from Johnson yesterday :)
Looks like they are based out of Elkhart, IN. Their phone number is 574-293-5664. It looks like they don't sell the actual doors but just the hardware?? Which I suppose would open up your door options.

Our contractor has finally agreed that he will install pocket doors - I think once I told him all the research I'd been doing, he just couldn't resist anymore! : )

Thanks to everyone for the help - let's hope they work as well as I am hoping they will!