Interior pocket doors are a great feature in a home. With limited space, you can make a door disappear into the wall. Do you need to close the door? Just slide it back and you have privacy. It’s that slide-and-fade feature that causes some special problems. In this article we will identify the problems you may encounter with a pocket door. Most problems can be fixed without too much difficulty. Can a door that has drifted off track be fixed? Do you need to replace the rollers? How do you get inside the wall to solve a problem? Can you lubricate the rollers? These are all the questions you may be asking yourself. The following paragraphs will address them.

Most pocket door problems will be related to the roller hanger assembly. The rollers hold the door on the track, adjust the alignment of the door, and support the weight of the door. So it’s no mystery that most repairs will involve doing something with this assembly.

Interior sliding door lubrication

For doors that are stiff and difficult to operate, lubrication is probably the answer. Door rollers are a moving part with bearings that can become stiff. Lubrication can loosen them and save your back. A word of caution, this must be controlled lubrication. Don’t go to the garage and get a grease gun, you will regret it. Remember that this is a finished part of your home and grease or oil running off the door will not be nice.

Get a good quality silicone spray lubricant. You should be able to get a suitable one for this purpose at a home goods or hardware store for around $5. This type of spray usually comes with a narrow plastic tube that allows you to surgically apply the lubricant. It should say on the tin that it is suitable for indoor home hardware applications.

For interior pocket doors, roller hanger assemblies are located at the top of the door, near each end. You will need to have the door closed to see them both. There is a narrow gap between the top of the door and the track. Use a flashlight if you must, but you should be able to see the reels. Most pocket doors have four rollers for each hanger. With a rag in hand, judiciously spray the rollers with the lubricant. You may have to climb on either side of the door to get to all the reels. Rock the door back and forth until the rollers move smoothly. Add a little more spray as needed, until you are satisfied with the operation.

Interior Sliding Door Adjustment

Another major issue with interior pocket doors is alignment. Does the door rub against the floor? Latch refuses to engage? Is there a gap along the side of the door when it is closed? Yes to any of these questions means you have some alignment issues. Adjusting sliding door hangers will solve most, if not all, of these problems.

You can see the hangers in the gap between the top of the door and the rail. Hangers are threaded and will have an adjustment nut at the bottom near the door fitting. The hardware that came with the door probably had one of those special thin keys. Do you have any idea where that key is now? No, don’t feel bad, it’s probably in your builder’s warehouse. A thin profile or open end adjustable wrench should work.

You will need to have the door closed to see both hangers. Please note that any adjustments to the hangers will affect all four sides of the door. Adjusting the front hanger up will cause the bottom of the door to move toward the contact side of the frame. The two hangers will work against each other. An adjustment to the rear hanger will work the opposite of the front hanger.

So are you confused at this point? Don’t feel bad, it’s common. You just need to get a mental picture of what you are trying to do. If the door is straight in the opening and you just need to lift it? In this case, adjust both hangers by the same amount. Does the door hit the door frame at the bottom before the top? For this situation, you want to adjust the front of the door down or the back up. You only have so much fit on each hanger. Sometimes you will need to adjust a little on one hanger and a little in the opposite direction on the other hanger.

How to get interior sliding doors back on track

Obviously you need a way to remove an interior pocket door when necessary. As a result, a pull-out feature is incorporated into the hanger assembly. The downside to this is that the pocket door can become loose and come off the hanger. Putting them back is not too difficult.

Again we need to go to that narrow space between the top of the door and the track. The door will have a hanging hook that is attached to the top of the door. This clip has a pre-shaped pocket that allows the door to slide over the threaded hanger. There should be a hold function next to it. Release the retainer and then lift the door and slide the clip into the hanger. With the door in place, you can reset the retainer.

Wait a minute, is that the rear hanger? Is he lost somewhere in that cave that you can’t get to? Breathe, it’s not that terrible. However, it is a bit more work. You will need to remove the door entirely to resolve this issue. The door shouldn’t be that heavy, but help is a good idea. Release the retainer on the front clip. Slide the front of the door off the hanger and set it aside for a minute. Lean it against the wall where it won’t topple over.

The other hanger is somewhere inside that pocket that you thought was a great idea until now. Luckily the other hanger is on wheels and you can use something to slide it into a place you can reach. A broomstick or some other fairly thin, long, and stiff object will work. Try to find the end of the track with the broom handle and then slide it into the slot until you reach the roller. Keep going until you can reach him.

To rehang the door, first release the retainer on the rear hanger. Place the door on this hanger while employing the services of a helper. Slide retainer back into place to secure. Align the door with the opening in the wall and slide the door several inches into the pocket. Attach the door to the second hanger and secure the retainer. The door should slide back and forth now.

Interior Pocket Door Repair Overview

This article covered three interior pocket door repair topics that should cover most of the problems you will face. Lubrication is an important factor, keep your rollers lubricated and your gate should run smoothly. Door alignment can also cause problems. Adjusting the hangers is not difficult, it just requires a little patience. Finally we talk about a door that has fallen off the hanger. None of these repairs should be that difficult or require the services of a professional. Hopefully, you’ve saved a few bucks.