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Can this pocket door be repaired or is it a lost cause?

Can this pocket door be repaired or is it a lost cause?


  #1  
Old 07-18-19, 01:35 PM
T
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Question Can this pocket door be repaired or is it a lost cause?

Good afternoon,

One of our pocket doors has failed us. The chunk that was ripped out as a result does fit nicely back into place. I am not sure how these types of doors are constructed but it appears that this part or the door frame was simply glued to the veneer.

I am guessing that I can use generic wood glue combined with drilling some holes and installing dowels to give us a few more months before we have to spend $200 on another door. More invasive, I could cut out the remaining portion of the top of the door frame and replace it with a properly cut piece of wood.

I'd like to hear what the experts say...

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Last edited by TopShelfML; 07-18-19 at 01:51 PM.
  #2  
Old 07-18-19, 02:45 PM
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All you need to do is get a new door slab and put the old hardware on it. I would not attempt any sort of repair.

If you were going to repair it you would need to remove that entire plug from the top of the door without damaging the skin on either side. It's a little trickier than you think. And you have to sand the inside edges of the skin with some sandpaper to get all the old residue off. Then you'd rip a piece of wood on a table saw to fit perfectly inside. Lots of wood glue on the plug and on the skins... then slide it in and put a 1x4 on each side then clamp those 1x4s together with about 4 clamps to squeeze it tight. Allow 24 hrs before hanging it again.

As you probably know, the head piece on one side of the pocket door is supposed to have a removable stop. But the may have nailed the bottom edge of the casing to it, so be careful as you remove it. You need to remove that top trim stop in order to rehang, clip, and adjust the rollers using either the Johnson wrench the hardware came with, or any small open end wrench.

I find it hard to believe it would cost 200 to get a new slab. It's a 3 panel mission style, isn't it? A 30" slab is $130 at one of my local stores. (Primed)
 
  #3  
Old 07-19-19, 07:03 AM
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Thanks you for the information. You might be right about the price. I am not familiar enough with the styles to know exactly which one. I did a small amount of checking online, but was planning to take the door to a store if replacement was necessary.
 
 

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