 |
 |
 |
To reinstall the door, hang the top on the track, then move the bottom into place until the door is vertical in the opening. Next, raise the door slightly using shims. If you're working alone, a pry bar is a handy lever; one hand can lift the door while the other slides shims into place.
|
When everything's at the correct height, simply roll the hangers onto the brackets and flip the locking levers. |
Check to make sure there is no gap between the door and the wall. Carriers like these from Johnson Hardware are easily adjustable. Either side of the door can be raised or lowered slightly to correct for gaps at the top or bottom of the door. |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Carefully replace the trim you removed earlier. A framing nailer makes this job clean and simple. |
Next, attach wood strips to the inside of the hole that allowed access to the track in the wall. These strips will support the patch of drywall that was cut out earlier.
|
After fitting the drywall patch into the hole and screwing it to the wood strips inside the wall, cover the gaps along the edges of the patch with a setting compound. When it's dry, sand it flush. |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
It may be necessary to add a new door pull to the edge of your pocket door. If you can't find one that's the same size as your old one, the old mortise can be filled and prepared to accept a new pull.
First, mix a two-part catalyzed wood filler, consisting of a resin and a hardener. Blend the two together, then apply the filler to the mortise in the door where the original door pull was. |
Wait until the filler becomes firm and rubbery, then trim off any excess with a utility knife. Finish it off with a quick sanding. |
Cut a new hole in the hardened wood filler by boring a series of overlapping holes using a Forstner drill bit. Because of their shapes, these bits are less likely to slip into adjacent holes and leave a clean, flat bottom. |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Chisel out the wood between the holes, leaving a smooth edge. |
Once you've got the rough hole made for the new door pull, slip the latch into place, screw it temporarily into position, and use a utility knife to scribe its outline into the wood. |
The trickiest part of cutting the mortise is making the shallow recess into which the plate sets. By placing the edge of the chisel in the groove left by the utility knife and facing the beveled (curved) edge into the center of the mortise, you can get a well defined, clean edge. |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Once the outline is cut, carefully remove the inside material with a chisel. Make sure the beveled side of the chisel is facing against the wood, so that the chisel won't pull into the wood.
|
Careful outlining of the plate edge will help your new door pull fit beautifully.
|
While you may end up with the same old pocket door, the new hardware makes all the difference. It's quieter, smoother, and it closes seamlessly! |
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
