How to Remove & Repair a Pocket Door

Use a wrench to adjust wheel carriage height for smoother operation.

Pocket doors can be intimidating when it comes to maintenance and repair. Understanding the mechanics of the door can help put this to rest. The door itself is a standard slab door with a pair of roller carriages attached to its top edge. The wheels of the carriage are supported by a track that is formed from a square metal tube with one open side for the wheels to slip into. The main failures are gummed up wheels, which make the door stick or move unevenly; carriage wheel height out of adjustment; and loose or detached wheel carriages.

Things You'll Need

• Sawhorses
• Tape measure
• Socket wrench
• Replacement bolts
• Replacement carriage
• Flashlight
• Drill

Send to Phone

Brought to you by

Send to Phone

Please enter your 10 digit phone number only.

Send

A link to this article has been sent to the phone number provided.

Close

Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. Message and data rates may apply.

Instructions

1. Remove the door from its track by sliding it into the center of the opening, rocking it out at the bottom and lifting up so that the wheels lift up and out of the track, allowing the door to drop down. Note the placement of the door and how far it lifts so you can reverse this procedure to replace the door.

2. Lay the door flat on a pair of sawhorses. Examine the wheel carriages for loose bolts or screws. Measure from the top of the door to the bottom of the wheels on each carriage. The measurement should be the same. Take note of repairs needed.

3. Tighten loose lag bolts holding the carriages into the top of the door with a socket wrench. Replace stripped bolts with the same length and the next thickest diameter of bolt. Take the original with you to the store for comparison.

4. Replace broken carriages by removing the two mounting bolts and lifting the old carriage away. Align the new carriage with the bolt holes and reinstall and tighten the bolts with the socket wrench.

5. Adjust the height of the wheels if they are uneven. Turn the adjustment nut, located in the center on the top of each carriage, clockwise with a wrench until it is all the way down. Back the nut off two or three turns on each carriage. Alternate turning the nut on one carriage and the other to keep them equal.

6. Shine a flashlight inside the door track to locate the screws holding the track. Tighten any loose screws using a cordless drill. Clear any debris or other obstructions.

7. Spray aerosol lubricant onto the wheel hubs of the carriages to oil the door for smoother operation. Reinsert the door in reverse of the order you took it from the opening. Tip the top in and bottom out, slip the wheels up and over the track and allow the door to drop into place. Test the door for proper operation. Remove it and adjust the height of the carriages as needed.

References

• "Stanley Complete Doors and Windows"; Meredith books, 2007
• Home Tips: Repair Pocket Doors