How to Repair a Pocket Door

Lubricate Pocket Door Rollers

If the pocket door is hard to open and close, the door rollers may need to be lubricated. Do not use oil or a water displacement lubricant. Instead, spray each roller once or twice with silicone spray. Roll the door back and forth a few times to distribute the spray.

Tighten Pocket Door on Track

Over time, with repeated use, the pocket door track may become loose. The visible, accessible half of the track can be tightened without having to remove the door or the trim.

With the cordless drill or a screwdriver, tighten the screws from below the track. Be careful not to strip the screws.

Remove Pocket Door Trim

Most other pocket door repairs require you to remove some of the trim. It is important to gently remove the three sections of door trim so that they can be reused. Use a putty knife and prying tool to carefully pry away the trim. With the trim removed, remove any nails or brads from the trim by pulling them out from the back side.

Follow up by removing the floor guide. With the cordless drill, turn out the screws holding the plastic guide in place at the bottom of the door. You should now be able to remove the pocket door, if needed.

Replace Pocket Door Track

In some cases, you may need to remove the entire pocket door track and replace it. To access the hidden half of the track, you will need to cut out a small section of the drywall next to the door opening.

Cut out a section of drywall about 18 inches wide, 10 inches high, and about 3 inches below the level of the track. With the section removed, insert the cordless drill and use it to turn out the screws holding that section of track in place.

Next, move to the accessible area of the pocket door opening and unscrew the track. Remove the track entirely and replace with a new track.

Fix Uneven or Misaligned Pocket Door

The pocket door might be in place and slide as normal, but it does not meet the door casing squarely when closed. Also, because of this unevenness or misalignment, part of the door may jut out when the door is open.

With the top pocket door trim removed, use a flashlight to locate the two metal adjustable roller assemblies on the top of the door. With a wrench, turn either or both of the two roller assemblies to raise or lower them. This will move one side of the door up or down.

Re-Level Pocket Door Track

The pocket door might be misaligned or might not slide smoothly, because the track at the top of the door opening is out of level. This can happen as homes age and the foundation subsides. Readjusting the rollers can help but only to a certain degree. If the track is greatly out of level, it will need to be removed and reinstalled level.

With the door track removed, hold the bubble level up against the track's attachment point. If the attachment point is not level, screw plastic shims in place. Add shims in the appropriate places until the bubble level reads level again, then replace the track and the pocket door.