Most pocket door kits are sold without a door. That surprises a lot of people, but it makes sense: the kit is the frame, track and rollers that live inside the wall, and the door is the part you see every day. It means you can pick almost any style you like, from a plain primed flush door to oak, glazed or painted panel designs.

It also means the choice matters more than it does for a hinged door. A pocket door hangs from rollers, runs inside a narrow cavity and can’t easily be taken out once the wall is boarded. Pick the wrong size or weight and you’ll feel it every time you open it. This guide walks through what to check before you buy the door for your pocket door kit.

Start with the kit, not the door

The kit sets the rules. Before you fall for a particular door, find the specification for the kit you plan to use and note four things:

The door sizes it accepts (width and height)
The door thickness range
The maximum door weight
The finished wall thickness it is designed for

For example, our 70mm and 90mm pocket door kits are listed for 35–44mm thick doors up to 60kg per door. Our soft-close pocket door kit takes doors from 25–45mm thick up to 914 x 2032mm, and comes with a soft close for doors up to 40kg. Other kits will have different limits, so always check the one you are buying.

If you haven’t chosen a kit yet, our pocket door kits page lets you compare them side by side, and our pocket door wall thickness guide explains how the wall build affects which one you need.

Getting the size right

Standard UK door sizes

Pocket door kits are usually made to suit standard door sizes. In the UK that means two families:

Imperial, 1981mm (6ft 6in) high, in widths such as 610, 686, 762 and 838mm
Metric, 2040mm high, in widths such as 626, 726, 826 and 926mm

Choose a kit that matches the door size you want, then buy a door of exactly that size. Mixing a metric door with an imperial kit, or the other way round, is one of the most common mistakes we see. Our pocket door sizes guide has more detail on door, opening and wall sizes.

Width affects the wall, not just the doorway

The pocket needs to be about as long as the door is wide. A wider door gives you a wider opening, but it also needs a longer stretch of clear wall beside it, with no sockets, switches, pipes or radiators. Measure that wall before you settle on a width.

Non-standard sizes

If your opening is taller or wider than a standard door, a made-to-measure pocket door is often the answer. Make sure the kit can be made to suit too, or the door won’t fit the frame.

Thickness: within range, not just close

Door thickness has to fall within the range the kit allows. Too thick and it can rub inside the pocket. Too thin and the guides at the floor may not hold it steady.

Most standard internal doors in the UK are 35mm or 44mm thick, and 44mm is the usual thickness for FD30 fire doors. If you need a fire-rated pocket door, a standard kit is not the answer: you need a kit and door that have been tested together. Our guide to FD30 pocket doors explains how that works.

Weight: the detail people forget

Every kit has a maximum door weight, and the soft-close or self-close mechanism may have its own limit. Solid oak doors, doors with lots of glass, and painted solid-core doors can all be heavier than you’d expect.

Before you order, find the door’s weight on its product page or ask the supplier. Then check it against:

The kit’s maximum door weight
The rating of any soft-close or self-close fitted to it
Anything you plan to add, such as glass, mirrors or heavy handles

If a door sits close to the limit, choose a heavier-duty kit or a lighter door. A door that is too heavy can wear rollers, make the track harder to adjust and stop a soft close from working properly.

Which door styles work best?

Almost any style can go in a pocket door kit, as long as it meets the size, thickness and weight limits. Some styles are easier to live with than others.

Flush doors

Plain flush doors are a popular choice. They suit modern rooms, are usually light, and have no mouldings to catch inside the pocket. They are also easy to paint to match the walls.

Panel and shaker doors

Panel doors work well and suit period and traditional homes. Check that any raised mouldings stay within the door’s stated thickness, which is normally the case with manufactured doors.

Glazed doors

A glazed pocket door can borrow light from one room into another. Glass adds weight and can make a door more fragile at the edges, so check the weight carefully and choose glazing that is suitable for a door. Our glass pocket doors guide covers the options in more depth.

Oak and real wood doors

Real wood looks lovely in a pocket, but it moves with humidity and needs finishing on all faces and edges. Solid oak doors can also be heavy, so they are worth weighing up against the kit limit.

Finishing the door before it goes in

A pocket door spends much of its life hidden in the wall, so it’s easy to forget the parts you can’t see. Before you hang it:

Seal every surface, including the top, bottom and both edges, as the door manufacturer recommends. An unsealed edge can take on moisture and the door may warp.
Let paint or lacquer cure fully before sliding the door into the pocket, so it doesn’t stick to the guides or bumper.
Follow the door maker’s rules on trimming. Some doors can be trimmed a little, others can’t be trimmed at all without affecting the warranty.
Fit the handles before final hanging, so you can check they clear the frame.

Handles and locks: plan them with the door

You can’t use normal lever handles on a pocket door, because they would stop it sliding into the wall. Pocket doors use flush pulls that sit level with the door face, plus an edge pull so you can draw the door out of the pocket.

The door must be thick enough to take the handle or lock you want, as morticed hardware needs enough timber around it. Check the handle maker’s minimum door thickness. Our guides on choosing pocket door handles and pocket door locks explain the choices, and you’ll find flush pulls and privacy sets on our pocket door hardware page.

A quick checklist before you order

The door size matches the kit exactly (imperial or metric)
The door thickness is within the kit’s range
The door weight is under the kit and soft-close limits
There is enough clear wall for the pocket
You know how the door must be sealed and whether it can be trimmed
The door is thick enough for your chosen handles or lock
If it’s on a fire escape route, you’re using a tested FD30 kit and door

Frequently asked questions

Does a pocket door kit come with a door?

Usually not. Most pocket door kits, including ours, supply the frame and running gear only, so you can choose a door to suit the room. Check the product description to be sure.

Can I use my existing door in a pocket door kit?

Sometimes. If it matches a size the kit accepts and is within the thickness and weight limits, it may work. You’ll need to remove the hinges and fill the recesses, and fit pocket door handles instead of levers.

What thickness door do I need for a pocket door?

It depends on the kit. Our 70mm and 90mm kits take 35–44mm doors, and our soft-close kit takes 25–45mm doors. Always check the range for the kit you buy.

Can a glass door be used as a pocket door?

Yes, many glazed doors work well as pocket doors. Check the weight against the kit’s limit and make sure the glazing is suitable for a door.

How heavy can a pocket door be?

Each kit has its own maximum. Our 70mm and 90mm kits are rated for doors up to 60kg, and the soft close supplied with our soft-close kit is for doors up to 40kg. Check every kit and closer you plan to use.

Find the right kit for your door

Choosing the door and kit together is the easiest way to get a pocket door that slides smoothly for years. Browse our pocket door kits, or get in touch if you’d like help matching a door to the right kit.