Pocket Door in a Stud Wall: Framing and Fitting Guide

Most UK pocket door kits are designed for timber or metal stud partitions. Get the stud sizes, opening width and header right, and boarding the wall is straightforward. Get them wrong, and the plasterboard steps, the door binds, or services end up trapped in the pocket.

This is a practical planning guide for fitting a pocket door in a stud wall — the companion to our guide on pocket doors in brick walls. It covers stud sizes, finished wall thickness, headers, services, plasterboard and the difference between load-bearing and simple partition walls.

Why stud walls suit pocket doors

A pocket door kit is a framed cavity: steel (or timber) uprights, a head track, and a void the door slides into. Plasterboard goes on both faces of the pocket and the rest of the partition. That build matches how UK stud walls are already made.

Brick and block walls are solid, so you cannot cut a pocket into the masonry itself without major structural work. Stud walls already have a cavity, so the kit drops into a prepared opening. If your wall is masonry, read the brick-wall guide first and expect either a false stud skin or a rebuilt stud section.

Match pocket thickness to the stud

Manufacturer sizing charts start with the actual stud thickness, not the nominal name on the timber. Eclisse, for example, publishes clear pairings for common UK studs with 12.5mm plasterboard:

When the pocket thickness matches the stud, one layer of 12.5mm board each side often lines through cleanly. CLS 3×2 is thinner than a 70mm pocket, so makers may call for packing or a thin board layer on the studwork so faces stay flush. Always follow the kit chart rather than guessing. More on builds is in our pocket door wall thickness guide.

Plan the stud opening before you order

Overall frame width, not just the door

The stud opening must take the complete pocket frame: clear passage plus the pocket length plus jamb margins. Kits list overall frame width and height for each door size. Eclisse also suggests leaving about 5mm tolerance and packing if the studs are slightly out — better than forcing a frame into a tight hole.

Finished floor level

Install the frame at finished floor level. If the floor covering is not yet down, allow for its thickness so the door does not drag or leave a large gap later.

Plumb, square and strong enough

The studwork must be plumb and in line. The frame has to support the door weight through the head; Eclisse Classic systems, for example, are commonly rated around 100kg per leaf (heavier options on request). Undersized or twisted studs show up later as rubbing doors and cracked joints.

Headers, noggins and how the load is carried

A hinged door hangs on a jamb stud. A pocket door hangs from the track in the head, so most of the vertical load goes into a header above the kit and then up into the top plate and the structure above.

Eclisse’s studwork guidance for Classic systems is a useful UK pattern:

1. Fix top and base plates, aligned.
2. Fix vertical studs, commonly at 400mm centres (or 600mm where the board layout allows).
3. Leave an opening the width of the pocket system.
4. Add horizontal noggins (often mid-height, or at one-third and two-thirds on taller walls).
5. Fit a header (secondary top plate) above the pocket opening.
6. Add vertical noggins above that header so load transfers into the top plate and the joists or roof structure the wall is fixed to.

Do not omit the header and noggins above the pocket. That is the main structural difference from a standard hinged doorway in studwork.

Load-bearing wall or simple partition?

Many internal stud walls are non-load-bearing partitions. Opening them up for a pocket kit is usually a carpentry job, provided you rebuild the studs correctly around the frame.

If the stud wall is load-bearing — carrying floor joists, a roof or another wall — changing the opening needs proper design. Building Regulations normally apply when you form or alter openings in load-bearing walls, typically with structural calculations and building control approval. Do not cut a wide pocket opening in a load-bearing stud wall on guesswork. Engage a builder working to an engineer’s design.

Even on a simple partition, walls around stairs can play a part in fire protection. Check with building control before changing stair walls. Listed buildings need listed building consent for internal alterations that affect character.

Services in a stud wall pocket

The pocket cavity must stay clear for the door. That means:

• No sockets or switches on the pocket faces unless the kit is specifically wiring-ready and you follow the maker’s routing rules
• No radiator pipes, soil stacks or ventilation ducts through the pocket
• No heavy fixings into the pocket area for cupboards, TVs or grab rails

Survey the wall with a detector and, where needed, open a small inspection hole before you commit. Relocate services beyond the end of the pocket or into adjacent stud bays. Decide early if you need a wiring-ready frame so lighting points can sit near the doorway without invading the cavity.

Plasterboard and finishing

Once the pocket frame is fixed, plumb and square:

• Board both sides of the pocket and the rest of the stud wall as the kit chart shows
• Use the board thickness the manufacturer specifies so faces stay flush
• Tape and joint (or skim) as for a normal partition
• Fit jamb kits / architraves, or leave a flush / frameless look if that is the system you chose
• Hang the door, set the stops, and check soft-close or lock packs if ordered

Keep screw lengths under control over the pocket so fixings cannot foul the door leaf. After decoration, avoid picture hooks and shelves on the pocket section.

Stud wall pocket door checklist

• Confirm partition vs load-bearing before cutting a large opening
• Measure actual stud thickness and pick a matching pocket
• Size the stud opening to the overall frame chart, at finished floor level
• Build a proper header with noggins transferring load to the top plate
• Keep services out of the pocket (or use a wiring-ready system correctly)
• Board to the manufacturer’s thicknesses so the wall finishes flush
• Order door size, hardware and soft close with the kit

Frequently asked questions

Can you fit a pocket door in a timber stud wall?

Yes. That is the standard UK installation. Match the pocket thickness to the stud, build a square opening with a proper header, keep services out of the cavity, then board both faces.

What stud size do I need for a pocket door?

Common pairings are CLS 3×2 with a 70mm pocket (about 95mm finished wall) and CLS 4×2 with a 90mm pocket (about 115mm finished wall). Scant/construction 4×2 often pairs with a 100mm pocket for about 125mm finished. Check your kit’s chart for the exact timber you are using.

Does a pocket door need a lintel in a stud wall?

It needs a properly built header above the frame so the door weight transfers into the top plate and structure above. That is different from a masonry lintel, but just as important. Follow the kit maker’s studwork guidance.

Can I put sockets in a pocket door wall?

Not in the pocket section of a standard frame. Use adjacent stud bays, or choose a wiring-ready system and follow its rules for routing cables near the opening.

What if my wall is brick instead of stud?

You cannot cut a pocket into solid masonry in the same way. Typical options are a false stud wall beside the brickwork, or replacing a section with studwork under the right structural design. See our pocket door in a brick wall guide.

Choose a stud-wall pocket door kit

Planning a pocket door in studwork? Browse our pocket door kits, including the 90mm pocket door kit for common CLS 4×2 builds, or contact us to match a frame to your stud size and door leaf.