Bungalows are popular for a simple reason: everything is on one level. But living on one floor also puts a lot of pressure on the floor plan. Bedrooms, bathrooms, the kitchen and the living space all open off the same compact hallway, and every swinging door competes for room with furniture, radiators and the people moving around them.

That makes a bungalow one of the best places to use pocket doors. A pocket door slides into a cavity inside the wall, so there’s no door swing to plan around. In this guide we look at where pocket doors make the biggest difference in a bungalow, how they can help with easier access, what to check in your walls and the rules that still apply on a single storey.

Why pocket doors suit bungalows

The hallway does all the work

In a two-storey house, the stairs and landing share the circulation. In a bungalow, the hallway is often the only route between rooms, and it can have four, five or six doors opening off it. When several hinged doors open into the same corridor, they clash with each other and with anyone walking past.

Swapping some of those doors for pocket doors clears the hallway. The leaf disappears into the wall when it’s open, so the corridor stays the same width whether doors are open or closed.

Rooms feel bigger

Bungalow bedrooms and bathrooms are often modest. A hinged door needs a clear arc inside the room, which rules out furniture, storage or a towel rail in that corner. A pocket door gives that floor space back. Our guide to pocket doors for small spaces goes into more detail on how much difference that can make.

Open-plan when you want it, privacy when you need it

Many bungalow owners knock through to create a larger kitchen-diner or living space. A pocket door, or a pair of them, lets you open the space up most of the time and close it off when you need to keep cooking smells in or the heat on in one room.

Pocket doors and easier access

People often choose a bungalow so they can stay in their home as they get older, or because someone in the household uses a walking aid or wheelchair. Pocket doors can help, but only if they’re specified with access in mind.

Wider openings without a wider swing

A wider hinged door needs a bigger swing, which a narrow hallway may not have. A pocket door doesn’t swing at all, so you can often fit a wider leaf without the door getting in the way. Check the pocket door sizes guide for the common leaf widths and the opening each one needs.

For new homes in England, Approved Document M sets minimum door and corridor widths for visitable dwellings. Table 1.1 gives a minimum clear opening of 750mm for doors to habitable rooms and the room containing the WC, with the corridor width depending on how the door is approached: 900mm when approached head-on, or between 900mm and 1,200mm when approached at an angle, depending on the door width. These figures apply to new dwellings, but they’re a useful benchmark if you’re adapting an existing bungalow.

Mind the clear opening

With a pocket door, the clear opening is usually a little less than the leaf width, because the leaf often stops slightly short of fully disappearing so the handle can be reached. If a specific clear width matters, for example for a wheelchair, check the figure with your supplier before you order rather than assuming the leaf width is the opening.

Handles that are easy to use

Standard flush pulls need a fingertip grip, which can be awkward for anyone with arthritis or reduced grip strength. Options to consider include:

A larger flush pull with a deeper recess that’s easier to grip.
An edge pull on the leading edge, so the door can be pulled out of the pocket.
A surface-mounted D-handle on the face of the leaf, where the frame and wall build allow the door to stop before the handle reaches the pocket.

Our guide on how to choose pocket door handles explains the trade-offs.

Soft-close makes life easier

A soft-close mechanism catches the door near the end of its travel and draws it gently closed or open. That means less effort, no slamming and less chance of the door bouncing back. See our soft-close pocket doors guide for how the mechanisms work.

Watch the floor

Pocket doors are top-hung, so most systems don’t need a raised floor track, just a small floor guide at the mouth of the pocket. That keeps the floor level through the opening, which helps if anyone uses a wheelchair or walking frame.

Where pocket doors work best in a bungalow

Bathrooms and en-suites

Bathroom doors in bungalows often open into tight hallways or bump against the basin or toilet when they swing inwards. A pocket door solves both problems. You’ll need a suitable privacy lock, and you should think about moisture in the room. Our guide to pocket doors for bathrooms covers locks, ventilation and finishes.

Bedrooms

A pocket door into a bedroom frees up the wall for a wardrobe or chest of drawers, and an en-suite or dressing area off the bedroom is another natural spot.

Kitchen to living or dining space

Wider double pocket doors work well between a kitchen and a living or dining room, giving you a large opening when it’s open and a clean divide when it’s closed.

Utility rooms and cupboards

Utility rooms and storage cupboards often sit off the hallway or kitchen, where a swinging door is a nuisance. A pocket door keeps them out of the way.

Check your walls first

A pocket door needs a wall wide and deep enough to hide the leaf. As a rule, you need roughly the width of the door again beside the opening, clear of anything that can’t be moved.

Stud walls or masonry?

Internal walls in bungalows can be timber stud or masonry, and some homes have a mix. Tap the wall and look at the plan if you have one, because the approach is quite different:

Stud walls are usually the simplest to convert, as the existing studs can be removed and the pocket frame fitted. Our guide to fitting a pocket door in a stud wall explains the process.
Masonry walls need more work, and any wall that might be load-bearing needs a structural engineer’s input. See fitting a pocket door in a brick wall.

Load-bearing walls

In some bungalows, internal walls help support the roof structure. Don’t assume a wall is non-structural just because the house is on one floor. If in doubt, get a structural engineer to check before you remove anything.

Services in the wall

Light switches, sockets, radiator pipes and cables can’t stay in the part of the wall where the pocket will be. Plan to move them before work starts.

Wall thickness

The finished wall thickness needs to suit the pocket door kit you choose. Our pocket door wall thickness guide explains the common build-ups.

Fire safety on one level

Approved Document B, the fire safety guidance for buildings in England, still applies to a bungalow. For the ground storey, it says all habitable rooms (except kitchens) should either open directly onto a hall leading to a final exit, or have an emergency escape window or door.

That matters if you’re changing the layout. If knocking through or adding a pocket door means a bedroom can only be reached through another room, that room becomes an “inner room” and needs an escape window that meets the guidance. Most single-storey homes don’t need fire doors between rooms (a door into an integral garage is the main exception), but if you’re converting the loft into rooms, the rules change. Our guide to pocket doors for loft conversions explains what to consider. Building control can confirm what applies to your project.

Choosing the right kit

When you choose a pocket door kit, consider:

Door size and weight. The kit must suit the size and weight of the leaf.
Single or double. Double kits create wider openings between living spaces.
Soft-close. Worth it for ease of use, especially for older users.
Finish. A standard kit with architrave suits most bungalows. A frameless or flush finish gives a cleaner, more modern look.

Pair the kit with suitable pocket door hardware, including handles and a lock where you need privacy.

Frequently asked questions

Are pocket doors a good idea in a bungalow?

Often, yes. Bungalows tend to have busy hallways and compact rooms, so removing door swings makes a noticeable difference. They do need suitable walls with space for the pocket, so check the wall before you commit.

Are pocket doors suitable for wheelchair users?

They can be, because there’s no swing to manoeuvre around and the floor stays level. Choose a wide enough leaf, confirm the clear opening with your supplier, and pick handles that are easy to grip.

Can I fit a pocket door into an existing bungalow wall?

Usually, if the wall has enough clear space beside the opening. Stud walls are easiest. Masonry or load-bearing walls need more work and professional advice.

Do pocket doors in a bungalow need to be fire doors?

Not usually on a single storey. But habitable rooms still need a safe escape route, so changes that create an inner room need an escape window. Converting the loft can change the requirements, so check with building control.

What handle is easiest to use on a pocket door?

A larger flush pull or an edge pull is easier than a small finger pull. If grip is a concern, ask about options that allow a more substantial handle.

Plan your bungalow pocket doors

If you’re planning pocket doors for your bungalow, browse our pocket door kits or get in touch and we’ll help you choose the right size and finish.