A wide opening between a kitchen and dining room is lovely when it’s open and useful when you can close it off. The usual answer is a pair of pocket doors that meet in the middle, but that needs a pocket on both sides, and in plenty of homes one side is taken up by a chimney breast, a window or a run of units.
That’s where telescopic pocket doors come in. Two door leaves slide into a single pocket on one side, so you get a wide opening without needing wall space on both sides. This guide explains how they work, what sizes and wall thickness to plan for, and when they make more sense than a standard double pocket door.
What is a telescopic pocket door?
A telescopic pocket door system has two door leaves that run side by side on parallel tracks and slide in the same direction. When you open the door, the leading leaf pulls the second one along, and both end up stacked one behind the other inside the same pocket.
Eclisse, the Italian pocket door maker, describes its Telescopic Single system as a frame for two parallel doors disappearing into the same pocket, and markets it for rooms such as living rooms and dining rooms where you want a wide opening with the smallest footprint.
There are two main versions:
- Telescopic single: two leaves, one pocket, opening to one side.
- Telescopic double: four leaves, with two sliding into a pocket on each side of the opening. Eclisse describes this as 2+2 doors moving in a mirrored way.
How telescopic pocket doors work
Because the two leaves run on parallel tracks, the frame has to be deeper than a standard single pocket frame. That’s the key difference you’ll notice when you plan the wall.
On the Eclisse system, the leading leaf drags the second leaf with it as it opens and closes. Eclisse recommends its telescopic synchronisation accessory, which links the two panels so they slide together. According to Eclisse, the accessory:
- fits directly to the door panels without replacing the track
- is suitable only for wooden doors
- can be fitted to a frame that’s already built into the wall, thanks to its extractable track
- can be combined with its BIAS soft-close dampers
For a telescopic double, Eclisse says you need two synchronisation accessories and two BIAS dampers, one set for each side.
Telescopic pocket door sizes
The best way to understand telescopic pocket doors is to look at real figures. These come from Eclisse UK’s current technical sheet for the Classic Telescopic Single frame, which takes two standard UK doors:
| Two doors of | Max. passage size (W x H) | Overall frame size (W x H) |
|---|---|---|
| 610 x 1981mm | 1108 x 1971mm | 1827 x 2056mm |
| 686 x 1981mm | 1260 x 1971mm | 2079 x 2056mm |
| 762 x 1981mm | 1412 x 1971mm | 2331 x 2056mm |
| 838 x 1981mm | 1564 x 1971mm | 2483 x 2056mm |
| 826 x 2040mm | 1540 x 2030mm | 2459 x 2115mm |
| 926 x 2040mm | 1740 x 2030mm | 2759 x 2115mm |
The same sheet lists non-standard sizes up to a 2340mm wide by 2600mm high passage.
The Classic Telescopic Double takes four doors. With four 762 x 1981mm doors, Eclisse lists a 2844mm wide passage and an overall frame width of 4596mm. Non-standard double sizes go up to a 4700mm wide passage.
The passage size is the clear width you can walk through. It’s a little less than the combined width of the doors, because the leaves overlap each other and the leading leaf doesn’t disappear completely. On the Eclisse system, the leading leaf projects 90mm out of the pocket when the doors are fully open, which gives you something to grip.
Telescopic vs double pocket doors: the wall space difference
This is where telescopic doors earn their place. Compare two Eclisse systems, each using two 826 x 2040mm doors:
- Standard double pocket door: one leaf slides into each side. Eclisse lists a 1600mm wide passage and an overall frame width of 3294mm, so you need pocket space on both sides of the opening.
- Telescopic single: both leaves slide into one side. Eclisse lists a 1540mm wide passage and an overall frame width of 2459mm, with all the pocket space on one side.
So for a very similar clear opening, the telescopic frame takes up around 835mm less wall in total, and leaves one side of the opening completely free. That’s often the difference between a wide opening fitting or not.
There’s a trade-off, though. The pocket on a telescopic system has to hold two leaves side by side, so the wall gets thicker.
Wall thickness: plan for 180mm
Eclisse lists a 180mm finished wall thickness for both its Telescopic Single and Telescopic Double frames. That applies to both the solid wall and stud wall versions.
For comparison, most of the single pocket door kits we sell are designed for slimmer walls. Our 75mm pocket door kit, for example, gives a 100mm finished wall with 75mm studs, and the 70mm pocket door kit suits a 95mm finished wall. Our pocket door wall thickness guide explains how finished wall thickness is worked out.
In practice, a 180mm wall usually means building a new, thicker partition, or thickening the existing one along the length of the frame. If you’re knocking through to create an open-plan space anyway, building a new 180mm partition is often straightforward. If you’re trying to fit a telescopic door into an existing slim stud wall, it’s a bigger job.
What doors can you use?
Eclisse’s telescopic frames are designed for timber door leaves. Its technical sheets state:
- door leaves 35mm or 44mm thick
- a maximum weight of 100kg per door leaf
- the frame is installed at finished floor level
- a timber lining (jamb) kit is included, but the door leaves, plasterboard and final architraves are not
Eclisse UK also notes on its product page that the standard single telescopic system isn’t suitable for glazed doors. If you want glass, ask the manufacturer about alternatives before you plan around it. Our glass pocket doors guide covers glazed options on standard pocket frames.
Because the two leaves stack side by side, it’s simplest to use a matching pair, so they look tidy when the opening is half closed.
Where telescopic pocket doors work well
Telescopic pocket doors suit wide openings where you want to switch between one big space and two separate rooms:
- Kitchen-diners and living rooms, where you might want to close off cooking smells or noise
- Home offices off a living space, so you can shut the work away at the end of the day
- Openings next to a chimney breast, window or corner, where there’s only room for a pocket on one side
- Wide openings in new builds and extensions, where the 180mm partition can be planned in from the start
For a single bathroom or bedroom doorway, a standard single pocket door is simpler and needs a much slimmer wall. Our pocket door sizes guide covers standard single and double options.
Things to check before you commit
Handles and locks
You’ll need flush pulls that don’t stop the leaves stacking. Eclisse lists flush pulls and bathroom locks as accessories for the telescopic single. Our guide to choosing pocket door handles explains the main types.
Soft close
Eclisse’s BIAS damper can be combined with the synchronisation accessory to slow the leaves gently at the end of their travel. Our soft close pocket doors guide explains how they work.
Sound and privacy
Like any sliding door, a telescopic pocket door won’t seal as tightly as a hinged door with stops on all sides, and there are more meeting edges. If noise between rooms matters, read our guide to pocket door soundproofing before deciding.
Services and fixings
As with any pocket door, the pocket has to stay clear. Plan switches, sockets, radiators and pipes so nothing needs to go into the pocket area. Eclisse also advises building a 3-5mm tolerance into the stud opening and using packers at fixing points so the frame goes in plumb, level and square.
Fire doors
The Eclisse telescopic technical sheets don’t list a fire-rated version. If the opening is on a protected escape route, check with your building control body first, and read our guide to FD30 pocket doors.
Frequently asked questions
How do telescopic pocket doors work?
Two door leaves run on parallel tracks and slide in the same direction into one pocket. When you pull the leading leaf, it brings the second leaf with it, especially if a synchronisation mechanism is fitted.
How thick does the wall need to be for a telescopic pocket door?
Thicker than for a standard pocket door. Eclisse lists a 180mm finished wall for both its Telescopic Single and Telescopic Double frames.
Do telescopic pocket doors need less wall space than double pocket doors?
Usually less wall in total, and all of it on one side. See the Eclisse comparison above: 2459mm of frame versus 3294mm for a similar opening.
Can I use glass doors in a telescopic pocket system?
Eclisse UK says its standard single telescopic system isn’t suitable for glazed doors, and its synchronisation accessory is for wooden doors only. Check with the manufacturer if you want glass.
Can a telescopic pocket door be fitted in an existing wall?
It’s possible, but the 180mm finished wall usually means rebuilding or thickening the partition. It’s easiest in a new build, extension or knock-through where the wall is being built anyway.
Planning a wide opening?
Telescopic pocket doors are a clever answer when you want a wide opening but only have pocket space on one side. They need a thicker wall and careful planning, so get the sizes right before the builder starts.
For standard single and double openings, browse our pocket door kits and pocket door hardware. If you’re weighing up options for a wide opening, contact our team and we’ll help you work out what fits.
