How to Remove & Rehang Pocket Doors
- 1). Examine your door and frame. Locate the door stop trim running vertically up the jamb on either side of the door. Pry both pieces loose carefully with a thin, flat pry bar. Work from the bottom, prying a little at a time. Pull the nails out through the back face of the trim using locking pliers to preserve the face of the trim.
- 2). Pull the door to the center of the opening and tilt the bottom of the door out toward you. Lift the bottom of the door up to about waist-high. Lift up on the top of the door to lift the wheels clear of the track. Shift the door slightly toward you to position the wheels in the center between the lips of the track and let the top of the door down to remove it from the track.
- 3). Check the hardware on the top of the door while it is out of the track and accessible. Tighten any loose screws in the hanger plates attached to the top of the door. Use a screwdriver rather than a drill to prevent stripping the screws.
- 4). Adjust the carriages at the top of each hanger, if needed, to level the door. Two types of hangers are common. If the hanger has a nut in the center, turn it with a wrench to adjust the height of each piece to level it. If there is no nut on the hanger, twist the entire carriage to tighten or loosen the bolt underneath and raise or lower each end to level it.
- 5). Lift the top of the door, with the bottom angled out toward you, and slip the hanger up between the lips of the track above. Raise the top of the door, while keeping the bottom tilted out until the wheels are high enough to clear the track. Tilt the bottom of the door in and let the door down to drop the wheels in the track to complete rehanging your door. Check the door for proper operation. Repeat the removal and hanging process to make further adjustments.
- 6). Realign the trim on the jambs. Nail in place with one finish nail every 10 to 12 inches.
