How to Put Molding Around Pocket Doors
A pocket door slides into the wall to open, rather than swinging open on hinges. The outside molding of a pocket door is finished to look like a common hinged door. Installation of the molding for both types of doors is completed using the same technique.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Level
- Flat prefinished molding
- Miter saw
- Trim nails
- Hammer
- Slide the pocket door into the wall to keep it out of the way while working.
- Measure around the doorway making pencil marks 1/4 inch away from the edge of the casing. Lay your level across the marks and draw a straight line. When finished, you will have a perimeter drawn that goes around the outside of the casing.
- Hold a piece of molding above the perimeter line and pencil the ¼ inch markings onto the bottom edge of the molding.
- Place the molding flat down on a miter saw, with the marked edge facing the blade and the front side facing up. One of the marks should be directly in front of the blade. Turn the blade 45 degrees so that it is pointing away from both pencil marks. Cut the molding.
- Move the trim so that the second mark is in front of the blade. Repeat step four. The finished piece should have the top edge of the molding longer than the bottom edge.
- Nail the cut molding over the top of the doorway with the bottom edge on the penciled line and the two cut angles spreading up over the sides. Hammer nails every foot along the top and bottom. Make sure the nails are not too long so they do not scrape on the door and interfere with the pocket function.
- Measure and cut the two side pieces as you did the top piece, except for the end of the trim that will point up. Cut the other ends straight across.
- Nail the vertical pieces in place, pressing the mitered angles together to form the square corners.
- Close and open the pocket door to make sure it functions properly.