Replies

1. 
   leaninlouey | Feb 27, 2003 05:32am | #1

   Just a thought here....

   Maybe you could make one out of 1x3 pieces joined with piano hinges or something similar, and put it in a hanging track, like they do with bi-fold doors. The inside curved surface of the board will have to be cut at an angle so they will go around the curve.

    Hope that helps....

   Redo-it

1. 
   UncleDunc | Feb 27, 2003 05:50am | #2

   You've described a tambour door. You see them occasionally in furniture. Roll top desks are probably the most frequent sighting. I've never seen one as a passage door. It would take some pretty fine engineering to build one with low enough friction to be usable. I don't see any conceptual reason why it wouldn't work.

2. 
   jackiechan | Feb 27, 2003 06:10am | #3

   Bleu,

   Does it have to be a pocket door?  There are a few ways to build a solid one-piece door that follows the curve of the "C" shaped wall.  It is possible to build a solid curved pocket door if this is what you have your heart set on.  The engineering would have to be precise to avoid the door racking and binding in the track, but it can be done.

   If you would like any recommendations, or if you have any questions, please feel free to send them along.

   Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Feb 27, 2003 07:10pm | #4

   Thanks everyone. 

   No, I guess it doesn't have to be a pocket door.  We have limited floor space in our room as it is.  We have "normal" pocket doors elsewhere in our house that are great and convenient. I don't think the look of a tambour door is exactly what we are looking for, although it is an excellent suggestion.  Our house is 10 years old and all the other interior doors are painted, 6 panel solid pine.  Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

1. 
   johnhardy | Feb 28, 2003 12:22am | #5

   Maybe you've rejected this, but what's wrong with leaving the hall door to your room as is, closing in the door to the daughter's room, and putting in a door to her room from the hall?

   John

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Feb 28, 2003 05:25am | #8

   We can't close up her door because there is no part of her room that meets the hall.  We have to extend the hall so her door and ours will be in it.

1. 
   jgaiennie | Feb 28, 2003 06:07pm | #9

   Bleu,

   I hate pocket doors.  But unfortunately they do have their place.  Tambour doors are another animal that I have no experience with building.

   My bride spends her days in a wheelchair and when we built our house we reluctantly chose pocket doors for five locations to increase / enable accessiblilty.  I purchased the best hardware that was available.  Though we took care to build them properly, not one of those sob's works as well as I'd like.

   I'm kinda reluctant to be one of the nay sayers, but I think you're asking for a difficult job / trouble in making a curved pocket door.  What happens to the radius of a door as wood srinks and expands?  What's going to happen to the length of the chord of your radius as your door moves through its range of expansion / contraction?  I'd suggest that you strongly consider other options.

   How thick is the wall?  I think that a very roomy pocket would be in order for this job.  The framing on each side of a pocket is usually 1x running horizontally.  I guess in this case you'd have to run the framing vertically, and because of the increase in span, make it 2x on the flat.  Let's see - allowing for a pocket space of 2 1/2" (I don't know what you'll need, but maybe this is enough for a minimum - you may want more) and 3" for framing, you'll have to build the balance of the wall of a min of 2x6 studs.

   Another design feature you may want to consider - If you put the studs vertically, attach some banding (like maybe some brass weatherstripping) or some other guide material horizontally on the inside of the pocket to keep the door in the pocket and from bumping the vertical pocket framing members.  I'd say at least one strip on each side at the bottom and one at mid height.  The track will take care of the top.

   What an interesting piece of work it would be if you get it put together attractively and working successfully.  What effort it will take to build.  What an unfortunate effort it would be if you work your butt off on it and don't enjoy success.  Sure it can be done.  - Lots of work and careful planning.

   jdg

2. 
   bleubassplyr | Feb 28, 2003 09:15pm | #10

   Right now I'm in the research phase to make sure I want to take the time.  If done correctly, even taking into account the extra work, I think it would work well.  I'm just not sure I want to dive in that deep.

3. 
   sandoval | Feb 28, 2003 01:43am | #6

   I don't know your woodworking skill level, but I'd build a curved door and use radiused sliding track hardware availabe from Hafele. 800-423-3531. The Clipo system is reasonably priced and while sold as straight track, can be bent to a radius of up 63". For tighter radii, you'l have to order bent track. This is available in the Hawa Media system. A little more pricey, but boy, this hardware works! If your going to be using this door everyday, you'll regret not spending a little on the front end to make it work right.

1. 
   bleubassplyr | Feb 28, 2003 05:23am | #7

   Thanks, I'll check that out.