Johnson Hardware® 1500 Series Pocket Door Frame Installation

[@edlydick6507]

My experience with purchasing the 1500 series and installation was outstanding. While I did order online I had had a couple of questions first. I contacted Johnson. They were very helpful. The videos on KZbin were excellent for installation. The doors were packaged very well so they were not destroyed during the shipping process.

[@gimmetaco2037]

THE strangely absent, yet important, element in this video are details for the "SC" designation of the 1500 model. That means "Soft Close" in case you're @JohnsonHardware reading this. (The 1500SC comes with the soft-close mechanism installed from the factory.) The mechanism has to be installed correctly or the entire door has to be taken out of a finished wall (soft open mechanism is behind the finished wall). I'm here looking for a video that shows these important installation must-do-rights.

[@johnsonhardware901]

This video shows the soft close portion of the installation. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6KkqGR9Z8-nmqs

[@saragardner1483]

The 1500PF, 1500HD, and 1500SC series are all the same frame and track. The only difference is the hangers/wheels. 1500PF uses the standard 1120 hangers, 1500HD uses the ball bearing 1125 hangers, and the 1500SC series uses the soft open and soft close. The frame installation is the same no matter which hangers are used, that is why it only says "1500 series". The 1060 soft open/close has separate instructions and there is a specific video for installing this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6KkqGR9Z8-nmqs

[@seanwilliams8833]

Installed this kit today with a 36" door. Went very straightforward. However there seems to be little lateral strength in the pocket area where the two steel studs are located. The wall is not shaky, since it is attached to the floor, but the steel studs do have a little flex to them for sure.

[@dougcarlson6800]

I have used them and found them to be very effective, the standard pocket frames at lumber stores don’t compare.

[@ForrestPersing]

help: my door is 77.25 inches, which means the header height would be 81.75". However instructions #1 states the minimum height must be 84.5 inches. Can the Metal Studs be cut down to size and what is the length they should be cut to for a 77.25 " door?

[@lockpro]

Great video. This has convinced me that we will be using soft-close pocket doors on our master suite remodel. And thanks for updating the video. I watched the 10-year-old version first. Maybe you should delete it :)

[@antontik]

How does this work on basements where ceilings are 82 inches, can this system be cut to fit that?

[@pong320]

The video is helpful but it would be nice if they specified which screws were to be used at some of the steps. The written instructions don't clarify either. Step 8: Fasten Bumper. OK, which of the 4 screw types is to be used? Step 9: Fasten door plates. OK, which of the 4 screw types are to be used?

[@Mary-wo9rl]

how do you get it back on the track after the bolt comes out of the door plate and there is trim covering the space used in the video to simply push it in?

[@saragardner1483]

Step 10 of the instructions tell you to screw in the finish jamb for the clip side of the door plates (at the top). The frame even comes with 3 screws to do that. To take the door down, put the door back up, or adjust you would need to take that side of the finished jamb down to reach.

[@aroniousskywalker1765]

How come there are no markings for a 34” door (2’-10”) on the universal door? You have every other size but that one…?

[@saragardner1483]

A door that is 2'10" (34") is not a standard width. There are a few doors out there that are 34", but not enough to specifically make a frame for that size of door. You would just order the frame for a door that is 36" wide and cut the header down to work for a door that is 34". Make sure to look at the section right under Step 6 (on the cutting instructions) that tell you how to mark and cut for an unmarked size.

[@explorinandy]

For the header height is that "door + 4.5 inches" from the sub floor or the finished floor?

[@rdy4trvl]

What did you go with? My guess....finished floor. That said, an illustration in the instructions appears to show the subfloor (ie arrow points to the bottom of the bottom plate).

[@kevincaz]

Dealing with the same thing. Seems like a pretty crucial detail to leave out...

[@saragardner1483]

The rough opening is from the subfloor up to the header of the home. On the drawing in the instructions on Step 10 shows that the 4-1/2" is from subfloor up, and on Step 2 it tells you to measure from finished floor or subfloor (depending on the type of floor you are installing the frame on) to put in a screw to attach the end brackets of the header to.

[@kevincaz]

@@saragardner1483 Can confirm. Installed mine door + 4.5 inches from subfloor and had ~.5" of buffer space to work with.

[@jpeterson991]

I cut for 2/6 on the track for a 30” door but the opening is 31” is this right?

[@saragardner1483]

For the 1500 series frame there is wood that goes across the entire top. Then half of the header has wood on the sides too (that is the passage side). For a door that is 30" (2/6) wide, the side member sides will be 31" wide and the complete header will be 61" long.

[@KaosHappens]

Why not cut metal track first?

[@bryenlink]

I love how KZbin just had me watch two ads in order to watch an ad 😅

[@demagchevy]

Perfect! Thank you for the video, your paper instructions are lacking .

[@labrandons]

move header cutting to beginning.

[@VeronicaJones-n5b]

Music and Tones

[@jonmhayden]

How many people ruin their kit because they think 2/8 is 28”. What’s the reasoning for the really confusing markings? Why not just make everything in inches?

[@saragardner1483]

If you actually have a 28" wide door and accidentally order the frame for a door that is 32" (2/8), you can cut it down to work for your door. You can always go smaller, you just can never go bigger. If you look at the last page of the installation instructions, it is step by step cutting instructions. Then look at the section right under Step 6 for how to mark and cut for "an unmarked size". When ordering the frame it is marked under the description for what the size of the door the frame is made for, and on the cutting instructions page right above the "nailer board" picture it is also marked for the sizing. It says 2/8 = 32", 2/6 = 30", 2/4 = 28", and 2/0 = 24".

[@jonmhayden]

@@saragardner1483 Yes, I realize it has that in the instructions, but when looking at the hardware it's confusing. And I just got my pocket door and now they don't mark them like that anymore. Mine have 3|4" and 3|2" and 2|8" and 2|4". And those are inches...meaning 3|2" is actually 32 inches but my instructions that came with the door still have the old markings like you listed. So 2/4 is 28 inches, but 2|4" is 24 inches.

[@saragardner1483]

Johnson has not changed their markings. Johnson frames for a 2’6” and 3’ doors are marked , but the frames for a 2’, 2’4”, and 2’8” are not marked. You just look at the section right under step 6 to tell you how to mark the header and cut for an unmarked size (last page of installation instructions). You said yours has 3/4” (and other size) markings, that must not be on the Johnson frame. The markings being 2/0, 2/4, 2/6, and 2/8 have always been the same since 1959. For the frames it has always been marked feet/inches because that is how contractors refer to the doors. Are you sure the 2/4” is 24” and not 2’4”? The “/“ is always meaning feet/inches with any contractor or door company or hardware store I have ever talked to.

[@jonmhayden]

@@saragardner1483 Well, I don't know what to say. I bought the door from another company that included the pocket door hardware with Johnson instructions. So maybe that company remarks it the way they wanted, but still used Johnson instructions. And the markings on mine don't have a slash, but a pipe symbol...2|4" and that's definitely 24 inches and not 2 ft 4 in. But I have bought and installed Johnson hardware in the past and back then they had the slashes printed.

[@jmackinjersey1]

@@jonmhayden Those 2/4 and 3/2 etc., are 2ft/4 inches and 3ft/2 inches respectively. So the door would be 28 inches and 38 inches respectively. Why do they do this? Who knows, but it is a common ordeal.

[@sketchapp3783]

Do you offer soft open AND close for doors over 6-8?

[@nathanjohnson6815]

Yes, you can use soft close and open for doors over 6'8". We make frames with them already installed up to 9'0" tall.

[@sketchapp3783]

@@nathanjohnson6815 Thanks - Do you do you have ceiling height kits? Or kits that assemble from the top of the ceiling?

[@nathanjohnson6815]

@@sketchapp3783 Unfortunately, no.

[@sketchapp3783]

@@nathanjohnson6815 thanks

[@luisd2697]

some pocket frame kits are sold as a soft-open/close kits. If you are trying to retrofit you'll need to purchase two 1060 kits.

[@renaissancemaneric8019]

Good stuff

[@johnwilson7813]

How do you install pocket doors