Question about pocket doors

[BusMom]

Hi Everybody.  I am hoping you can help me figure out how to install some pocket doors in our GM4905.  They are going to go between the bedroom and bathroom, and the bathroom and Kitchen.  Our roof isn't raised, and everything I can think of will have to doors running into the roof of the bus when they are in the wall  . We have considered using split doors that open into two pockets, but I would like to try and avoid that if possible.   
I have looked through the archives, but haven't seen anything that addressed this particular problem. 
Amy

[H3Jim]

You'll have to have a shorter door if you want the door to move in the direction of the lower, curve in the roof.  That probably means you'll have to duck going through the hallway.  YOu will have to have a support track on the top of the door, it will just have to be lower to clear the curve. 

If that's not acceptable, you might consider a hinged door that opens parallel to the hallway, or even a tambour door that could curve into an unused space, or even into a coil.  If it opens parallel to the hallway, it could cover up cabinets when open - make it do double duty.

Will you have a center aisle where you have to walk through the bathroom to get from the bedroom to the kitchen?

Have you looked at a lot of floor plans?  I spent months looking at everything I could find to get other ideas about layout.  Good that you are doing this now rather than later.

[BusMom]

We are hoping to have a center isle way like the bus did originally with the first conversion.  Since we are making a bedroom in the back for the kids we want to be able to close that area off (or lock them in depending on how the munchkins are behaving).  With the door that leads from the kitchen to the bathroom we will then have a space to change in semi privacy (as much as you can have with kids in tow).  Scott and I keep drawing out floor plans every other weekend.  Now that we have the insulation all but done we have started to tape off the dimensions of things in the coach to see how they will work.  I have really been having fun looking at different things and then making patters to try them out on the bus.

[buddydawg]

You could make a door similar to those used on airplanes.  The design may not have to be as complex as the attachment but the use of slides would eliminate the use of overhead tracks.  Heavy duty drawer slides could be used for this application.

[TomCat]

Amy,

Here's how we handled it... http://www.zoto.com/site/#USR.jsbird69::PAG.detail::2cabfbc0d4fc6ea9c4cccde725db9481 and I ended up with three pocket doors. Two run side to side, and one runs forward/rearward.
The hardware is KV.
If you look through the rest of my pics around that same time frame, you'll see them in different stages of completion.

Hope that helps.

Jay
87 SaftLiner

[Tenor]

Our first bus was a 4905 and we had the same problem.  Since it was just my wife (pregnant) and later our first child, we just bought a single set of tab-top curtains from Target in a neutral color.  One hung as our bedroom door and the other blocked the toilet.   We just used wood closet bars and put t.hem in wood closet bar pockets.  The length was just right.  We could have put in pocket doors, as Amy is 5'4" and I am 5', but most of our friends are 6' or taller.  Nice thing about curtains is that they are light and don't rattle.  It lacks a little in privacy for sound, but we built a cabin on wheels not the Hyatt.

[DavidInWilmNC]

Another option that might work is a split door.  By this, I mean something like cafe doors that go to the floor and as high up as the ceiling curve will allow.  They will be fairly narrow (12"-15" or so, depending on your door opening) so they won't be in the way too much, if at all.  Another option I've heard of is mounting the door on something like drawer slides on the wall inside of the bedroom or bathroom.  The slides will be visible when the door is closed, but hidden when open.  Think of something like a keyboard drawer under a desk turned up on end.  The previously mentioned curtains can work, too.  If they're thick enough / insulated almost like a blanket, they'll work pretty well to block noise.  I'll have the same issues with my MC-8 when I get to the interior doors; currently, I have thin curtains.

David

[Melbo]

I don't understand why a pocket door won't work.

Just curve the top of the door and curve the opening it goes into.

Put a roller on the outside lower portion of the door and hang it from a track on the leading edge.

Go to a home store and look at how a pocket door is sold.

Build your own frame in a similar manner and make a door the right shape so that it will open (the top will be curved) and the door will only be supported from the leading edge by the track but with a roller on the bottom and some guides it should track ok.

Operate the door to be sure it will function properly and drive the bus a bunch before you close the wall up.

When you close the wall make the opening the door closes curved at the top to match the door and it should work just fine ( unless you or your friends have square heads they shouldn't bump into the opening)

Just a thought ( I HATE pocket doors ) BUT be sure of the operation and any accesabilty that you might need to adjust or rehang the door.

The movement of the bus may affect roller and tracks and operation and adjustments so use the door a LOT before you close up the wall.

Melbo

[H3Jim]

melbo, not a bad iadea, but which leading edge is supported, the one that is 8" lower or the full height one?

The part of the door that has the corner cut off, will leave a gap when the door is closed, but you could make the door opening the same shape so the gap is not visible.

[HB of CJ]

Hello BusMom...Happy New Year and all that stuff.  We have kinda the same challenge with our Crown Super Coach ex-schoolie that has only 75" of overhead.  The interior vertical sidewalls are only about 66" tall, sossss it looks like we are going to duck passing thru bulkhead doors.

Sossss, what to dooos?  Looks like (for right now) the interior decor theme will be "Art Decco-Retro" with exposed polished aluminumummm and tuck and roll seating.  Kinda like "Buck Rogers Starship" with pocket doors transersely separating the various interior spaces front to back.

Roof top A/C units are planned which will further reduce the overhead, not including the planned additional insulation.  We are planning on having the sliding doors not extend to the ceiling sooss the A/C units can blow cold/hot air the full length of the coach.

Accordian doors may be the way to go.  Also someone already said a roll up door resting on its end may also be easier to install, take up less space and rattle less since it may be supported on top and bottom, along with the mounting brackets and center latch.  Good luck. 

[tekebird]

the 96A3 I am selling has Pocket doors.  very nice, they are curved at the top and do nto go all the way to the ceiling

[Melbo]

Yes Jim

Make the opening match the shape of the door and support the highest portion of the door at the top and the shorter portion at the bottom.

Try it see how it works before closing up the wall

Melbo

[Ednj]

Hi Everybody.  I am hoping you can help me figure out how to install some pocket doors in our GM4905.  They are going to go between the bedroom and bathroom, and the bathroom and Kitchen.  Our roof isn't raised, and everything I can think of will have to doors running into the roof of the bus when they are in the wall  . We have considered using split doors that open into two pockets, but I would like to try and avoid that if possible.   
I have looked through the archives, but haven't seen anything that addressed this particular problem. 
Amy

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http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=296.msg2715#msg2715
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Here is how I did mine, No problems.

[Songman]

After 14 hours on the flight to Egypt recently, I was contemplating the folding door that airplanes have for the restrooms. They fold in the middle into the room and have a neat latching system. Has anyone ever thought about something like that?

[buddydawg]

You can get alot of ideas from aircraft.  I have a good friend who works for Landmark Aviation as a mechanic, he is always bringing me some new idea for the bus.  The sidewall tables they use are pretty cool.