As the saying goes, everything old is new again. Pocket doors have been around for more than one hundred years - and they have recently resurfaced as interesting architectural elements. Simply put, a pocket door is a door that is not set on hinges to swing open, but that slides in and out of a space hidden within the wall. Pocket doors come either as singles, which slide open and shut from either the left or the right, or double pocket doors, which slide together and meet in the middle from both the right and left sides. The primary reason for installing sliding pocket doors is to save space; a hinged door can take up to 10 square feet (one square meter) of floor space, but there are a number of other reasons to choose a pocket door.

Pocket doors were extremely popular during the late-1800s and early 1900s. Many historic homes still hold fine examples of these antique doors. No one is quite sure why the pocket door went out of fashion, but the interest in installing pocket doors has been recently rekindled.

The main reason for the renewed interest is the space factor. Because more and more people are moving into condominiums and town houses that are typically smaller than single-family dwellings, intelligent use of limited space is critical. Architects designing these smaller residences have recycled the pocket door idea, and people shopping for a new house have once again become enchanted with the sliding doors.

Another reason why pocket doors have resurfaced is that they are very accommodating for people with disabilities. Opening a regular swing door can be quite challenging for those in wheelchairs or those using a walker. Because a pocket door simply slides aside, people with disabilities can more easily maneuver from room to room.

One additional reason that pocket doors may be increasing in popularity may be due to the improvement in hardware. While the older pocket doors of yesteryear frequently jammed or derailed, the new and improved roller parts and tracks allow smooth and quiet opening and closing.

If your current home does not have pocket doors, you can buy pocket door kits at your local home improvement store that are relatively easy to install. Before installing a pocket door, you will first need to find out what lies within your current walls. If the wall adjacent to the doorway is a load-bearing wall or if it is loaded with pipes, cables or wiring, it is still possible to install a pocket door, but you will need to address these issues by redirecting the weight by adding a weight bearing beam or relocating the existing pipes, cables or wiring.