Pocket Doors vs. Sliding Barn Doors

Pocket doors and sliding barn doors serve a similar purpose - allowing you to install a sliding door in a space where you don’t have room for a traditional swinging door. However, the sliding element is where the similarities end, and there are a lot of differences in terms of cost, installation, aesthetics and more.

Aesthetics

Pocket doors are designed to slide into a wall where they won’t be visible when the door is open. As far as aesthetics go, this is an issue of personal preference. Some prefer the minimalist, subdued approach of the pocket door. Others prefer a door that can be a focal point of the room. For that design approach, the sliding barn door is the better choice since the door is always visible whether it is closed or open. 

Functionality & Convenience

Functionality and convenience are more likely to dictate whether a pocket door or a sliding barn door is the better choice. Pocket doors are usually smaller than traditional doors which makes them a good choice for compact spaces. Additionally, when installing pocket doors, you need to be mindful of electrical and plumbing. Pocket doors also allow more wall usage, since the door slides inside the wall instead of covering it. This can be beneficial for wall hangings and furniture placement.

Privacy

Both types of doors have similar levels of privacy. Both will have less privacy than a traditional swinging door because of the extra clearance needed for the doors to slide. This means both doors will have less soundproofing than a traditional door.

Accessibility

Both doors have greater accessibility than traditional doors because they need less space for the door to swing open. The pocket door may have a slight advantage because of its smaller size.

Installation

When it comes to installation, sliding barn doors are much easier and more affordable than pocket doors. Because pocket doors slide into a wall, installation requires the wall to be taken apart so that the space inside the door can be changed to accommodate the pocket door. That means removing the sheetrock, removing wall studs, and relocating electrical elements. Then the track can be installed and the door can be test fit before reassembling the wall.

Sliding barn doors are much simpler and don’t require the wall to be taken apart at all. The sliding barn door’s track will be mounted above the door frame and aligned so that the door can fully slide out of the way. Hardware will be attached to the door and then the door can be hung on the track. Door guides and anti jump locks will be installed to ensure the door can’t come off the track. Most sliding barn doors can be installed using just a drill and a measuring tape.

Cost

To accurately compare the cost of a sliding barn door to a pocket door, you have to factor in the installation cost as well as the cost of the raw materials. A sliding barn door by itself will be more expensive than a pocket door, but the installation will cost significantly less. A pocket door will be less expensive, but the extra hardware and complex installation process will make it more expensive.

The cost on either door can be higher based on the size and style of the door, and complexity of the installation.