We love pocket doors because they save space.They go into an opening in a wall, reducing the amount of clearance space you would need for a swinging door. They also offer a hidden, elegant look. One of the most important design choicesyou make for your pocket door is the handle. The handle set you choose can enhance the functionality of the door or make it look more stylish, or both!

Traditionally, pocket doors are built to fully recess inside the wall when open, but we recommend adding end stopsto your pocket door track so your door sticks out of the opening by a couple of inches. This prevents pocket doors from getting stuck inside the opening, but it also makes it easier for everyone tooperate these doors. Plus, it also gives you more handle options to choose from. So, here are the questions to consider to choose a pocket door handle that works for you. 

Pocket Door Handles: Should you choose a mounted handle or a flush pull? 

Our Hexagon Bar hardware looks great on pocket doors. 

One option to consider is whether you want a handle to project out from the door face or choose a flush pull that is mortised into the door. A flush pull is more versatile, as it will allow the door to open fully inside the opening. But a mounted handle is great if you want your door to stay out of the opening, which is our recommendation. With mounted handles, you can choose from many design styles, fromcontemporary torustic totraditional. Flush pulls tend to look more modern overall. Both flush pulls and mounted handles come in many sizes so that you can find one that goes well with your door's proportions and designs.  

A pair of flush pulls on a biparting door. 

Do you want your pocket door to lock? 

If you want your pocket door to lock, you can choose from privacy lock or keyed locksets. The privacy locks are optimal for bathrooms and bedrooms, and they work with a simple latch mechanism. Keyed pocket door locks are great for home offices, commercial spaces, and clinics—or any space that requires more security. 

Do you need an ADA compliant handle for pocket doors? 

The CL100 Lever Sliding Door Handle with Lock

If you need an ADA compliant pocket door handle, we have many options available. Whether in residential or commercial environments, ADA compliant handles make spaces more accessible for everyone. Accessibility is one of the greatest benefits of pocket doors. 

CL100 ADA Lever Sliding Door Handle with Lock: The privacy turn is easily operable without pinching, grasping, or twisting of the wrist, ensuring the lock on this door lever meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities. Available in key or privacy lock variations. 

CL100 ADA Lavi Lock Handle and Lock: ideal for commercial spaces, clinics, and offices, this handle is designed for bathroom doors and has a colored indicator that is engaged when the bathroom is in use. 

CL400 ADA Magnetic Passage Handle: This door handle is available without a latch, or with a magnetic latch. The magnet helps the door stay closed. Suitable for residential or light commercial use. 

CL400 ADA Magnetic Privacy Lock and Pocket Door Handle: The passage option features a positive hold close to ensure the door doesn't bounce off the door jamb. It comes in four finishes, and is suitable for residential and commercial use. In line with ADA standards for accessible design, it has a handle that is easy to grasp with one hand and doesn’t require tight grasping, tight pinching, or twisting of the wrist. 

When to consider an edge pull for pocket doors? 

If you want your pocket door to recess fully inside the opening, then an edge pull is a good choice. An edge pull is on the side edge of the door and has a hook that you pull open which helps you close the door. Some people use it in conjunction with a flush pull mortised onto the door as well.Edge pulls are a low profile option if you don’t want any hardware on the face of the door. But a downside of edge pulls is that they can be difficult to use for people with disabilities or dexterity issues, as well as small children. 

Shop our collection of pocket and sliding door locks and our collection of sliding door pulls.