Help Around the House host Henry Harrison shows how to install recessed door pulls on pocket doors. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a one.Tools:
drill with a small bit and a 5/8-inch paddle bit
carpenter's pencil
combination square
hammer
chisel
clamps
small wood blocks
screwdriver
awl
safety glasses
pocket door lever hardware
1. Secure the door by placing a couple of blocks of wood on either side and clamping them together with a hand vise (figure A).2. Place the new hardware on the door edge backwards and mark the centerline for your cut using a carpenter's square and pencil (figure B).
3. Use an awl to mark the points for the mounting screws and trace an outline of the lever on the edge of the door (figure C).
4. Drill holes for the mounting screws. Place the lever sideways on the door to mark where you'll need to make cuts for clearance (figure D). Besides the lever itself, you'll also need to cut out areas around the hinges.5. Fit the drill with the paddle bit and cut out areas for the lever. Place a piece of electrical tape on the bit to mark your depth (figure E). Drill one hole then test fit the lever (figure F). Continue until the lever fits inside the door cavity.
6. Expand any cavities that need to be expanded with a chisel and hammer. Mark the areas that need to be cut away and score the lines with a utility knife (figure G). 7. Go to work with the chisel, carefully removing a little bit at a time (figure H). Continue chiseling out the area until the lever plate fits flush. The technical term for this cleared-out area is mortise.
8. Screw in the lever and you've got a handle on your pocket door dilemma (figure I).
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