It's a sounds like a standard English train compartment door configuration. A pull handle is usually the best but it's important to provide an adequate doorstop so you don't smash your hand.

That sounds right. Do you where I could get the hardware?

Do you mean that your pocket doors won't be able to slide all the way in? I think this will look pretty strange to have a knob on a pocket door that hits the molding and then makes your door jut out into the opening.

There are some awesome looking sets of pocket door hardware out there. Look at House of Antique Hardware on the web for some ideas to take you beyond the standard dinky pulls from the box store.

I have several pocket doors that don't slide all the way in because of the door hardware, and I find that I like them better than other pocket doors I've had that disappeared completely and required you to fish around for the hook on the edge of the door. As long as your door openings are a decent size, this type of arrangement actually works and looks fine. Mine have a simple handle on both sides and a little locking mechanism that you only see when the door is closed. Here are two pictures of the door to our powder room. The door opening is 29" wide and the door extends 3" into this, so the effective width is 26"...which is plenty wide:

I have the std hdwe for my pocket door. For everday use I leave it out a little, don't have to fish for something to grab. In a situation where aesthetics are primary, it can still be snugged away.

My builder put in standard square HW so I can't change them. We keep the pocket door to the PR closed most of the time so being able to open the door all the way is not an issue (just take it out when moving vanity in). But I've had visitors confused by the door and try to push it open, I would think with a knob or handle on it people might be tempted to pull on it.

Just make sure you add 3 or 4 inches to the door size, because a 2-4 door will now only yield a clear opening of 2-1 or so. It's an acceptable idea with clear historical precedent. Make sure that there is a positive stop behind the door pocket so fingers/hands remaining on the knob/handle as it is opened do not get pinched; this could be very painful with a large solid door and inadequate spacing.
Casey

"Basically, I will not be using the funky conventional pocket door latch."

There are not really any decent looking pocket door latches.

A regular knob will not operate as a latch on a pocket door.

I have had to make latches a couple time to get something that looked decent (all brass recess with the square bar that when twisted rotates the hook out from the edge of the door).
I would hate to actually figure out how much labor and machine time they took to make (lath and milling machine).

gbsim, the doors will be set up with the rough opening not as deep, so that at full open, there will be a lip of about 4-1/2".

kudzu9, how did you get that latch on there? You must have had to drill out a cavity there.

swampwiz-
With my latch it needs a small rectangular opening, so you can drill out most of it with a spade bit, and then clean it up with a sharp chisel. There is a screw right above and below the opening that holds the latch in place, so you don't want to over-excavate the hole. Also, if it's a hollow core door, you want to know whether you're drilling into the solid frame material, or the hollow area. If you're not careful, and you're going into the hollow area, it would be easy to go through the face you're clearing out and break through the face on the other side before you could stop the drill.

Ours are similar to this, in ORB. We, also, leave our doors pulled out about 3" so they are easier to close when needed. But they can still be completely opened when desired.

We have the locking/privacy version on the powder room, and it seems to confuse some guests.

Anne

Here is a link that might be useful: round recessed pocket door hardware

We did what Kudzu did -- a nice large vertical handle and door-stop inside the wall cavity. It works great, and IMO, looks great too.

Kudzu - I'd love a close-up of your locking mechanism. Our doors don't get locked, but I'd love to see a nice-looking way to do it for possible future applications.

Thank you all for posting this question and answering it - I have the same question :)

So, can I just use a "kitchen" cabinet pull for a handle - I am thinking of using the one in my link - as I am looking for a handle with clean contemporary lines and I too don't think I want to use the traditional type of pocket door finger pull and have been wondering if it is possible to install a cabinet pull vertically on the door (like you would on a upper kitchen cabinet) instead. If you think it would work, what size pull do you think is the best - 8" maybe???

We do not need the door to go all the way into it's "pocket" either and they do not need to lock. I guess I am concerned that cabinet hardware would not be strong enough to use.

If you can recommend a company that sells contemporary, clean lines door pulls for this purpose I would appreciate any help.

Thanks Piaa

Here is a link that might be useful: Cabinet Pull

If you really want a pull that always sticks out from the edge of the door, cut a recess in the opposite jamb so the door can close completely.

I have never heard of anyone wanting anything but recessed pulls and an edge pull on a pocket door.

All my customers have wanted the clear opening (even on the double pockets doors).

I would think there's some boat hardware that would work both ways -- the handle flips out but still recesses into a pocket. Something like the link below, but with a larger handle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Recessed pull

Actually, there *are* some of us that prefer the 'big ole handle on the face of the door ;-) So if you're one of us Piaa, the handle you posted could work fine.

The handles Kudzu posted are easier to use because the screws are on the face plates -- so simply screw them in. But yours, like ours, are designed to screw in from the 'bad' side -- which you really won't have.

To install them, we drilled through the door where the screw holes would be. Then we bought long screws that were threaded on both ends. Then for one handle, we screwed in the upper screw, and drilled the lower screw hole out a little bit. On the other handle, we screwed in the lower screw and widened the upper hole. Then we used an epoxy glue in the screw holes to secure the threaded ends of the other screws. So no exposed screw heads...

Thank you soo much everyone - you were a great help :)

Piaa

I want to donthw same thing. Don't need or want door to open all the way. So, thank you because its been hard to find am answer on this one. I was about to say screw it and jist wing it.

When there's enough wall space I convert a pocket door to a "pullman" type door. Simply change the internal door stop so the door stops with 4 to 6 inches showing and install a pull handle on each side. A 36 inch pocket door would allow a 30 to 32 inch opening. A 30 inch pocket door would allow a 24 to 26 inch opening.

So happy I found this post. I realize this is very old but I am on the same page. Have 36" door panels but don't need nearly that much opening and HATE reaching into a pocket to grab a handle, even the ones that pop out when you push them. Would love to see some more photos of anyone who has pulled this off. Thinking 3 inches is enough but any feedback is appreciated. Plan to reuse my glass knobs from the original 1926 house construction on the new pocket doors. Yes unconventional, but I am the builder and I LOVE unconventional. Thank you!

Since the internal stop would be hidden, a photo would only show a 36" pocket door with 6" left exposed when fully open and a knob or pull handle centered in the exposed portion for a 3" backset. The maximum clear opening would then be 30". (see Kudzu's photo of this type of door with latch)

I don't use fractions because the design is easy enough to screw up without them.

For an existing pocket door you can add a stop to the surface of the door if you don't mimd the appearance.

Be careful where you use Kudzu's latch so it doesn't accidentally trap a child in a room.

I've now responded to this question 3 times in 13 years.

Glad to know that there are people like me that want an actual door knob or handle. My situation is I want a handle so that elders can use. It is a pocket door to a bathroom. But the problem is the door is hallow so I’m trying to figure out how I can place a handle.