I have no idea the answer to your question as I have no experience with pocket doors. But I just wanted to comment after reading your question because it sounds like just the kind of anal detail that hubby and I would obsess over if we were putting one in. Glad to know we are not the only crazy ones out there!

Re the light bleeding through, what is on the other side of the door? If it is an area that can be kept dark when you don't want light coming through, maybe it isn't an issue.

Hoping someone can give you more useful advice than I can. We would drive our contractors and supply stores nuts with our detailed questions about every little thing. They soon learned they just had to tell us everything they knew, since sooner or later we'd get around to asking anyway.

The channel should really ave no visual effect on the door but as mentioned do you need total light control if not leave it .

Wow, you just perfectly described me!

I am really really bad at remodeling because every little detail is a major decision. These companies think they are doing people a favor by offering tons of options but all those options drive me crazy.

I am also glad to know I'm not the only crazy one!

This pocket door is between the laundry room and the kitchen. The washer and dryer make noise but I wonder if blocking a little more noise with the channel will make a difference in the kitchen. Kitchen isn't exactly the quietest room in the house.

Thinking the light situation through, the laundry room will probably be dark most of the time. And the pocket door has a 50% window in it (not clear) so if any light bleeds from the crack in the jamb it won't even be noticeable since a ton of light will be coming through the glass at the same time.

Sometimes I think too much without thinking first. LOL

You guys think the channel is worth doing just to block some laundry noise from the kitchen?

As someone who lives in a new house with SIX pocket doors, I would go for the channel. I understand their purpose but they can be a pain sometimes for the reasons you stated. As most of mine are dummies (don't lock) they are never truly closed. Drives me crazy!!!

I think realistically too, the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor will likely be at least equal if not greater than any gap between the door and the jamb when the door is fully closed (for noise purposes even if you use the flat jamb as opposed to the cavity one. Couple questions though as my wife and I just bought a condo in HI that we are remodeling. What company provides the cavkit, and what are you doing for the header and the other side of the door opening to get a seamless look with no trim around the edges? Thanks in advance.

I would opt for the channel in the door frame since this is likely to be a door that will be closed most of the time. You will therefore not see the channel with the door closed and it will give you a tighter closure. Most people do not leave their laundry room doors open. Next option: flip a coin. Least attractive option: stressing over this. It will be fine either way. Good luck.

I would use the channel option. When the door is close it will look more finished than the door without, no seam. Also the channel will help make the door, when close, have more support. I have med-large dogs that like to knock on my doors, to be let in/out the room.

I have a pocket door with the channel, it does help with the noise level and air conditioning.

@asbaribeau EzyJamb makes the cavkit, you can get info here. The cavkit covers teh header and the other side of the door. The kit provides the seamless look all around.

Given the location, I would chose the cheapest solution. Which is no channel I believe. Coin flip is also good idea! lol

I think I'm going to go with the channel. The most convincing point was that this door will be closed most of the time and it will look cleaner when the door is closed with the channel. I was worried about how it will look with the door open but who cares if it doesn't look as clean with the door open since it won't be open most of the time.

Also, the testimonials from people with pocket doors were convincing. People with channels and people without channels both advise getting the channel.

One more question to ponder -- Does the door latch or lock? My aunt's house had a pocket door on their main floor bathroom and I remember it latching and locking when needed. I might be just as concerned that it latches in the closed position so that it stays put. Pets, kids, increased air flow when the dryer is running, AC running all have the ability to open your doors!

coin flip is a much more useful tool that one would suppose.... you think you can't decide which way, but then the coin says 'no channel' and you say hell no, i want a channel. and there ya go.

Just curious: what actually is the price difference between channel vs. no channel?

If this is a "new" install then the "frame and jam" come as a "system". Putting that track into an existing door frame, the cost for the kit, if available for your door, that part is probably not expensive, it's the labor to do it and do it well where the cost is. Is this new installation? If so, just specify the system you want. There shouldn't be a huge difference in price. The difference in price is when you are doing a "retro" and walls have to be changed, trim pieces, floor molding, repainting, etc. If "privacy" is desired in location for this door, then do the "channel" type, if not, plain will work just as well. These type doors seldom get completely closed unless with lock for privacy and those don't work very well either.

The price difference between the two is $80. Installation might be a little bit more for the channel because it involved a little extra labor.

The Cavkit product can be used to flush finish a standard Pocket door. http://www.ezyjamb.com/index.php/ezyjamb-products/slideset-sliding-doors/cavkit 

The other option is to purchase a complete set as a Slideset that comes with all the track, rollers, softclose and the Cavkit trim kit. http://www.ezyjamb.com/index.php/ezyjamb-products/slideset-sliding-doors/slideset 

You can't go wrong with a pocket door in any space! Frameless glass is a favorite among a bunch of our customers. If you haven't already check out our hardware specifically for frameless glass. Feel free to message us with any questions you have!

http://eclisse.us/products/

Check out Johnson Hardware for real quality pocket door hardware. There is a big difference between a cheap (they sell those too at HD so be careful) set up and a son close soft open kit.

Pocket doors bang open and close and always seam to be left open because of this. The soft open and soft close eliminate this as it works like a kitchen drawer with soft close. The door will almost always be closed against the jamb.

You will se light without the channel but the channel also allows for the misalignment of the door to jamb to be covered. Doors warp and walls are NEVER 100% dead on so without it one portion of the door always hist the jamb first. With the soft stop it stops the door before hitting the jamb but variances between the two will always show and be compounded when the light is on. Of course your contractor could scribe the door to the jamb but not many are that caring about their work.

LOL!!! I have a kit sitting in shop in SOCAL if you need one from an unused project. They work great!! We went barn door and regret it every single day I hear that stupid thing bang and see into my bathroom.

I went barn door on a main floor bath and regret it too. It flaps about as its opened and closed and still needs a channel guide making it less clean of a look than I had hoped.

My wife would flip if there were light leaking out a door to the bedroom. Non-starter.

Regarding the barn door comments...they are just basically an new version of sliding closet doors or bathtub doors that only have a top track, which both drive me nuts!