Is there already a door opening now? to put in a pocket door, you have to get into the studs which means taking down drywall, fitting it w/the pocket door frame (possibly moving electrical) and sealing it up again. If a doorway is already there, then fitting it with a pre-hung door would be the easier option. As for noise, any solid door should do the trick. I believe a pre-hung standard door closes better than a pocket door. A pocket door takes up less room. It's a trade-off.

Thank you for replying Beth, The walls are gutted, so we can do anything. My builder says that a high quality pocket door can keep sound out better than a swing door. I spoke with someone at Johnson's Doors (maker of pocket door hardware). He said that if the side of the pocket door is recessed into the pocket while closed and the upper part is tight against the header, then the only difference will be a little space at the bottom that a pocket door leaves open, and there would not be much of a difference between the pocket and swing door. I was hoping to hear what people with experience have found. Thank you.

I agree with Beth H, using a solid core door will help reduce the noise. I don't recall noticing any difference in sound behind a pocket or swing door. The type of flooring below the door can impact how sound travels. A wood or tile floor will carry the sound more than carpet. However, if you find that the noise is still too much, you can install a sound proofing kit around a swing door. It does require a threshold to be installed, but seals the door on all sides. It's similar to what would be used in a sound studio. It blocks out almost all noise but it also blocks airflow too. Can't recall the name of the kit we installed, but can research it if you need.

Yes, Montebella Homes, please tell me the name of the kit. Thank you.

SG, just as a thought, for extra sound proofing, can you have your builder do some sort of sound proofing material in the walls? Or perhaps line them with plywood behind the drywall? We did this with our exterior wall on our add on. We are close to the freeway and did a plywood clad on our studs. It helps a lot w/noise.

Beth, we did ask the builder to line the inside wall with mass loaded vinyl. Even after it is done, our question is if a swing door will be a better sound barrier.

There is only so much you can do about the spaces under and above the door. If those are tended too and the walls are tended to, then having a solid door (either pocket or swing) would be the only other helpful option. As long as you can get the pocket to seal like a swing door would, and all other things have been addressed, I don't think you would notice a discernible difference between the two. Unless you could do an extra thick solid door. That, you could do on the swing. The advantage to the pocket would be the space saving difference on the inner side.