Doors and Windows - Yet another Pocket Door Question

Hello,

I am new to this forum so go easy on me here... I am remodeling my master bathroom and I am in the process of roughing in an opening for a pocket door. I have done a lot of research on how to do this but I am still coming up short.

I bought one of those pre-made pocket door frame assemblies and it states that I need a rough-in opening of 84X50 (for a 24" door).

Question 1, Does this mean 84" from the subfloor or the finished floor? I have read things that state both.

Question 2, I am installing this into a load bearing wall that is framed as shown in the pic... I am planning on putting a 2X6 header in under the top 2X4 (pulling out the 2X4 on the bottom). I have gotten the OK via the city (under my permit) to use this size header so I am good there. However, If I just install the header, I will come up short on my opening by about 3/16". Will this still work or do I have to take both 2X4's out and rip a 2X8 header down to the exact 84" height (which seems like a lot more work)
http://picasaweb.google.com/freeheeler.ss/BathroomRemodel/photo#5162532471893484146

Question 3, After I get the opening in there, do I install and shim the pocket door frame like any other door frame or do I hard fasten the frame to the header and one side and then just shim the remaining side? The pr made frame doesn't seem to be conducive to be able to be fastened to the header though... As there are no holes in the track that this would be done though.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Whose hardware are you using?? I find Johnson to be the best, and their directions are usually clear and easy to follow.

1. 84" from the finished floor.
2/3. That usually assumes an 80" door, and the directions should tell you this. A 78" door would require less clearance. It should say something to the effect that the opening height should be door height + 4". If the opening is too low, simply trim the door to fit.

I don't know, I have always installed the pre framed units from the subfloor during framing and prior to sheetrock and flooring install. This would give you the added space you will need to keep from trimming the header (which you don't want to do). You may have to trim the door depending on the type of floor you install, but that's the easy part.

I was thinking along the lines of Chandler as well, that a 50x84 rough opening is figured from the subfloor, and should allow for up to 3/4" of additional flooring. At any rate, the space you have available should be fine since the slab can always be trimmed if needed. As for fastening the top, I'm also used to Johnson hardware and I'll usually remove the screws that hold the top track to the prehung jamb one at a time, and replace them with longer screws that will go into the framing (your header), being sure that the entire length of top track remains perfectly straight and level, inserting screws only where they have solid shims backing them. If the top track is the LEAST bit out of level it will dramatically affect how plumb the door hangs on the track. If the track is bowed slightly, it may be plumb when the door is closed, but change as the door is operated, appearing to be out of plumb when open. Once hung, the door should remain perfectly plumb no matter where it happens to be on the track. If the "plumbness" of the door changes as it is operated, that's a sure sign that the top track is not straight and level.

Keep in mind that the height the pocket door frame is set at is important, because when additional trim is applied to the top of the pocket door, that trim will ideally be the same height as the top jambs of other doors nearby, so that when the casing is applied, the pocket door casing will line up with all other doors in the same vicinity, not be 3/4" higher or lower. So it's good that you're giving this some thought.

The 50" wide pocket door for a 2-0 sounds right. As for the height, 84" HAS to be measured from the subfloor (at least in my way of thinking!)

The door itself is 80" tall and the frame will add another 1" to that. So you're at 82". add an inch for 'leeway' above the header, you're at 83". The only place to make up the other inch will be in finishing the floor.

I question a single 2X6 being enough header in a bearing wall. If the wall is framed with 2X4's, you need either a DOUBLE 2X6 or a 4X6 for the header. If you have the height to go larger (4X8, 4X10, 4X12, or a dbl 2X with the same height), that's where I'd go.

Granted, I'm on the left coast -- I can get a 4X anything up to 16". (Larger than 4X12 becomes a special order, but I can get it!) On the right coast, you'll probably have to double up with the 2X's and sandwich a piece of 1/2" plywood or OSB in the center to make up the difference.