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ADA and CBC 11B compliant pocket door and hardware

Y

Yikes

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
3,075
Location
Southern California
Looking for some practical advice as well as technical assistance. I have some affordable (public housing) apartments where the only door configuration that provides enough clearance at a bedroom and/or bathroom is a sliding (pocket) door, as allowed by CBC 11B-404.2.4.2.

I know the clear width in the open position must be at least 32". I also know per 11B-404.2.7 that the hardware must be exposed and usable when the door is int he fully open position.

Q1: In practice, does the recessed cup style of hardware comply? Some people use their finger tips; I might be able to use (for example) an arm stump, but pressing into the cup might add to the friction of the sliding hardware?

Q2: If I use a conventional "D" shape door handle mounted on the stile, how much clearance should I leave between the handle and the door jamb. Should I plan on a 38" wide opening to leave 32" clear with 6" to spare for the stile edge, handle width and clearance to jamb? Or will a 36" wide door suffice?

Q3; Are there pocket door privacy locks that are ADA compliant?
 
The standards aren't specific about flush pulls, or regular pulls for that matter, but the online ADA guide says that there should be 1 1/2" clearance behind a door pull. I typically use pulls standard pulls that project off the face of the door with 1 1/2" clearance behind. Maybe 1 1/2" clearance between the side of the door pull and the door jamb would make sense as well. There are some privacy locks that are shown in the manufacturers' catalogs as accessible, but that's up to the AHJ's interpretation.
 
By the way Mark, one of the reasons that I like the expertise on this forum rather than just a google search is that the term "ADA" gets so abused by manufacturers that I have a hard time relying on their claims of compliance.
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You need to "vet" anything from the internet, including comments from this website, from so called experts.

For those that don't know, "vet" means "examine, appraise, verify, or check for accuracy, authenticity, validity, etc.
 
I just had a hardware sales guy recommend the Cavity Sliders for privacy locks' date=' which is one of the hits in Mark's link: [url']http://www.cavitysliders.com/products/ada-hardware/ada-privacy-lock[/url]I have to say, their video makes a compelling case as to not requiring tight grasping or pinching to operate:

https://youtu.be/MG5sdf2tjFs
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It appears to comply with the "stump" test. You will need to increase the width of the door to make sure you have the door width "clearances".
 
It appears to comply with the "stump" test. You will need to increase the width of the door to make sure you have the door width "clearances".
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Good call to check on that.

A 36" door that recesses 32" leaves 4" exposed. The centerline of the vertical handle is backset 2", so IF the handle is max. 1" diameter, that leaves 1.5" clear between the edge of the handle and the jamb of the door in either the open or closed position. So 36" would be the minimum. It might be safer to have some wiggle room and specify a 38" door if I can get sufficient pocket space. The hardware supplier told me he's installed them on 36" pocket doors.

I notice the cost of these is not cheap: probably $500 (installed). But if it makes a tight plan workable, it might be worth it.
 
Except that 1" dia. may not be large enough to accommodate an elbow or stump. Also depth of recess must be a min. of ( ? )
 
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