Pocket doors offer accessibility in every home
Did you know that the smallest room in your home can be the most dangerous?
Every year 235,000 adults seek emergency care for injuries sustained in bathrooms from falls and other accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Injuries are due to everything from grabbing loose fixtures and doorknobs for support to slipping on surfaces. Fortunately, many mishaps are avoidable by just changing your interior doors.
With growing use of universal design standards, room accessibility is improving for people of all abilities. Pocket doors should always be considered for interior design, especially when people have specialized needs. With smooth-operating pocket door frame hardware, everyone can enjoy safe, effortless room access throughout their home. Space-saving pocket doors also enrich living by providing more usable space and enduring functionality.
A typical bathroom is five feet wide and eight feet long, with a swinging door consuming about 25 percent of its floor space. Pocket doors open up that space for obstacle-free access. It eliminates the temptation to grasp doorknobs for support too. To meet homeowner needs and support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), more contractors are recommending pocket doors and even retrofitting old pocket-style doors with fresh hardware.
Seasoned general contractor and pocket door advocate, Gary Grabowski owns Greater Home Services LLC, a full-service remodeling firm specializing in universal design near Detroit. A licensed builder and NARI-certified remodeler, Grabowski asserts that Johnson Hardware's unrivaled quality is changing the way people view pocket doors and encouraging installation for enhanced access, safety, space savings and aesthetics.
"My expertise is universal design - making home modifications to help people of all abilities, sizes, and ages. Johnson's 1500 Series Pocket Door systems enable easier access to bathrooms and other spaces, improving everyone's life," says Grabowski.
Johnson's quiet, smooth-operating pocket door hardware makes doors so effortless to operate, people can slide them using their fingertip.
Easy-to-use privacy locks are also available. Pocket doors let contractors create streamlined looks by allowing single or converging sliding doors to vanish into wall recesses. Johnson's 1500 Series holds doors up to 200 pounds of virtually any material, from natural wood to textured melamine.
"When people picture pocket doors, they may recall sliding doors from decades ago that jammed, had worn rollers, and came off their track." says Grabowski. "Pocket Door Hardware Systems optimize accessibility and safety for everybody, whether they're relying on walkers and grab-rails or have no mobility challenges The last thing anyone needs are swinging door and threshold barriers. My priorities also include universal design modifications that help seniors safely stay in their homes longer-term. Johnson's Pocket Door systems make that possible and more."
Contractors can install pocket door frames wherever wall space allows, and retrofits are a snap. Johnson Hardware is rigorously tested to meet ANSI (American National Standards Institute) quality standards. All parts are made in the USA. For more information, visit www.johnsonhardware.com, or call 800-387-5664.