Hidden Pocket Doors

External pocket doors are sliding glass doors designed to retract completely into a concealed pocket within the external wall. Unlike conventional sliding doors, where one or more panels remain visible when open, hidden pocket doors can leave the entire structural opening clear, creating an uninterrupted transition between inside and outside.

External sliding pocket doors are particularly suited to contemporary extensions, new-build homes and large architectural openings where minimal sightlines and expansive glazing are important. When closed, large glass panels maintain natural light and views; when opened, the glazing disappears from view.

At minimal windows®, each pocket door configuration is designed around the architecture of the building, with the wall cavity, sliding tracks, threshold and glazing carefully coordinated as part of the overall system.

Single cavity hidden pocket doors

A single wall pocket allows sliding glass panels to retract to one side of an opening. This hidden pocket door configuration can maximise the usable aperture, including smaller openings where space is limited.

The pocket must be designed to accommodate the specified panels and tracks, with its dimensions coordinated with the surrounding wall construction. Where a concealed wall cavity is unsuitable, the panels can instead be designed to slide along the internal face of a solid wall.

Pocket sliding doors can also be combined with an open corner configuration. The panels slide away from the corner junction and retract into concealed wall pockets, opening the adjoining spaces to the outdoors.

Read more about our bespoke sliding doors.

Juliette Balconies With Hidden Pocket Doors

Maintain minimal framing and large glass facades on upper floors with an invisible Juliette Balcony detail. A frameless glass balustrade can be invisibly integrated into the tracks of the minimal windows^® sliding doors allowing doors to be opened on higher levels. Alternatively, a frameless glass balustrade can be installed just inside the sliding glass pocket doors or attached to the exterior of the building. When the door is open and hidden within the wall cavity, this leaves a completely clear structural opening for maximum ventilation whilst maintaining a good level of safety. Read more about Frameless Juliette Balconies.

Open Corner Sliding Pocket Door

Open, frameless corners are the epitome of the indoor-outdoor design trend. minimal windows® sliding doors can be easily designed to slide away from a meeting corner connection leaving no frame, or posts in the way.

When hidden pocket doors are specified in an open corner configuration, as seen in our Malbrook Road project to the right, this allows the rooms to be completely opened up and merged with the outdoor space.