A Pocket Door from a Transom

Installed vertically, a transom window glazes a door that slides into the wall.

- Brian D. Coleman

Over several decades, I’d been storing a fi ve-foot-long glass transom window. With a classic design of the period—an etched center panel surrounded by multi-colored sidelights—it transitioned between Victorian and Arts & Crafts and was simply too nice to discard. Finally, as I was working on renovating my English-basement kitchen last year, the transom came to mind. Framed in white oak, it would make a perfect pocket door to close the kitchen off from the rest of the unfi nished basement.

prepping the transom

The antique transom window was examined carefully to ensure that no old nails or hardware remained. To fit its new frame, it was trimmed down one inch on each side (on a table saw) with care taken not to cut too much or use rough handling.

Rabbet joints were then routed into what was now the sash to secure it into the door's frame, for more strength.

building a frame