How to fix door stopper

Door stoppers are great if you want to prevent damage to the wall and the door itself. You can save loads of money by doing the installation yourself, and you don’t need too many supplies to get started. Once you’ve chosen from the two types of stoppers, you can gather your supplies and get to work.

So, do you want to learn how to install a door stopper? Here’s a quick breakdown:

1. Measure and mark the drill points on the wall and the door.
2. Drill pilot holes and line the mechanism up with them.
3. Mount the door stopper and test your work.

There’s not too much complexity involved with the installation process. As long as you’ve prepared yourself with all of the necessary tools, you should be able to finish the project in under five minutes. Throughout this post, you’ll also learn about common mistakes, tips, and installation supplies.

Tools and Supplies to Install a Door Stopper

Before you start installing your door stopper, you need to know which one is right for your home. There are two different kinds to choose from:

• Hinge-mounted door stoppers
• Fixed post door stoppers

Hinge-mounted stoppers fit inside of the hinge of your door frame. They don’t require any drilling, which is why so many homeowners prefer this type. However, they stick out a little bit more to prevent slamming from the inside. The bulky appearance might not be something that bothers you, but it’s worth checking out.

Fixed post stoppers require you to measure and drill into the wall and the door. If you don’t want to damage your house or you’re not allowed to due to rental agreements, then you’ll probably be forced to use a different style. However, the concealed appearance and longevity of fixed post door stoppers makes them a top choice for many people.

After you’ve chosen the type of door stopper that you want to purchase, you’ll need to get the rest of your supplies. Here’s a quick list to run through in order to make sure that you’re ready to get the job started:

• A pencil and an eraser (you’ll need to be able to remove the mark)
• The door stopper of your choosing
• A power drill
• Drill bits to match the screws that came with the post (if it’s a fixed stopper)
• A flathead screwdriver (if it’s a hinge-mounted stopper)

Get everything laid out and ready to go once you’ve pulled it together. Remember that you only need a flathead screwdriver if you’re working on a hinge-mounted stopper. Everything else is only required if you want to install a fixed post stopper. The breakdown of each is simple, so let’s jump into the details in the next section.

Installing a Door Stopper Step-by-Step

Installing a door stopper is one of the safest and quickest home renovations that you could do. It takes less than five minutes, depending on which of the two types you’ve chosen.

Note: If you want to use a hinge-mounted door stopper, you need to make sure that the hinge is removable and not locked in place.

Without further ado, here are the steps to take in order to install each door stopper:

Hinge-Mounted Door Stopper Installation

1. Start by grabbing your flathead screwdriver and removing the bolts from the hinges of your door. You’ll need to put the hinge-mounted stopper in the center hinge, but all of them need to come out so that you have enough room to fit it in. You can remove the bolts by hitting the screwdriver upward toward the head of each one.
2. Line up the hinge-mounted stopper in the center hinge and load the bolt back through it. You’ll also need to replace the rest of the hinges to put the door back on completely. Give each bolt a bump on the top with the back of the flathead screwdriver to seal it back in place.
3. Rotate the stopper and test your work. The door should be able to open all the way, but it’ll be stopped by the rubber feet of the stopper. If your door is limited or it opens too far, you might need to loosen the center bolt and rotate the stopper a little bit in one direction or the other.

Fixed Post Door Stopper Installation

1. Open the door until it’s lined up parallel with the way. It can’t be slanted at all since the stopper needs to sit flush with the door. The best way to do this is to put the stopper between the door and the wall and hold it so the stopper is flat on both sides.
2. Take a pencil and mark 1.5 inches inward on the door and the wall. You should have two dots; One that’s 1.5 inches inward on the door and one that’s straight across on the wall when they’re held parallel.
3. Use your drill and drill bits to create a pilot hole on the wall. Some people prefer to have their door stopped on the door, while others want it on the wall. The choice is yours, and there aren’t any advantages to either preference other than the location of a protruding post.
4. Take the fixed post stopped and screw it into the pilot hole with your hand. You won’t need a drill since it’s a hand-twisted stopper. Once you get a snug fit, you can see if it’s lined up where you want it to be.
5. Test your work by opening and closing the door. If the stopper isn’t flush with the wall and the door it’s opened all the way, then you might have to loosen and tighten the stopper again. A slightly stripped screw or slanted pilot hole can be the source of the problem.

Common Mistakes

Although the installation is fairly straightforward, there are multiple complications that can lead to big issues down the road. If you’re not mechanically inclined, you don’t need to worry; This section is designed to help you avoid common mistakes that we’ve all had to deal with along the way.

Here are the most frequent installation mishaps:

• Trying to get away without using tools will never work. If you don’t hammer the bolts down on a hinge-mounted stopper, the door will loosen up and fall down. You’ll also have to deal with a dangling stopper that doesn’t do its job. Never try to take the quickest route; It’s already fast enough!
• Don’t drill too far inward on a hollow door. The reason that 1.5 inches is the designated measurement is that you could potentially punch a hole right through the door with your pilot hole. Hollow doors aren’t meant to take a beating, so never drill beyond 1.5 inches away from the edges.
• Always drill pilot holes before you start. If you try to screw the fixed poster stopper in the wall or your door without making a pilot hole, you’ll either ruin the stopper or the surface. Stripped screws, cracked wood, and chipped paint are a few of the possibilities of neglecting to use drill bits.
• Remember to line up the door parallel to the wall before making a mark. Eyeballing the job will result in all sorts of problems. You’ll end up with a result that’s a combination of each of the issues above. Take a few extra seconds to get everything down correctly before proceeding to the next step.

Conclusion

Door stoppers are more than worth the investment, and they only take a short time to install. You’ll end up saving yourself more money by not having to repaint scuffmarks and damaged drywall. Having a stopper on each door is another way to raise the value of your home when you’re trying to sell it, too.

To recap, here’s what you should’ve learned:

• The two types of door stoppers are hinge-mounted and fixed post.
• You’ll only need a drill, drill bits, a flathead screwdriver, and a pencil to install them.
• Test your work by opening and closing the door several times to look for looseness, flushness, and all-around accuracy on the door, the wall, and the stopper.

1. 1

   Decide what type of doorstop you want to install. There are 2 common types suitable for home use: hinge-mounted and fixed post (also known as wall mounted). Hinge-mounted doorstops remain out of the way and don't require drilling any holes into your wall. Fixed post doorstops require you to drill into your wall to mount them, and are best suited for heavy doors.[1]

2. 2

   Buy the doorstop(s). Hinge-mounted doorstops consist of a small metal body, 2 rubber pads (1 of which is adjustable), and a metal ring. They are readily available at hardware stores and will fit nearly any door.

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Pry the top hinge pin out. Close the door on which you are installing the stop, and use a flat-head screwdriver to pry the hinge pin out of the top hinge. Place the tip of the screwdriver underneath the flared top of the hinge pin, and use the screwdriver as a lever to force it out.[2]

4. 4

   Fit the hinge pin through the ring on the doorstop. Align the doorstop so that the adjustable rubber pad faces the wall, and the fixed pad sits flush against the door. Hammer the hinge pin back into place.[3]

5. 5

   Adjust the doorstop to allow the desired opening distance. Twist the threaded rod attached to the adjustable pad to determine how far the door can be opened. This may require a flat-head screwdriver, or you may be able to grab the pad in your fingers and twist it.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Buy the doorstop(s). Fixed post doorstops consist of a short, rigid post with a rubber pad on 1 end. The other end is affixed to your wall or baseboard, usually by drilling a hole and threading the stop into the hole.

2. 2

   Open your door until it is parallel with the wall. Using a pencil, mark the point on the baseboard that lines up with the edge of the door. Now mark a second point that is 1.5 inches (38 mm) from this point, towards the door's hinges. Be careful not to mark the point further away from the edge of the door than this, because if the doorstop is installed there it could punch a hole through a hollow-core door.[4]

3. 3

   Drill a hole into the baseboard to mount the doorstop. Using a drill with a 1/8 inch (3 mm) bit, drill a hole into your baseboard where you drew the second pencil mark.[5]

4. 4

   Screw the doorstop into the hole. The doorstop will have 1 side with a threaded screw protruding from it; screw this end into the hole you drilled by rotating it clockwise until it is flush with the wall.

Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  how many hinge-mounted door stops should be used on an 8-foot solid wood door?

  Two, because the door is heavy and one will cause the hinge screws to wear out their cut. Put one in the top hinge and one in the bottom hinge.

Ask a Question

Advertisement

Advertisement

• Doorstop
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Hammer
• Pencil
• Drill
• 1/8 inch (3 mm) drill bit

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 127,364 times.

Co-authors: 10

Updated: July 24, 2020

Views: 127,364

Categories: Door Installation

• Print
• Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 127,364 times.