For the last few weeks we have been repairing holes in walls, and today we will look at an age-old way to prevent many of those holes from forming in the first place. A properly installed door stop will prevent a doorknob from connecting with and damaging your wall.
There are basically three types of door stops. Here are some tips on installation. You will need two tools: A drill with a 1/8” bit and a standard #2 Phillips screwdriver.
Baseboard-mounted door stops are available in rigid and spring type. I’m sure you are familiar with the spring type, as little kids and cats just love to play with them.
First, find the proper location for the door stop. Open the door and mark a spot on the baseboard below where the doorknob strikes the wall. If the door is a hollow-core door, be sure that the door stop will strike the door within 1 1/2” of the edge of the door. It should hit the interior frame and not do damage to the door. Drill a 1/8” hole in the baseboard and screw the door stop in with the screwdriver, or (in the case of the rigid door stop) screw it in by hand or with a wrench.
Wall-mounted stops are usually rubber stops with decorative trim that line up with the door knob. Simply open the door and mark the wall where the doorknob contacts it. Drill a 1/8” hole and screw the door stop to the wall.
If there is no stud in the wall, drill a 1/4” hole and insert a plastic wall anchor for the screw to fit into. Some wall-mounted stops have a peel-and-stick feature so you can skip the drilling. (Clean the wall and allow it to dry before installing.)
Hinge-mounted stops are probably the least obtrusive and easiest to install. Simply remove the pin from the top hinge of the door, slide the door stop on to the pin, and re-insert the pin into the hinge. You may need a hammer to tap out the pin. The screwdriver should fit into the bottom of the hinge so you can tap it up and out with the hammer. Hinge-mounted door stops are adjustable; you can set the distance of the open door from the wall.
October is “National Fire Safety Month,” so next week we’ll begin to explore ways to keep your family prepared for emergencies.
Remember, help is just around the corner at your local hardware store.
