How to Install a Doorstop

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Learn to install hinged and fixed door stoppers

Reviewed by Barry Zakar

Last Updated: January 3, 2025

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Setting up a Hinge-Mounted Doorstop

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Installing a Fixed Post Doorstop

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Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

If your doors are leaving scuff marks all over your walls, then installing doorstops is a great idea. Doorstops are cheap, readily available, and very easy to install. Install one for every door in your home, and you'll never have to cringe again as you hear a door handle slam against your wall. By following a few easy steps, you can quickly learn how to install a doorstop.

Installing a Hinge Door Stop

Use a screwdriver to pry the top or bottom hinge pin out of the door. Then, place the ring of the doorstop on top of the hinge. Replace the pin into the hinge, and use a mallet to secure it in place, if needed.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Setting up a Hinge-Mounted Doorstop

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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.
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.

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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.^{[1]
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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.^{[2]
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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.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Installing a Fixed Post Doorstop

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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.
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.
Using a drill with a 1/8 inch (3 mm) bit, drill a hole into your baseboard where you drew the second pencil mark.
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.

Community Q&A

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Question

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

Community Answer

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.

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