Even though they're one of the hardest working pieces of hardware in a home, door stops are often forgotten and go unnoticed. The purpose of a door stop is to prevent doors from damaging your walls or just keep them from suddenly closing by an unexpected breeze. It's a big responsibility for such a small piece of hardware, so choosing the right option for your home requires some thought.
What types of door stops are out there?
The most common type is the classic spring stop. It's also the first thing that comes to mind for most people when someone mentions door stops. The spring stop has a rubber tip and installs behind the door, usually into the baseboard. You can get them with a spring or as a solid piece of metal. You can also find a magnetic version that can hold your doors in place after opening them.
Probably the most discrete version is the hinge pin door stop. As the name suggests, a hinge pin door stop is installed on the middle hinge of your door. It's important to note that this solution doesn't require any modification of the door or the wall. Hinge pin door stops also come with a screw so you can adjust how far the doors can open.
If you want to keep your walls intact, floor-mounted door stops might be the right choice for you. They're durable and reliable, but they stand out when your doors are closed. If you prefer to preserve your floors, the wall-mounted door stop might be the right way to go. Keep in mind that a wall-mounted door stop has to be positioned at the point where the doorknob makes contact with the wall.
If you don't want to poke holes anywhere, there's always the classic wedge door stop. Wedge stops don't require installation, they're portable and can be used on any door at any time. As the name suggests, they're wedged under the door from either side to prevent it from moving.
