Door Stops

Doorstops are commonplace in both domestic and commercial buildings, helping to either prop open doors or prevent doors from hitting and potentially damaging walls when opened. Cromwell stock a range of door stops, from brands such as Matlock, to help cover your applicational needs.

What are doorstops?

Doorstops can serve two functions, firstly they can be used to prop doors open for easy access, and secondly, they can be used to prevent doors from slamming into entrance way walls and creating damage.

Why doorstops?

Doorstops can be used to prop doors open, this particularly useful in buys commercial building entrances, where people move freely in and out. They also help prevent damage due to overextending door hinges and impacts with walls due to swing back.

Types of doorstops

• Wedge - The classic door wedge slots underneath the door to wedge the door in place. Traditionally made of wood, they can also be manufactured from rubber to help prevent damage to the underside of doors.

• Baseboard - These metal peg-like stoppers are mounted on skiting and base boards behind doors and feature a rubberised tip to prevent damage. They will cause the door to bounce back if swung hard.

• Wall mounted - Similar to baseboard in function, these doorstops are mounted higher up the wall where the handle or doorknob protrudes to prevent impact with the wall.

• Spring - These are very similar to the baseboard design however instead of a solid metal peg they are mounted on a spring, giving them flexibility.

• Floor mounted - These are rounded disc-shaped stoppers that have a cutaway across half of the diameter, where a rubber pad is installed. They are fixed directly to the floor behind the door to prevent the door swinging back into the wall behind.

• Magnetic - Magnetic doorstops, not only prevent the door from swinging back into rear walls but can be used to hold doors open using a magnetised strip attached to the back of the door.

Considerations when choosing a doorstop

• The type of door - Lightweight doors can sometimes be damaged by doorstops, even with the rubber pad. Hollow core doors for example can be dented by baseboard stoppers. Heavier doors might be too heavy to be contained by a spring or a wedge especially if they are mounted on a hydraulic hinge.

• The door's purpose - Busy entrance ways may incur a large amount of footfall, in this case stops like wedges can present a tipping hazard. A magnetic doorstop in this case allows the door to be held open for long periods of time without protruding into access ways.

FAQ
Are doorstops necessary?

Doorstops are necessary to prevent damage to the adjoining wall from overzealous opening of for the weight of the door swinging back and impacting with the wall.