Saturday, October 15, 2011

Door Stops - Choosing the Right Style

Door stops are a useful tool and silent helper that is readily present in most businesses and homes. A door stop serves several purposes including holding a door open or preventing a door from opening too far (protecting the wall). Styles vary widely and serve different functions so choosing the correct style for your home or office is important.

french doors refrigerator

What is a Magnetic Stop?

FRENCH DOORS

A magnetic stop is a wall or floor mounted device that utilizes the power of a magnet to hold a door open. This is a simple solution because it does not require more than one step to use this style and it is appropriate for most standard doors. Note: Heavier doors may require a stronger magnet or different style of door stop entirely - please check with a contractor if you have additional questions or concerns.

Depending on the style selected, a magnetic stop can also protect walls from incorrectly hung doors that swing open and closed independently. A door stop with a projection of 3 inches will stop the knob from banging into the wall (causing dents and cracks over time) if the door swings open unexpectedly. The added benefit of a magnet will catch the door if it does swing open suddenly and prevent it from slamming shut again.

What is a Rigid Stop?

A rigid door stop is a common style that screws directly into the trim of the wall and has a rubber tip at the end (this will prevent damage to the door itself). This style of door knob is great for protecting the walls but will not hold the door open. Choosing a solid brass door stop (not plated) will ensure high quality and resistance to natural wear and tear over time.

What is a Spring Stop?

A spring style door stop is essentially the same as a rigid type but utilizes a spring construction rather than a solid piece. This style is somewhat more inexpensive than other types but carries many disadvantages. The fragile construction can lead to frequent replacements being needed because it becomes bent and damaged over time.

What is a Hinge Pin Stop?

This style is popular when there is either no base (or floor) board or a decorative trim is being used. Most styles screw directly into this trim and this does leave screw holes and is more visible. A hinge stop screws into the hinge rather than the floor board itself. These utilize a two leg construction to prevent the door from rotating the entire length traditionally allowed by the hinge. These are rubber tipped as well to prevent damage to the door and adjustable in length.

Door Stops - Choosing the Right Style

Kohn Coleman born in Michigan - received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 2000. He is president of LookInTheAttic & Company online at http://www.LookInTheAttic.com and authors numerous articles and publications on historical architecture.

FRENCH DOORS

0 comments:

Post a Comment