Fit a wall-mounted door stop to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall
Fit a wall-mounted door stop safely, checking your wall type and avoiding hidden cables or pipes before drilling.
DS-01Plan the job and gather your toolsDecide where the stop needs to sit - usually on the wall behind the door, about 100-150mm up from the floor, roughly under the handle. Lay a dust sheet under the work area and get your pencil, tape measure, drill, screwdriver and the door stop kit together before you start.
DS-02Work out what's behind the wallRun a stud detector or magnet along the wall - a line of screw heads at regular 400mm or 600mm gaps means a stud wall. Tap the wall: a solid low knock means brick or block, a hollow drum sound means plasterboard on studs or dot-and-dab. Drill a small 3mm test hole at your marked spot and check what comes out - fine grey dust is masonry, wood curls mean a timber stud, metal swarf means a metal stud track, and a gap of 10-50mm behind the board before hitting something solid means dot-and-dab. In an older house, a soft plaster feel with thin wood strips just behind it means lath and plaster.
DS-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the 'safe zones' - run a cable and pipe detector over the spot, but still treat it as if something is there and drill carefully. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.
DS-04Mark the fixing pointSwing the door to where it naturally rests against the wall and mark where the rubber buffer will touch it. Mark the screw hole itself just below or beside that point, and use a spirit level if you're fitting a two-screw stop to keep it straight.
DS-05Drill and fix - solid brick or block wallDrill with a 6mm masonry bit to about 40mm depth, blow out the dust, then push in a matching wall plug. Drive the screw through the door stop into the plug until it's snug - don't overtighten, as it can crack the plaster around the hole.
DS-06Drill and fix - dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard is stuck to the masonry with dabs of adhesive, leaving a gap of 10-50mm behind the board that an ordinary plug can't bridge. Drill through the board with a 6mm masonry bit and keep going - you'll feel the drill pass through the air gap and then bite into solid block or brick. Use a long fixing, such as a 75mm masonry screw or frame fixing, that reaches at least 30mm into the masonry behind, then drive it home. A fixing that only grips the plasterboard will eventually pull out, because a door stop takes constant knocks.
DS-07Drill and fix - plasterboard on timber studsIf your test hole brought out wood dust or curls, find the centre of the timber stud with your detector or magnet. Drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud, then drive a 40mm wood screw through the door stop straight into the timber - no plug needed. Keep the fixing centred on the stud; missing it means driving into thin plasterboard with nothing behind it.
DS-08Drill and fix - plasterboard on metal studsIf the test hole brought out fine metal swarf, you have a metal stud. Never use a wood screw or a plain plastic wall plug here - they strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Fix into the metal track itself with a self-drilling metal-stud screw where possible; if the fixing point falls between studs on plasterboard only, use a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the load, because a door stop takes repeated knocks, not just weight.
1 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixing or toggle anchor
DS-09Drill and fix - lath and plasterIf you found narrow wood strips just under old lime plaster, aim your fixing into a lath rather than a gap - use the pilot hole test to find one. Drill a small pilot hole and drive a 30mm screw into the lath. If you land on a gap instead, use a spring or gravity toggle fixing rated for hollow walls rather than forcing a screw into brittle old plaster, and work slowly - it cracks easily.
DS-10Fit the stop and test itPush the rubber buffer onto its fixing and tighten the screw so it doesn't spin. Swing the door fully open to check it meets the buffer cleanly and doesn't rattle, and nudge the screw tighter if the buffer moves.
DS-11Tidy upVacuum any drilling dust or metal swarf from the wall and floor, and wipe the wall down with a damp cloth. Take one more swing of the door to check the stop holds firm before you finish.