Fit a wall-mounted door stop to a metal stud wall

Mark, check, and fix a wall-mounted door stop safely, using the correct method for your wall type.

AB-01Mark where the door stop needs to goOpen the door fully and see where the handle or door edge would hit the wall. Mark this point lightly with a pencil — most door stops sit at handle height, around 900-1000mm up, but yours may need to be lower if it's the door edge or bottom rail that strikes. Hold the door stop against the mark to check it clears the skirting and any nearby fittings.

1 each · Pencil

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AB-02Work out what's behind the wall at that pointRun a stud detector or magnet over the marked area. A magnet that grabs at regular intervals, or a hollow sound between two firmer points about 400-600mm apart, means a stud wall. A dead, solid knock everywhere means brick or block, or a dot-and-dab wall over blockwork. If you're not sure, drill a small 2mm pilot hole: timber dust means a wood stud, fine grey swarf means metal, and a soft crumbly hole followed by solid material a bit further in means dot-and-dab.

1 each · Stud detector or strong magnet

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AB-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillSweep the area with a cable and pipe detector, but treat this as a guide, not a guarantee — detectors can miss cables that run deep, sit in metal conduit, or hide behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame can confuse cheap detectors even further. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely, 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 know where the stopcock is before you cut into anything that could carry water.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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AB-04Solid brick or block: drill and plug the fixingUsing a hammer drill and a 6mm masonry bit, drill to a depth of 40mm, slightly deeper than your wall plug. Blow out the dust, then push in a 6mm wall plug until it's flush. Drive in a 40mm screw partway, leaving enough thread showing to fit the door stop's mounting plate.

1 each · 6mm red wall plug

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1 each · 40mm screw

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1 each · 6mm masonry drill bit

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AB-05Timber stud: fix straight into the centreLine the mark up with the centre of the stud you found earlier. Drill a 2mm pilot hole to stop the wood splitting, then drive in a 40mm wood screw directly into the timber. No plug is needed — the screw threads bite straight into solid wood.

1 each · 40mm wood screw

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1 each · 2mm drill bit

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AB-06Metal stud: use a proper metal-stud fixingNever use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here — they strip straight through 0.5mm steel and won't hold. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw if fixing into the stud itself, or a hollow-wall toggle fixing rated for the door stop's weight if fixing into the plasterboard between studs. A door stop is light, so either works, but always match the fixing to what it's going into.

1 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screw

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1 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixing

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AB-07Dot-and-dab plasterboard: reach through to the masonryDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on adhesive dabs, with a gap of 40-50mm to the solid wall behind. A short screw will only grip the board and pull loose. Use a long fixing, at least 60-75mm, that passes through the plasterboard and the gap and anchors into the masonry itself — a frame fixing or long masonry screw with a plug rated for cavities works well.

1 each · Long frame fixing (75mm)

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AB-08Lath and plaster: find solid timber and go gentlyOld lath and plaster walls have thin timber laths behind a layer of lime plaster that cracks easily. Locate a solid lath or a supporting timber with your pilot hole test, then drill a small 2mm pilot hole to avoid splitting the plaster around it. Stick a strip of masking tape over the mark before drilling to help stop the plaster crumbling, then drive in a 30-40mm screw by hand rather than with a powered driver, so you can feel if it's biting into solid wood.

1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · 30mm screw

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AB-09Fit the door stop onto the fixingSlide the door stop's mounting plate or bracket over the screw head and turn it to lock in place, or drive the final fixing screw fully home through the door stop's own fitting holes, depending on the design. Make sure it sits flat against the wall with no wobble.

1 each · Wall-mounted door stop (buffer type)

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AB-10Test the door stopOpen and close the door a few times at normal speed to check the stop takes the impact without loosening. Check the door handle or edge no longer touches the wall or skirting. If the fixing moves at all, remove it and refit with a stronger toggle or a longer fixing.

AB-11Tidy upVacuum up any dust or plaster debris from the floor and skirting. Wipe down the wall around the fixing. Put the drill bits and any leftover fixings back in your toolbox for next time.

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