A floor door stop keeps a door from swinging into the wall behind it or keeps a door from shutting closed. Most stoppers have a piece of rubber that allows the door to bounce against the stopper and away from the wall. The rubber piece protects the door from damage, just as the stopper protects the wall behind the door. Some stops, however, only prevent a door from fully being closed.
Relatively easy to mount and use, a floor door stop generally comes in three styles, and all are relatively inexpensive. One is designed to prevent the door from slamming into the wall, while the second is engineered not only to keep the door from slamming into the wall but also keep that door open. The third is made just to keep a door open — either completely or left ajar.
The first style of floor door stop keeps a door from swinging into the wall behind it, where the door knob might puncture the wall, creating a hole. A half sphere or a small pedestal that is usually about 2 inches (6 cm) in height or length and made of wood or metal is screwed into the floor or wall behind the door. When a door is opened, the stop prevents the door from hitting the wall behind it.
Some floor-mounted stoppers in the half-sphere or pedestal style also have a hook and eye latch to keep the door open. The hook is attached to the floor piece, and the eye is screwed into the back of the door. The hook on the stop drops into the eye on the door, and the door will remain open until it is unlatched. Latching a door open is a security feature that ensures the door cannot swing shut on its own and harm someone who may be standing in the door jamb or passing through the doorway.
One other style of floor door stop is designed to just keep a door open. Most often, this stop is a triangular piece that is wedged beneath the door crack to keep the door open or prevent it from swinging completely closed. The wedge may be made of wood, metal, or rubber. If the goal is to prevent the door from shutting closed all the way or to keep the door slightly ajar, one does not necessarily need to purchase a stop. A shoe, brick, hand weight, or book placed against the door or between the door and the jamb often works just as well as a triangular wedge.