Replace or reset door stop molding on an interior door

What door stop molding does

Door stop molding is a thin wood strip nailed to the face of the door jamb, on the two sides and across the top. When the door closes, its face lands against the stop. The stop keeps the door from swinging through the frame. A common interior profile is about 7/16 inch thick and 1-3/8 inches wide, but sizes vary by house and age.

Stops are usually held with a few small finish nails, not glue, so they are meant to come off and move. Builders often set them with the door closed and a thin gap so the door doesn't bind when paint builds up. If the stop sits too far from the door, the door rattles against the latch. If it sits too close, the latch can't catch.

Why door stop molding fails

Let's fix it

1. Close the door and check the stopClose the door until it latches. Press lightly on the door near the latch. A well-set stop lets the door move only a tiny bit. Now slide a credit card between the door face and the stop, top to bottom. It should slip in with light drag along the whole length. If the gap is much wider, the stop is too far away and the door rattles. If the card won't go in and the latch is hard to catch, the stop is too close. Press the stop with your thumb to find loose spots, and look for cracks along the grain. If the stop is tight, straight and the gap is even, stop here. The latch or strike is the likely cause instead.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • The gap is fine but the door still rattles Adjust the strike plate. See our guide to a door that rattles when closed.

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2. Score the paint and pry the stop offPut on safety glasses. If the house was built before 1978, test the paint for lead first. Run a sharp utility knife along both edges of the stop, where paint bridges it to the jamb. Start near a nail. Tap a stiff putty knife into the joint with light hammer taps and lever it gently. Once there's a gap, slide in a flat pry bar with a scrap block or a second putty knife under it, so the bar presses on the block and not the jamb. If the stop cracks as it lifts, keep going slowly; you'll replace it anyway.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • The jamb is dented or splitting Stop and move the bar to a nail spot. Use a wider block to spread the force.
   • Paint peels off the wall with it Score deeper before prying the next section.

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3. Pull the old nails out the backLay the old stop face down on a towel or a piece of cardboard. Finish nails usually stay in the stop when it comes off. Don't hammer them back out the front, because that splinters the painted face. Instead, grip each nail near the back surface with locking pliers or end-cutting nippers. Roll the pliers on their jaw to pull the nail through the back. The small head slips through and leaves a clean hole on the face. Pull any nails left in the jamb the same way, or snip them flush and set them below the surface with a nail set. Leave no nail tips sticking out where your new stop will sit. If the old stop is whole and straight, keep it to reuse.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • A nail breaks off in the jamb Sink the stub with a nail set so it sits below the surface, then move on.

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4. Measure and cut a matching pieceMeasure the old stop's thickness and width, and take a short piece to the store if you can. A common colonial or ranch stop is about 7/16 by 1-3/8 inches, but older homes may differ. Measure each run on the jamb, from the floor to the head stop or corner to corner. The head piece usually runs across the top first. Side pieces butt up to it, or meet it in a 45-degree miter if the old stop was mitered. Cut in a miter box with a fine-tooth saw. Cut a little long, test the fit and trim. A snug fit that you can press in by hand is right.
   Done

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5. Set it with a spacer and nail itClose and latch the door. Hold the stop against the jamb, with its face against the door. Slip a credit card between the door and the stop as a spacer, which leaves roughly 1/32 inch. Press the stop lightly against the card. Start about 2 inches from each end. Drive a 1-1/2 inch finish nail or brad through the stop into the jamb, using controlled taps with a claw hammer. Space nails roughly every 12 to 16 inches. Stop each nail with the head slightly proud so you don't dent the wood. Open and close the door. It should latch with a soft click and not rattle. If it binds, pull that nail and move the stop.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • The nail bends Pull it with pliers over a putty knife and drive a new one beside the hole.
   • The thin stop splits Pre-drill with a bit slightly smaller than the nail, or blunt the nail tip with a tap.

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6. Set the nails, then fill, caulk and paintHold a nail set on each head and tap it with the hammer until the head sits about 1/16 inch below the surface. Fill each hole with wood putty or spackle, slightly overfilled. Let it dry as the label says, then sand it flush with fine paper. In pre-1978 homes, skip sanding old paint unless it tested negative. Run a thin bead of paintable caulk along the joint between the stop and the jamb, and smooth it with a damp finger. Prime bare wood and paint to match. Let the paint dry fully before you close the door, or it may stick to the stop.
   Done

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Watch it done

How to Replace Door Stop Molding on Interior DoorBy John C RV on YouTube. Their method may vary a little from ours.

Watch on YouTube

If it comes back

If the stop loosens again, the nails may have hit an old hole or missed solid wood. Reset it with nails a little longer and slightly off the old holes. Our hammer guide covers controlled taps and using a nail set without denting trim.

If the casing corners above the door have opened up, fix them at the same time. See fixing a gap in a trim corner. For small holes left over, filling nail holes in trim shows how to get a smooth finish.

If the door still won't latch with the stop set right, the strike plate or hinges are likely off. Read a door that won't latch. A door that rattles even with a good stop is covered in a door that rattles when closed.