Expert Advice on Home Improvement
How To • Videos • Lawn & Garden • DIY • Articles
How to Keep a Door Fully Open
By: Danny Lipford 
Why won’t my interior door stay completely open? When I open it, it always moves to a half open position and will not stay fully open. -Larry
Hi Larry,
The reason your door won’t stay open is probably that the door frame, or the wall it’s attached to, was installed slightly out of plumb. While there’s no easy fix for the framing, there are a couple of ways to keep the door where you want it.
First, remove one of the hinge pins, bend it slightly with a hammer, then tap it all the way back into the hinge. This will increase the friction in the hinge joint and prevent the door from moving as easily.
If bending one pin doesn’t do the trick, try bend the other ones as well. Watch our video on Hinge Pin Door Repair to see how to go about it.
Another option is to install a special door stop with a magnetic or friction catch that attaches to the door. When you open the door all the way, the stop engages the catch to hold the door fully open.
Good luck with your project,
Please Leave a Comment
3 Comments on “How to Keep a Door Fully Open”
You can follow comments to this article by subscribing to the RSS news feed with your favorite feed reader.
Comments submitted may be edited for clarity and used on Homefront, Today’s Homeowner®, or posted in articles on dannylipford.com at our discretion. In addition, you may submit questions at our contact page or by calling (800) 946-4420.
Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford® is brought to you by:
October 28th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
You recently featured the DoorSaver II, replacement door hinge pins, on your show. Why is this product not available? Any news? Thanks.
Ben Erickson Says:October 29th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Hi Hal,
I spoke to a representative at Perfect Products who said that the Door Saver II is in production and should be available for purchase on their website by January 2011.
January 31st, 2011 at 11:22 am
My problem is that my door is 96″x36″ metal door. I tried to install a door close arm but it stuck with the roof and i did it as spec’s.