How do Hold Open and Door Stop on Hinge Work Together?

Door stop and hold open hinges offer valuable benefits in various situations. A door stop prevents damage to walls by limiting door opening, while hold-open function offers a practical and valuable feature for a wide array of applications in both commercial and residential use.

Though sharing a hidden stopping function, these two features differ significantly. A hold open and door stop feature coordinating on the same hinge can be very beneficial for the daily users.

Just like how Meade Building Company requires for a project in Seattle:

“We are looking for a door hinge that keeps the door open and two door stops that stop at 90 degrees so the door doesn’t hit the walls. The door size is 29-3/4” wide by 92-1/4” high, 2-3/4” thick. The door is a hidden door that opens to the green roof and will look like a cabinet panel on the inside. ”

What is a Hold Open Hinge?

Hold-open hinges, also known as stay-open door hinges, are designed with a built-in mechanism to keep a door open at a specific angle—typically 90°, 135°, or more. Unlike standard hinges that only hold the door to its frame, this feature allows the door to remain open.

But the hold open hinge doesn’t prevent the door swing movement. It only temporarily keeps the door in an open position; once you close it by hand or with a spring mechanism, the door will swing, move, and close again.

What is a Door Stop?

A door stop is a device that limits how far a door can open, preventing it from swinging past a certain point. Its purpose is to protect the door or door handle from striking walls, furniture, or adjacent doors that cause damage over time.

What Types of Doors Need Hold Open Hinges?

Any door can use a hold-open hinge, but it will be very beneficial in high-traffic areas and places with accessibility needs. It provides convenience for movement both in commercial and residential settings, at times when doors need to stay open.

In a busy commercial area—such as retail stores, restaurants, office buildings, churches, and hotels — where there is continuous movement of people or products, doors that remain open for extended periods can be an advantage.

In residential areas, hold-open door hinges provide convenience for daily tasks. When moving furniture, carrying groceries or laundry, or simply for an air breeze to flow through.

However, in ADA-friendly places, a door hinge that keeps door open is a necessity for accessibility. Hospital doors must stay open when moving patient beds, medical equipment, or wheelchairs. In senior living facilities, it provides the time to pass through the door with the stay open.

Hold open hinges improve efficiency and ease of use in diverse settings.

Door Stop on Hinge: What are the Benefits?

“I have a hinge-pin door stop on my closet door, but it’s causing damage to both the door and the molding.

The door is fairly heavy, and people tend to open it forcefully. There isn’t a nearby wall for a traditional door stop, and without any stop at all, I’m worried the force could damage the hinges or pull them out of the frame.

Is there a better alternative that wouldn’t cause as much damage?”

This case shows how a hinge-pin door stop causes damage when it should prevent the door and molding from damage. A poorly positioned or bulky door stop can be an ineffective application, create trip hazards, and compromise the property’s clean aesthetic.

A hinge-mounted door stop creates a mechanical “block” that prevents the hinge from rotating past a certain point. Instead of stopping the door at the wall (like a baseboard stop), it stops the door’s movement directly at the hinge. This provides the same function as traditional stops, but they don’t damage the door, eliminate trip hazards, and keep the overall aesthetic.

How do the Hold Open and Door Stop Features Coordinate on a Waterson hinge?

Waterson self closing hinges perform best in a swing zone from 0˚ to 120˚. Our hydraulic hybrid hinge open limit is 120˚, whereas the mechanical set can be opened up to 180˚. We do not recommend keeping the mechanical set open beyond 120° for extended periods. Frequent overextension may cause damage and reduce its lifespan, and is not covered under warranty.

That said, our hold open feature and door stop on hinge provide different maximum open positions. With the hold open, you can keep the door open as much as 180˚. Uniformly, with our door stopper, the door can open to 90˚ or 120˚, depending on the type applied.

For Architects & Spec Writers

1. Can a Hold Open Hinge be Used on Fire Rated Openings, like Garage Doors?

A lot of property owners asked

“I’m looking for garage door hinges. It’s a fire door, so it needs to self-close, but I’d also like a 90-degree hold-open. Do you have anything that does both?”

Fire safety codes, such as NFPA 80 5.2.14.1, require all fire-rated doors to be self-closing. To properly block smoke and fire and meet safety requirements, fire doors must consistently do three things:
1. Self-close
2. Latch securely
3. Maintain their fire rating (20minutes for residential, and commercial use up to 3hr UL listing)

If a fire-rated door incorporates a mechanical hold-open feature, it compromises the door’s main safety purpose. For this reason, fire rated hold open door hinges are not permitted.

 

2. Why Door Stops Are Related to the ADA 32-inch Clear Width Requirement?

ADA Standard 404.2.3 states:

“Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees.”

A doorway must therefore provide a minimum 32-inch clear opening width, and that measurement is only valid when the door is open to at least 90°. If a door cannot reach 90°, the required 32-inch clearance cannot be achieved.

Door stops become a compliance factor when a wall-mounted or floor-mounted stop prevents the door from reaching 90°, causing the opening to fall short of the 32-inch requirement.

A hinge-integrated door stop avoids this problem. No stop arm projects into the opening path, and the door can reach full 90°, maintaining the required clear width while still protecting walls and nearby surfaces.

3. Can the Door Stop Angle Be Customized, Like 95 Degrees?

Our standard door stop collar is available in 90° and 120°. We regularly hear from customers with specific clearance requirements, such as this inquiry for a steel and glass arched door:

“I would like to use your hinges on a steel and glass arched door. I only need Hold Open and Stop. The rotational hold should be around 90 degrees. The stop rotation should be 95 degrees. Is this possible?”

Hold Open: Yes, hold open can work as a standalone function. Once you receive the hinge, simply keep the tension setting at Neutral (N) and only activate hold open function. The door will hold open without any self-closing force. If self-closing is needed in the future, you can adjust the tension setting accordingly.

Door Stop at 95°: A 95° stop is fully achievable as a custom order. No special tooling is required. We can accommodate your specific angle. The lead time for a custom stop is 4 weeks, and please note that custom orders cannot be returned or refunded.

If your project requires a non-standard stop angle, please contact us before placing an order to confirm the details.

For Contractors & Installers

Can Waterson Door Stopper Work with Other Manufacturers’ Door Hinges?

No. The Waterson door stopper is engineered as an integrated component of the Waterson hinge system and relies on the hinge’s internal structure and geometry for proper engagement and load transfer. It is not a surface-mounted or universal accessory, and therefore cannot function correctly with standard butt hinges or other manufacturers’ hinges.

For predictable performance and code-aligned operation, the stopper must be used with compatible Waterson hinge models only.

One Hinges with All Features: Hold, Stop, and Self Closing

To meet the requirements for the Meade Building, we provide them with hold open hinges with integrated 90° door stops. This concealed design maintains the “hidden door” cabinet aesthetic while protecting the walls. It provides heavy-duty functionality for the 2-3/4” thick door without the need for visible floor or wall-mounted hardware.

Waterson self closing hinges are specially designed to provide the best functionality. Offices, hotels, and any project applications can get innovative features that improve door operation.

• Stainless Steel: Made with 304 and 316 stainless steel, high durability for high-traffic.
• Door Stops: Collar that fits over the hinge barrel sets swing limits, 90° & 120°, without wall or floor hardware.
• Hold Open: hold-open door closer keeps the door at 90° so it doesn’t drift closed, improving work flow and ADA Compliance.
• Self Closing Mechanism: Integrated spring system automatically returns the door to the closed position; no extra hardware required.
• Heavy Duty: Waterson overhead closers are tested to one million cycles, ensuring durability and reliability for heavy-duty applications.
• Anti Slam: Ensures soft and quiet door closing, minimizing disturbances for residents.
• Fire Rated: Waterson door closer comply with NFPA 80 fire rated applications and concealed door feature, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.
• 5-Year Warranty: Backed by reliable coverage and service support.

Request For Quote

Please note that Waterson Closer Hinges start from a size of 4″x4″. If you’re in need of smaller self-closing hinges, we’d recommend checking out some other resources! Also, we only provide single acting closer hinges. Thank you.

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