Flexible Door Stop Stock for Curves

Plastic moulding or bending plywood are suggested solutions. July 25, 2010

Question
I have a client who would like a custom arch-top screen door to fit the jamb in the accompanying picture. I would like the door to be inset with the outer face of the screen door to be flush with the existing jamb arched brown trim (there is enough depth to do this).

My problem is the door not landing on wood as it closes – as you can see from the detail (the right side of the picture), there is only 1/8” for the door to land on, which, with an 1/8 inch reveal leaves me exactly nothing to stop the door.

Ideally I would like to run a 5/8 X 7/8 inch piece of material, fastened (nailed/glued) to the jamb for a stop, effectively increasing the 1/8 inch lip in the picture to 3/4 inch, enough to stop the door. If possible I would like to avoid laminating, but I can’t come up with any material which will take the curve of the arch top. I’m hoping someone out there knows of something? Ideas for other approaches are also welcome, of course.


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Forum Responses
(Cabinet and Millwork Installation Forum)
From contributor Z:
Bending plywood or flexable resin moulding is an idea. After glue and nails either would do the trick. The door is sheltered so weather won't be much of an issue. The problem you will have is that the knob height needs to be set so it does not interfere with the pull handle on the door.



From the original questioner:
I'm familiar with bending plywood but it seems that for the profile I'm looking for I would have to laminate layers, something I would like to avoid. I don't know what flexible resin molding is but the name sounds kind of like what I was hoping existed. Could you tell me more about exactly what it is and where it's available?


From contributor M:
I just made a new exterior door for my house not too long ago and it is arched on the top. I had to put a new door stop. I went to Home Depot and bought door stop made out of plastic. It was kind of like Azek product and it worked really well. I didn't need to apply heat to it - I was able to bend it real easy.


From contributor D:
I agree with what contributor M said. I have used Azec to do the same thing. I've also bent PVC brick mold to fit a round top transom by using clamps and a heat gun, so if the piece won’t bend right just apply some heat.