Baby Proofing Your Home – Which Baby Gates Are Best?
When making a list of things needed to baby proof a home, baby gates are often top of the list. They are essential in many homes where it is necessary to prevent a small child from passing into a certain area or room. Baby gates are frequently used on stairs but can be used in just about any aperture as long as they fit. They are not only used for a child’s safety but also for parents’ convenience.
Whatever baby gate you choose and whatever style suits you, one thing is a common factor – they form a barrier against children. Something that is worth thinking about is where you are going to put your baby gates and what type of fixing is suited to those locations. For example, will you need something that fixes permanently to a wall or would something that requires no drilling of screwing be better for you? At Totsandtoddlers.net you can find more useful information on this subject.
Pressure mounted baby gates provide a convenient and clean way of attaching a baby gate within an opening. They are particularly good if you are looking for baby gates for stairs with banisters. If this is the case there will probably be a newel post at the top and bottom of the stair case, providing insufficient flat surface to screw a fixing in to. Or you may wish to preserve the integrity of the décor by not drilling and screwing into it.
By using a pressure mounted baby gate you simply unwind threaded stoppers from each corner of the frame. When they push against the mounting surface they cause the baby gate to push in on itself using pressure to hold it in place. No drilling or screwing is required and no making good is needed after you remove the gate.
Something I have found with this type of gate is that they need a horizontal bar at the bottom of the frame in order to function. This can catch people out who aren’t used to your surroundings. Visitors to our house have often tripped or nagged their toes when walking through the open gate.
If you would prefer a more solid and permanent baby gate you could go for one that is fixed. You may need to drill holes, depending on what type of walls you have and you will need to screw the gate to the surface as well. On one side brackets will be secured in place where the gate pivots. On the opposite side there will usually be a latch or bracket that holds the gate closed.
One advantage to this style of gate is that no bottom framework is needed and there is no risk of injury from tripping. The main disadvantage is a longer fitting time and when the gate is removed there will be some damage with holes to fill and paint.
You may not have thought too deeply about this topic but now you may be considering which type of baby gate suits your needs and how you keep your home. The main points to consider are: permanent or temporary, fixed or pressure mounted. One needs more work, the other does not.