Stair Gates
Once your child becomes mobile, she'll be ready to explore her world and you'll need eyes in the back of your head. Stair gates are vital for safety in any home with a staircase, or can be used to keep children out of dangerous places like the kitchen.
Choosing a gate
Safety gates are one of the more straightforward purchases you'll be making around this time, but there are a few things to bear in mind when choosing which model to buy.
Width
The first thing to check when choosing a gate is how wide it is. Most gates can be extended by a few centimetres to fit varying doorway widths and will fit most standard sizes. Carefully measure your doorway or stairway width, and double check that the gate you choose will fit. You may find you need different widths to suit different parts of your home.
Fitting
There are 2 basic options for fitting: pressure mounted and wall-fixed. A pressure-fitting gate doesn't require screws or permanent fixings, although they will need to be mounted in a stable doorframe or staircase to get the required amount of pressure.
Wall-fixed gates are permanently installed, and while this can make the more secure than a pressure fixed gate, you will obviously be damaging the surface you're fixing it to with drill holes.
Autoclose
Some gates will swing shut automatically, which can be a valuable safety feature - it helps to prevent gates being left open accidentally.
2-way Opening
Some gates will open in either direction, which may be helpful depending on where you plan to install the gate.
Featured Safety Stair Gates
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Clippasafe AutoClose Gate |
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BabyDan Premier Pressure Safety Gate (Black) |
