Best Way - What Type of Baby Gate Works Well for a Staircase?

What Type of Baby Gate Works Well for a Staircase?

Contributor

By Robin Lewis Montanye
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating:

(0 Ratings)

Baby gate

Choosing a baby gate is an important decision. The wrong kind of gate in the wrong place can have disastrous results. When it comes to stairs, all baby gates are not created equal. Parents need to pay close attention to the type of gate they buy to ensure the safety of their family.

Hardware-Fitted Security Gates

Evenflo Top of Stairs Plus Gate
Most baby-gate manufacturers realize that gates that will be at the top of the stairs will need a certain number of extra safety features. Being able to securely affix the gate to the walls is one of them. Pressure-fitted gates are effective for certain areas, but are not secure enough for the top of the stairs. If they are not fitted exactly right or too much weight or pressure is put on them, they can slide down the wall and topple over. Parents should look for gates that are hardware-fitted to securely attach to the wall using screw-in hardware. They should also look for horizontal bars instead of diagonal openings to prevent climbing.

Extra Safety Features: Safety Light

Lighted stair gate to illuminate dark areas
Some baby gates have extra features, such as the Safety 1st Smart Light Stair Gate, which has a motion-activated safety light that turns on when it detects someone is near, to illuminate the stairway. This is a helpful feature if it is needed in the stairway, but not necessary for areas that have adequate lighting.

Securely Locks With Ease: One-Hand Operation

Easy one-hand operation and locks with a click
The locking mechanism is an important feature when comparing safety gates for the tops of staircases. When a parent is going through the gate, holding a baby in one hand, he needs to be sure the gate has locked behind him easily and securely. Having a gate that easily opens with one hand and that closes securely with a "click" sound, such as The First Years Simple and Secure Stair Gate, is a good way to be sure the gate has locked.

Smooth Surfaces: No Stray Objects

Clear panels help keep toys in
Many parents know that babies like to throw things through baby gates, and many of those parents have tried to walk up or down a set of stairs only to find "land mines" placed in their way. The First Years All Clear Swing Gate can help keep the toys off the stairs and away from unsuspecting family members' feet.

Angle-Mounted Baby Gates

Kidco Configure Gate sections can be put together to fit
With a variety of house designs comes a variety of safety gate fitting problems. Many times, the banisters don't line up, or the spot where a wall ends is not in line with the banister across from it. There are several gates that step up to the challenge of fitting in these areas. Gates that have the words "angle mounted" in their names are suitable for this purpose, as is the Kidco Configure Gate ,which comes in linkable panels that can be attached together to fit almost any circumstance, including wide spaces. These can be used at the top of the stairs as well as the bottom to block off a large area around the stairs for maximum safety.