A family checked into a short-term rental for a two-week stay. The home had a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs, but it was only about 16 inches tall and sat on the floor in front of the first step. On the first day, their toddler climbed right over it.
Two weeks is a long time to spend chasing a toddler away from the stairs, so we got the call and acted quickly. Here is what we found and how we fixed it.
Why the first gate didn’t work
The old gate was simply too short. A gate that a toddler can get a foot on top of is more of a step stool than a barrier. The fix was a full-height gate, but mounting one here was trickier than it looks.
The banister and the wall weren’t on the same plane
On one side of the stairs is a metal banister. On the other side is a textured accent wall with a baseboard along the bottom. The banister post sits at a different depth than the wall, and the baseboard sticks out at the bottom, so the gate’s brackets would never line up straight. Mount it to one side and the other side ends up crooked or loose. The metal banister also wasn’t made for the gate’s screw-on brackets, and drilling into it wasn’t an option.
Custom spacers, no drilling
On the banister side, we built a spacer out of sturdy wood that clamps around the banister post with bolts instead of drilling into it, then added a vertical board for the gate to mount to. We painted it black to match the railing.
On the wall side, we screwed a mounting board into the wall stud that clears the baseboard and sits on the same plane as the banister side, and painted it to match the yellow wall. With both sides lined up, the gate mounts plumb and square, latches cleanly and doesn’t give when you push or pull on it.
The result
A full-height gate the toddler can’t climb, that looks like it was always meant to be there. It retracts out of the way when the adults need the stairs, and the family could enjoy the rest of their stay without worrying about the stairs.
Childproofing beyond the gate
Stairs are only one of the places a curious toddler can get into trouble. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets hold cleaners, medicine, knives and glass, all at a toddler’s eye level. We install child locks on cabinets and drawers, including adhesive strap locks that don’t need any drilling, so the doors still open for adults but stay shut for small hands. We can add locks to doors too, like the garage, laundry room or a home office.
For doors that should never be left open, we can install self-closing hinges so the door swings shut on its own. That matters most on doors that lead to the pool, the garage or the street. We can also put alarms and chimes on doors so you hear right away when your child opens a door or walks into a room they shouldn’t. And if you want eyes on the nursery, we can mount a baby monitor camera on the wall or ceiling, with the cords hidden and out of reach of the crib.
Hosts: check your baby gates
If your rental lists itself as family friendly, look at your gates with a toddler’s eyes. Is the gate tall enough that a small child can’t climb it? Is it mounted solidly, especially at the top of the stairs, where a pressure-mounted gate isn’t enough? Are the cabinets with cleaners locked, and do the doors to the pool and garage close on their own? If not, we can help, whether it’s your rental or your own home. See our baby gates and childproofing page, or call or text for a quote.
