Baby Gates

herewegoagain3rd

I can't find the question thread so I am doing a one off (don't shoot me!!) 

So we have some steep stairs leading down to our basement with no door on it. The walls on either side are not flat at all. 

I really need a baby gate to go over the space. Anyone know of a gate that will work for this? I definitely want one that screws into the wall so it is solid.

offtoneverland

What do you mean by the walls are not flat? I'm trying to visualize it. 

highsteaks

pic?

herewegoagain3rd

I will have to take a picture tomorrow. I already left the house. But the best way I can describe is it has different molding that sticks out further than the wall itself. So at the top the opening might be say 36" and the bottom might be 32". If that makes any sense. 

lurvleybunchococonuts

Ohhh... Do you mean like there's a baseboard that sticks out? How far up does it go from the floor before it's even? Could you leave a 2-3" (or however tall the moulding is) gap at the bottom? It's not like LO would fit under a few inches if it isn't flush with the floor/top of the staircase. <--- unless it's completely diff from what I'm visualizing

herewegoagain3rd

@lurvleybunchococonuts kind of, it is kind of like baseboards on steroids. I had my husband take a picture (he was still there). I will upload it soon.

msb11182018

Most walk-thru baby gates have adjustable pressure mounts (kind of like giant bolts) on the top and bottom. So you could adjust the top mounts out further to meet the 36inches and the lower ones wouldnt be out so far  to meet the smaller space on the bottom. 

We have this one in the doorway to our upstairs, I do not remember if it has the screw to the wall option but I do recommend getting "tall" babygates if you can. Saves on having to bend down to open (which is rough if carrying a sleeping baby) and means that hopefully baby will be less likely to climb it anytime soon.


https://www.chewy.com/regalo-easy-step-extra-tall-walk/dp/163755?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Regalo&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-o_bBRCOARIsAM5NbIMW9bN0Wg67q_-oruNnWkjGs-vSlkoGLrUZ4EgR2fLxtEiObW8RPYsaAhjyEALw_wcB 

herewegoagain3rd

Okay, here are the pictures. Bare with me, I am going to do it in multiple post. So here is the view looking down the stairs from our kitchen. 

herewegoagain3rd

Here is better pictures of the walls. 

lurvleybunchococonuts

Ohhhh hmmm.... How often will you use that enterance? Just a thought would you need a gate right where you're talking about? What about putting a gate at the last step before that platform so like... Parrallel to the door? Just spit balling ideas here... Honestly, I'm a total newb so maybe that'd be an awful place for a baby gate?? 

josie12367

I think a pressure mounted, walk through gate at the base of the three steps would be your easiest option, but not the best option...

If it were me,  I would build a little section onto the handrail side that makes that portion of the wall even for the height of whatever gate you use. You could always remove it once the kids are older and the gate isn't needed anymore. This would allow you to have a screw into the wall type gate, and wouldn't crowd up that doorway going outside...Or... the most expensive option, but maybe the best for when kids learn to push limits... install a door there that can be locked. 

lurvleybunchococonuts

I kinda wonder what the original owners had going on there with those two circle, rubber door stoppers in that doorway to your basement... Your house is intruiges me  

Also @josie12367 you're so smart love your breakdown of options. <--- I'd trust her ideas over my crazy spitballed theories... She keeps kids alive everyday! My baby is doooommmmed (kidding, I'm insomnia induced sassy this AM)

herewegoagain3rd

I found this last night while I couldn't sleep. I would have to make it sturdier but I like the way it folds in the middle 

https://www.allthingsheartandhome.com/diy-baby-gate-for-stairs/

@lurvleybunchococonuts yeah, me too! This is just all kinds of dangerous! This is actually the second basement. The original owners built onto the house in the 60s and added a bigger kitchen, a bedroom and bathroom, and this basement. I think they built it themselves!

offtoneverland

Is there anywhere else you could put the baby gate? We have a set of stairs in our house and we don't have a baby gate on it (even though I wish we did) because there's only dry wall and nowhere to put a baby gate. The stairs lead to the bedrooms, so instead of a gate at the top of the stairs, we put a gate in front of DD's bedroom door so she can't escape at night and fall down the stairs. Maybe you could block off another room leading to the stairs instead of the stairs themselves? 

Also, that Mike's Hard Watermelon Lemonade in the first picture looks amazing.  

kazmierczak0314

Look on Amazon for a Roll Up Baby Gate. 

That's what we have and it's amazing!  So worth the money.  And we put ours over the molding so it's not flush with the floor. 

highsteaks

we have roll up baby gates (summer infant brand), and i do agree that they are amazing for several reasons... but ours definitely needed to be mounted close to flush to the floor because they are extremely mailable and somewhat easy for a tot to squeeze under if there’s any room to do so.

lostarz14

I feel like you could make one of these work, https://retract-a-gate.com/.