Safety Gate for Deck

aeh72

Anyone install a temporary safety gate on their outside deck stairs - i.e., one that was able to be secured well but did not have to be screwed into the deck posts? Not sure that actually even makes it secure, but just looking for non-permanent, yet safe, options.  TIA!

thechickencoop

Ok, so this is probably THE most unsafe thing, but we took out one of our pressure gates from inside and just made it really wide and I stuck it on the top step extending out through the railings.  It isn't mounted in any way and really, is probably horrible so don't send child services over, but DS isn't out there unless we're right there, and our deck is kind of small.  It keeps him from wanting to go down the steps every 2 seconds.

Nel11

My mom texted me the other day to tell me Walmart had pressure-mounted gates for about $10 that would be perfect for our deck stairs.  If you do a pressure-mounted gate you wouldn't need to screw anything in, although I wouldn't let him push on it or anything.

Caseyk1127

We use retract-a-gates inside and out and love them. You get 2 mounting kits ... One screws in and the other attaches the gate with huge zip ties that go around post. So so so much better than the pressure mount gates we had.

mbgreenwalt

We use a pressure gate on our deck.  Ours fits between the house and the railing and blocks the landing that opens to the stairs so if DD2 pushed it down she wouldn't fall down the stairs.

aeh72

Thanks for the suggestions!  I will see if a pressure mounted gate would work - we have an extra one we are not using.  And, we have a retract-a-gate blocking off our foyer so DS can't get to our inside stairs.  Had not thought about that for outside! Will investigate that too. I like that idea because we can retract it when DS isn't on the deck so our dog can go up and down the stairs. 

gracefulruby33

aliebno:

Ok, so this is probably THE most unsafe thing, but we took out one of our pressure gates from inside and just made it really wide and I stuck it on the top step extending out through the railings.  It isn't mounted in any way and really, is probably horrible so don't send child services over, but DS isn't out there unless we're right there, and our deck is kind of small.  It keeps him from wanting to go down the steps every 2 seconds.

We also have a pressure gate out there. She isn't interested in trying to get off the deck; for all she knows, that gate is part of the deck itself.