How to install baby gates without damaging your woodwork or walls?
Obviously, you have to start thinking about installing safety gates before your little one starts to crawl. You can expect this to happen when a baby is between 6 and 11 months old.
When to install baby gates?
A good time to start planning where and how you will install baby gates is at least a month earlier. Please consider that many parents encounter difficulties trying to baby-proof the stairs of their house.
Where to put baby gates?
Not sure where to install baby gates in your home? Start by making a checklist of dangerous areas in your home.
- The entrance of the kitchen
- At the top/bottom of the stairs
- To patio or balcony
- Around wood stove or fireplace
- Nursery doorway
- On the porch
In some places, consider installing a good child-proof door lock instead of a gate, like on a door to the patio or basement. This may decrease costs when you try to baby-proof the entire house.
💡 Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when installing a gate. Avoid working from your own knowledge or doing things without reading the instructions.
The difference between hardware and pressure-mounted gates
Hardware-mounted gates require drilling in a door frame, wall, or banister to secure the gate. They are, without a doubt, the most secure way of installing a gate. When installing the gate, you must ensure you are drilling on a surface that will hold the gate.
Pressure-mounted gates – These are easy-to-install baby gates. They stay securely in place through the pressure they put on two surfaces on either side. Pressure-mounted gates are much easier to install than hardware-mounted gates because you don’t need tools or carpentry skills. A word of warning: these gates are unsuitable for angled situations and on top of a staircase.
How to install baby gates without drilling
Most parents prefer to install baby gates without drilling into a wall and without drilling in a banister. In many cases, you can get this done with an installation kit.
How to install a baby gate on a square and round post?
1. EZ Fit II Safety Gate Adapter
If you need to install a baby gate on a round post, the EZ Fit II Safety Gate Adapter may help. It is designed for taller baby gate installations and bigger banister posts up to 18″. It is a no-drill solution for people who do not want to damage the banister of their staircase.
What’s great about this product:
- You use the adapter pretty nearly with any baby gate.
- You can install pressure-mounted and hardware-mounted baby gates without drilling in the banister.
- The only kit that will fit banisters up to 18 inches wide
What you get:
- A strong Industrial Grade 36″ long Velcro strip with an integral locking clip.
- An adapter of 36 x 2 x 0.9 inches.
2. Safety Innovations no hole stairway Kit
Similar is the Safety Innovations no-hole stairway Kit, which can also be used for top square and round posts. The kit will fit posts measuring 2 3/4″ wide to 3 5/8″ inches wide, as shown below.
What you get:
- A wood strip of 1 by 36″
- 2 Square clams with 2 Wood Inserts
- 1 Set round adapters
- Hardware to attach the wood rail to the clamps
- Installation instructions.
💡When you install baby gates, ensure that the distance between the bottom of the gate and the floor is no more than 22 inches. This prevents the toddler from wiggling through or getting his head trapped in the opening.
How to install a baby gate on an angle?
Sometimes, it is necessary to install a baby gate at an angle. In this case, you will have to choose a hardware-mounted baby gate. Check out the Cardinal Gates Stairway Angle Baby Gate that can be installed on an angle. It will mount at angles up to 30 degrees, allowing a stud’s location when mounting on drywall.
How to install baby gates on a wrought iron railing or spindle?
If you were wondering how to install a baby gate on metal banisters with thin metal balusters, you might find that Y-spindle rods work like a charm. The Y-spindles work just like a regular pressure-mounted baby gate. You must tighten them until they press hard against your banister or baluster, and your baby gate will lock into place.
The Y Spindle allows the installation of a pressure-mounted gate on a round stairway baluster. Ensure you get two because you will need one for the top and one for the bottom. Please note they are not suitable for hardware-mounted gates.
How to install baby gates to a hollow or drywall?
When you have a wooden door frame, the job is simple. When you mount the gate to the drywall, things become more complicated. Then it would help if you first located the wood framing behind it. Before you start drilling, I suggest you use this handy tool to help you locate where the studs are. This will stop you from making many unnecessary holes or drilling accidentally in metal parts and electric lines.
💡 Before you install the wall mounting kit, make sure the placement of the screws will not interfere with the gate mounting hardware.
How to install a baby gate with a baseboard?
When installing a baby gate where there is a baseboard, leveling it on the wall can be a challenge.
If you’re installing a baby gate and there’s a baseboard present, the Baseboard Adaptor can help. Without it, the gate may end up at an angle on the wall, which can cause problems with its operation. With the adaptor, you can mount the gate vertically for optimal performance.
A Baseboard Adaptor provides a level and vertical surface to mount your baby gate securely. Definitely worth checking out is the Qdos Universal Baseboard Kit. The unit is compatible with baseboards up to 7″ tall and 7/8″ thick.
This kit is specially designed for the installation of baby gates over baseboards. And the best part is that it is suitable for all brands of baby gates. Note that one kit will do when installing a gate between one wall and a banister. But you must purchase one set for each wall when you install it between two walls.
Keep walls damage-free with wall protector cups
When installing a pressure-mounted baby gate, you will definitely need a set of wall cup protectors. After removing them, they prevent the gate from leaving marks behind on the wall. Their large surface area of soft rubber-like backing helps to distribute the pressure on the wall. Most of the time, they will also make the gate more sturdy.
Why we like Vmaisi Wall Protection Cups:
- Works on walls and banisters
- It comes in three colors (black, brown, and white)
- Very simple to install
- It can be used with most baby gate brands
In a nutshell, 5 tips on how to install a baby gate
- To start with, take your time to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Check the tools you need to install the gate, like a screwdriver, a hand drill, screws (make sure they are long enough), and a pencil.
- Second, you will need a gate installation kit if you try to install baby gates on a banister, iron railing, or hollow wall that is not strong enough to hold the gate. For various installations, and kits see our examples on this page.
- No one likes to drill holes and put screws in their wooden banister. With spindles, velcro adapters, and clamps, this can be avoided. They can be used with round or square posts in any combination to ensure your gate’s proper and secure mounting.
- After installing the gate, try the firmness of the gate. Make sure it holds the pressure a child may place on it. Your gate is of no use if it is not installed correctly.
- Finally, check locks or latches to see if they function correctly. Make a good habit of keeping the gate locked at all times, even if your child is asleep.
Conclusion
Children are extremely inventive in conquering the challenge of a baby safety gate. Gates should be removed when your child can climb over the gate or the height of the gate is below the child’s shoulder level.
If installing a safety gate is causing you a headache, why not use a baby gate installation service? A professional will have all the necessary equipment and experience to install baby gates fast, securely, and according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
These ideas especially the Safety Innovations no hole stairway Kit and smart woodworking tools were quite helpful. Thanks