How to Properly Install Baby Gates?

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Having trouble installing your new baby gate on banisters or on an angle?

Did you encounter difficulties installing your baby gate because the location you planed to install the gate has no mountable surface. Every home design is different and sometimes you need to mount the gate on a banister on top of the staircase or on surfaces that are not strait across.

Often banisters are round on the top and square at the bottom. Most baby gate manufacturers supply round and square attachments to make them compatible with a variety of banister shapes.

Check out the following installation kits for banisters.

No Hole Baby Gate Mounting Kit by Safety Innovations

Evenflo Gate Installation Kit

Lascal Kiddy Guard Banister Mount Kit

Fortunately most of the clamping attachments are easy to install and need no drilling in your valuable woodwork .

Once you installed the banister mounting kit you can install your gate to the wood mount using the safety gate’s hardware. All new baby gates come with instructions explaining how to install your new gate. Most manufacturers have tried their best to make the installation process as simple as possible.

gate adapter

Clever design for larger banister posts.

Designed to be used for taller baby gate installations, and bigger banister posts is the EZ Fit II Safety Gate Adapter. The strong Industrial Grade 30" long Velcro adapter with integral locking clip will fit virtually any post up to 7" square.

It is easy to remove the adapter with the safety gate attached and install the gate elsewhere in the house.

Do not install the gate more than 3 inches of the floor. The body of a toddler can easily get stuck in the attempt to wiggle through the space between the gate and the floor.

SAFETY TIP

How to install baby gates to a hollow or dry wall.

wall style gate mounting system

Most mounting kits for dry walls and walls with baseboards consist of a long piece of wood, screws, toggle bolts, finish washers and wood spacers.

Wood spasers are used at the top to make up for the thickness of the baseboard. Before you install the wall mounting kit make sure the placement of the screws will not interfere with the gate mounting hardware.

See the example on the left.

Deluxe Wall Style Baby Gate Mounting Kit by Safe Beginnings

Baby Gate Mounting Kit - $ 11.95

KiddyGuard Wall Installation Kit

How to install baby gates in an angled situation.

Sometimes it is needed to install a baby gate on an angle. In this case you will have to choose for a hardware mounted baby gate. Check out the Stairway Special Baby Gate for Indoors that will mount at angles up to 30 degrees allowing location of a stud when mounting on drywall.

Pressure mounted gates can only be used in situations where mounting points are strait across.

The following video shows you how to install baby gates at an angle.

Tips on how to install baby gates.

To start with take your time to read the instructions of the manufacturer carefully. Check the tools you need to install the gate, like a screwdriver, a hand drill, screws (make sure they are long enough) and pencil.
Second you will need a gate installation kit if you try to install baby gates on a banisters, iron railing or hollow wall that is not strong enough to hold the gate. For a wide variety of installation kits see our examples on this page.
No one likes to drill holes and put screw in their wooden banister. With wood clamps this can be avoided. They can be used with round or square posts in any combination to ensure proper and secure mounting of your gate.
After installing the gate try the firmness of the gate. Make sure it is able to hold the pressure that a child may place on it. Your gate is of no use if it is not installed correctly.
Finally check locks or latches if they function correctly. Make a good habit of keeping the gate locked at all times even if your child is asleep.

SAFETY TIP

Never attempt to climb over a baby safety gate while your child watches you, rest assured he will try to copy you. It is better to use safety gates with walk through doors with a simple one-handed operation.

Apart from top of the stairs and large irregular openings you can install pressure mounted safety gates. Pressure-mounted gates are a lot easier to install than hardware mounted gates because you don't need tools or carpentry skills. These gates are not suitable for angled situations and on top of a staircase.

Children are extremely inventive when it comes to conquering the chalence of a baby safety gate. Gates should be removed when your child is able to climb over the gate or the height of the gate is below the child's shoulder level.

Mommy can do it herself

Mommy Can Do It: A Do It Herself Guide to Baby-Proofing helps take away the frustration often associated with creating a child-safe home by empowering Mom to “do it herself.” No more does Mom need to wait for Dad to install baby gates or to hire a baby-proofer. This is the only child safety book available that touches on important child safety risks in the home while focusing on helping Mom create a “Totsafe” home.

Mommy Can Do It: A Do-It-Herself Guide to Baby-Proofing