BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

The way the stairs are in our house we have to do something custom - we have a bannister on one side but it goes into the first stair and a railing on the other.

My dad is very handy and wants to build us gates - in fact,now he is is insisting he build them b/c he thinks they will be safer I just want to make sure...

What he wants to do is build two posts on each side (which we would have to do regardless) but then instead of attaching a regular gate to the posts - he wants to put grooves in the wood of the posts and have two wooden "walls" that will slide into them - they will be higher than regular gates and will have a handle on the top to lift the wood out of the groove when not in use - does this make sense?

Safe or not?

Totally inconvenient?

Re: BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

So, if you are upstairs, and there is a fire, you have to pull these "walls" up and out of the way before you can get out? Doesn't seem safe to me...

Also, if the "walls" are stacked on top of each other, DC will at some point be able to move the top panel up about an inch. Then, when it drops back down, there's a very good chance their fingers will be in there.....

Re: BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

Posted by GoldenRod

So, if you are upstairs, and there is a fire, you have to pull these "walls" up and out of the way before you can get out? Doesn't seem safe to me...

Also, if the "walls" are stacked on top of each other, DC will at some point be able to move the top panel up about an inch. Then, when it drops back down, there's a very good chance their fingers will be in there.....

Message edited 2/16/2009 1:18:36 PM.

Re: BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

When I do something custom, I usually take ideas that are on the market, and adapt them to fit my needs. Companies that make gates have standards to meet, tons of testing, beta testing, etc, etc. It's doubtful that one person can come up with a safer idea than a company that has teams of people working on the design, and several outside agencies overlooking the designs.

I still think that it's really awkward and difficult to pull a gate straight up over the height of the posts, especially if they are taller than standard gates. If it's what I'm thinking, the handle will wind up being at or above your face before it clears the posts. That's pretty high to lift something..... If the post is 3 feet tall, and the gate is the same, the top of the gate will be at 6 feet before it clears the posts...

Re: BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

Honestly it sounds a bit inconvenient. Especially if you use the stairs a lot. I have an inexpensive walk through gate that has never been climbed or knocked over.

Re: BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

Thanks ladies - the more I think about this idea the more I DON'T like it at all! I'm going to tell my Dad just to make the posts and I will put a standard gate on it! Hopefully that will work!

Re: BTDT moms of toddlers or older - do you think this "custom" gate would be safe?

what about the configure gate by kidco with extra panels. it can be bent in any direction so you can wrap around the railins and keep going until you get to a solid wall. thats what we did with our staircase at the top. wall mount on one side, and wrapped around the wrought iron bannister on the other and mounted into the back wall. it curves around the staircase so its like a 150 degree wrap. we used the main gate, plus a couple of the shorter add in panels. it wasn't cheap, but we've had it up for 6 years and 2 kids... and it works just fine.