Pressure fit baby gates

[talulahbeige]

Hi, not sure where to put this but here goes.

Does anyone have any experience of pressure fit baby gates distorting a staircase and banister? We have one at the top and one at the bottom of our Victorian house stairs.
Since we've lived here and had the gates installed the woodwork all around the stairs seems to be splitting. My husband (not practically minded) this the gates may be pushing the stairs out of shape.

What do people think?

[blondebaby111]

Well we bought a pressure fit stair gate the other day and it didn't work on our stairs, it was pushing our banister out too. I got some advice from my dad who suggested the fixed ones are better for stairs and the pressure ones are only really good in doorways or stairs that don't have banisters. Bugger really as I didn't want the fixed ones but we have to now as we had the sane problem

[Katekoom]

This has happened to us too. Ooops!

[JassyRadlett]

Yes - ours moved the top post visibly. It was ok at the bottom of the stairs, but we ultimately fitted a fixed one at the top of the stairs.

[talulahbeige]

Thanks all, oh well at least I know my house isn't going to fall down!
Bought a couple of wall fix ones today.

[cassiewolfinger08]

We also have banisters and are renting but I don't want to drill into the banister, any other options....maybe I need a joiner?

[pookamoo]

Our council safety officer said pressure fit stair gates should never be fitted at the top of stairs.

If someone leans too heavily on them they can dislodge and fall downstairs. Plus they have a bar across the bottom which you have to step over when going down the stairs which is a trip hazard.

It's tricky when renting though, not sure what to suggest except properly filling the drilled holes after?