Stairgate solution

ChildProofThis · 2025-10-04T07:09:45+00:00

How would you baby proof this landing? Spindles are weak and won't bear the weight of a normal stairgate. We've looked at the fabric kind that you pull across but I'm not convinced that's safe for top of stairs. Any suggestions?

Bobbybobbins · 04/10/2025 08:11

I agree that a fabric one won’t be enough. I think you’ll need to reinforce on the right with additional wooden supports.

Ciderapplevinegar · 04/10/2025 08:12

Those spindles also look quite widely spaced so I'd want to board around them too I think.

LittleBearPad · 04/10/2025 08:13

How old is the baby?

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:13

Replace the bannister

who wants weak spindles!

LittleBearPad · 04/10/2025 08:14

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:13

Replace the bannister

who wants weak spindles!

I wouldn’t, they’re lovely.

Luxio · 04/10/2025 08:14

I would put the stairgate elsewhere such as on the child's door.

Ciderapplevinegar · 04/10/2025 08:15

I agree that replacing the whole thing with a banister that won't collapse is ideal. However, could you actually restrict access here instead? And have this part a no go area unless supervised?

DisplayPurposesOnly · 04/10/2025 08:16

I'd put the stair gate on the baby's room. Those spindles are too widely placed for a crawling baby to be safe. And if they are weak then they aren't strong enough to withstand a running toddler.

123456abcdef · 04/10/2025 08:16

I’d put a gate on the child’s door and supervise the landing area

RandomMess · 04/10/2025 08:16

Focus on teaching your baby to turn around and crawl down, as you have the turn leaning only a few steps down it’s not too terrifying.

My other thought is a large sheet of ply along the main landing rather than at the top of the stairs that you can just slide back.

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:17

LittleBearPad · 04/10/2025 08:14

I wouldn’t, they’re lovely.

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If they’re weak, when you have rumbumptious toddlers, primary, teen - delicate bannisters scream serious accident to me.

Bombshelter · 04/10/2025 08:20

I’d either put the stair gate on their room, or board the spindles in temporarily and fix a stair gate to the boarding.

LittleBearPad · 04/10/2025 08:20

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:17

If they’re weak, when you have rumbumptious toddlers, primary, teen - delicate bannisters scream serious accident to me.

Edited

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A toddler isn’t going to break them.

A teenager can be taught to behave properly.

OP, put the stair gate on the bedroom door(s)

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:21

LittleBearPad · 04/10/2025 08:20

A toddler isn’t going to break them.

A teenager can be taught to behave properly.

OP, put the stair gate on the bedroom door(s)

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How do you know how weak they are?! 😵‍💫

Bombshelter · 04/10/2025 08:22

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:21

How do you know how weak they are?! 😵‍💫

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I can’t tell how weak they are, but they’re very widely spaced (hence why I’d board them in)

CharnwoodFire · 04/10/2025 08:22

We have widely spaced spindles - so we weaved thick old climbing rope between them to fill the gaps

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:23

Bombshelter · 04/10/2025 08:22

I can’t tell how weak they are, but they’re very widely spaced (hence why I’d board them in)

Edited

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I’d replace if I had the funds 🤷‍♀️

DisplayPurposesOnly · 04/10/2025 08:32

A teenager can be taught to behave properly.

Proper behaviour doesnt mitigate against accidents. My brother slipped and his leg took out a spindle.

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 08:39

DisplayPurposesOnly · 04/10/2025 08:32

A teenager can be taught to behave properly.

Proper behaviour doesnt mitigate against accidents. My brother slipped and his leg took out a spindle.

Or just having a laugh with a mate on the stairwell, that isn’t misbehaving, that’s being a teen

Original poster

ChildProofThis · 04/10/2025 11:50

Loads of helpful comments, thank you.

To address a few points/questions, the spindles aren't so far apart that she could get through them even though they wouldn't meet current building regulations. They wouldn't be strong enough individually to have a stairgate screwed into one but they are strong enough to do the job they are doing now.

We were all set to get the whole banister replaced but the company pulled out because of structural concerns! The house is 150 years old and it's rock solid but they just didn't think they could guarantee their work.

Child is 20 months old... she was a potato until she was 1 and she is actually very good with the stairs but you just never know. We've gone back and forward with suggestions but haven't been able to agree on what we think could work.

I'm keen to keep the landing open because if she can have the run of playing upstairs I can carry on with putting washing away etc, whereas the layout of downstairs doesn't lend itself to getting much done unless she's in the same room.

I'm thinking of some options now though so thanks.

OP posts:

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 13:58

We were all set to get the whole banister replaced but the company pulled out because of structural concerns! The house is 150 years old and it's rock solid but they just didn't think they could guarantee their work.

and haven’t got a second opinion?!

Curledup14 · 04/10/2025 13:59

The builders have structural concerns around the bannisters?

Simonjt · 04/10/2025 14:06

We have bannisters like that in an older property, we don’t have stair gates and instead taught the reverse down the stairs technique.

Roodlegum · 05/10/2025 13:27

We were all set to get the whole banister replaced but the company pulled out because of structural concerns! The house is 150 years old and it's rock solid but they just didn't think they could guarantee their work.

this would concern the hell out of me. They have no reason to lie.

will you be seeing what another builder says?

Stairgate solution

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