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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think trellis is a safe option?

14 replies

Doubtfuldaphne · 19/06/2013 22:43

Moving in to a house soon with dodgy 60's open staircase. I have a 2.5 yr old dd who loves to climb. The top balustrade has horizontal beams of wood with large gaps from the floor and between each. Then the stairs are quite open from banister to stairs.
What can I do to seal this all up? Would trellis be safe/strong enough?
Before anyone questions why we took the house with this problem.. Well the house is incredible apart from this and after a year or so she will be old enough to be careful around he stairs. I hope!

OP posts:
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 20/06/2013 07:15

How wide are the gaps? In inches?

Original poster
Doubtfuldaphne · 20/06/2013 07:18

About 8 inches. Thanks for replying! I know its a boring thread but I am stressing about this!

OP posts:
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 20/06/2013 07:25

Yes....it should be fine....you could use electricians cable ties to attach it on a temp basis or screw it in for added safety.

LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 20/06/2013 07:31

It was a common problem in the country I used to live in. (in recent buildings Confused Shock).
The answer was plexiglass sheets drilled in or tied, I don't think treilly will be strong enough if your DS decide to try it out and climb or rip it off.

Original poster
Doubtfuldaphne · 20/06/2013 07:31

Phew. Thank you. I can look forward to moving now

OP posts:
RustyBear · 20/06/2013 07:32

We moved into a house with a staircase like that when DS was 3.5 and DD 18 months and a great climber! We put boards up -we thought of trellis, but I was worried that DD would be able use it to climb up the balustrade at the top.

We used white mdf boards - they fitted very well under the lip of the banister rail and diddn't look too bad - in fact we pretty much forgot they were there and didn't take them down until some years later.

Lovelygoldboots · 20/06/2013 07:33

We had same problem, we made the stairs closed and put a stud wall up, and a door. It also kept the living room warmer. Try asking neighbors if they have the same house what they have done. Ours is a 70s house with trendy tile hang on the front.

partyondude · 20/06/2013 07:42

We've taken the same approach as rusty. Mdf boards along the landing, held in by cable ties. Dd would probably have been fine with trellis. DS would have used it as a climbing frame.

Nombrechanger · 20/06/2013 07:53

I like the plexiglass option. Make sure it's really thick! worried

Fayrazzled · 20/06/2013 07:59

A joiner could sort out vertical wooden balustrades for you that meet the building regs requirements- the allowable gap is small now and a little one certainly couldn't fall through. It wouldn't be a hugely expensive job but would give you piece of mind.

sugarandspite · 20/06/2013 08:05

Do be aware that if you take down whatever your falling-through preventative measure is, you may well find that you end up with gaps perfectly sized for a preschooler / schooler to get their heads stuck in.

Yes, you would think they wouldn't be idiotic enough to do that but apparently, they are

MrsPennyapple · 20/06/2013 08:13

I would go with mdf, you can paint it so it looks like it was there all along. I think trellis would just be an irresistible invitation to climb.

Original poster
Doubtfuldaphne · 20/06/2013 09:35

Mdf is good too. The plexi glass is expensive I think. I'll have to take a trip to b&q I think and have a look :)

OP posts:
Latara · 20/06/2013 09:43

I think Fayrazzled has the best idea; a carpenter will know what to do and shouldn't be too expensive.

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