How can I block this gap?

[Helgathehairy]

Posted this in chat the other day but no replies. Probably should have come straight here!

Anyway after a lot of work our patio is done and is lovely and great and enclosed for DD EXCEPT for a big problem. There's a big drop from the wall and gate at the back of this picture. I need a way to block DD (but let the dog through) from the steps in the foreground.

The gap is 55inches and I can't find a baby hate that long.

Any suggestions?

Could you get a dog gate, or get a handyman to make you a little gate to the right size?

Forgot the pic

My friend has dogs and a local farrier made her a gate that was bespoke for the gap she had. It wasn't too expensive, and looked great.

The problem with getting a gate made is all our fencing is black ironwork (you can see a bit in the picture) so the gate would have to be that or would look really out of place and that would cost €1000. So that's out.

We've already sort almost €10,000 on the amount of fencing we've had done so looking for something a bit cheaper and temperory.

Ouch! My friend's gate is black wrought iron and wasn't nearly as much :(

Actually I think it's powder coated steel.

Could you get two baby gates and bolt them together?

I don't know how to get it to match the £10,000 railings and also be cheap.

You can get fairly inexpensive steel gates, they are usually painted black. You might find some ready-made in the right size, or it might cost a few hundred from a gate co. They will go rusty in time, but you don't want them to last for ever.

e.g. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WROUGHT-IRON-STEEL-GATES-HEAVY-DUTY-DRIVEWAY-GATE-MADE-TO-MEASURE-OXFORD-/120723673401?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c1bb11139

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WROUGHT-IRON-METAL-GATE-GARDEN-GATES-FREE-FITTINGS-/150369713160?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2302bbbc08

I would be wanting a proper hinge, which is probably not allowed for in your railings, but you could perhaps have a ring near the top which would hang over your railings, or some hooks top and bottom. Unless it is padlocked, a determined child will open it.

Bolting it to the flagstones would only be temporary, as the flags will move from the swinging of the gate.

How about a safety gate
Although I suppose they are meant for indoors really.
Or adapt an animal pen - like one

That second one was meant to link to the octagonal run, but you can make it any shape, or split it to make a gate.

piglet john I don't mind something temperory being cheap - it's a permanent gate we'd want to match the rest.

An adapted dog pen is an idea.