Stair gate help please

[Help1402]

Hi looking for some advice on my stair gate , I have a new build so there dry walls.

First attempt it was attached with some sort of bolts/screws into just the drywall, this didn’t last and it came off leaving holes behind. Then my friend glued a wooden baton to the wall and drilled and attached it to this. I tripped and fell onto the gate which has now ripped it off the wall once again! I’m now left with these horrible holes and not sure wether to try an put the gate up again? I’m aware you can get pressure fit gates but not advised for top of stairs ? But would they be safer than trying to attach this gate to the wall again?! Also does anyone have tips on how to fill these holes do I just sand this down use filler & leave to dry , sand down again and paint ? I’m clueless and would like to make my wall look nice again 😭

What age is your child?
Do you still need a stairgate?

@dementedpixie

Hi yes he’s only 20 months so still need a gate

You could fix a piece of timber to the wall ( screws and plugs ) just the right size to cover the damage on the wall, 3x1 ? A nice planed piece and paint it the same colour as the wall . It will give you a good strong fixing for the gate then. When you don’t need the gate anymore just remove the timber , fill the holes and repaint .

Ah !! Is it studwork or plasterboard fixed to blockwork ?

Where is he when you're upstairs? Maybe it would work to have one on his bedroom door for example.

I don't think you can put a pressure one up because they have a bar across the bottom which is a tripping hazard.

People do use pressure gates despite the trip bar, although personally I hate them.

With DS1 we had a baton screwed into the wall and it held up well - we removed when he was nearly three and we redecorated. It just didn't go back up.

With DS2 we never bothered putting one up again.

You need to find the wood inside the wall, not just put it into the plasterboard.

Don't use pressure fit at the top of the stairs it's more dangerous than not having one.

Mine is attached to a plasterboard wall and I just used the raw plugs for plasterboard walls. It's been attached for 18 months and still going strong.

With the holes I'd use some filler, sand it down and paint.

I have a new build and pretty much every wall is plasterboard. It's a nightmare putting anything up. Even with the correct plugs.

I just used tension stair gates. We were in an older rented house then. It was fine at the bottom on the stairs. On the landing, the bathroom was kind of down a step from the rest of the landing, so we put the stairgate between the bannister and the wall on the step down to the bathroom, rather than the main staircase.

Rather than putting the gate at the very top of the stairs, could you put it across DC bedroom door? Or could you put it in the middle of the landing, between the bannister and the wall, depending on where DC room is and how wide the landing is (guessing not very if new build!)

You need to put the gate away from the stairs, they are not recommended for the top of the stairs.....can you put one on his bedroom door?

Put a gate on his bedroom door. You can use pressure fit gates in doorways.

Thanks everyone it was attached with plasterboard raw plugs to a piece of wood and stuck to the wall but has fallen because I tripped & fell onto it !

The idea to just use a pressure fit one on his bedroom door is good- but what about potty training won’t he need to get in an out of his room to use the toilet in the night at some point or do you just leave the potty in there bedroom?

@GingerBiscuit21
Was your second good with the stairs ?

@Chumleymouse
Thank you I did use a baton but It came off the wall unfortunately I guess I could re attach it im just worried I will ruin the wall even more when it eventually gets taken off. I think they are stud walls.

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants
Do you mean the studs ? As there isn’t one where I need to place the gate.

@Towelrailfail

It is a nightmare isn’t it !

That’s a good idea thank you ! , i haven’t potty trained yet so was wondering if I need to leave access to the bathroom but I’m guessing that’s along way off to when they’ll use the toilet alone at night ? But the gates are moveable anyway aren’t they.

You could leave a potty in his room yes. Or he might be older and able to navigate the stairs.

But at first when they're potty training you go with them to the toilet anyway because they can't usually manage everything alone. It's more like 4-5 years old they can totally manage the toilet alone.

We put a pressure fit gate across the landing, so our dc could get to our room and the bathroom, but not near the stairs. It was an edwardian house, so the stairs were at the one end of the landing, and every other room in the other direction