Boring I know, but talk to me about stair gates...

[DisplacementActivity]

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We went through a variety of designs. The ones you screw to the wall are definitely the best. But then you have screw holes in your wall later when you no longer need the stairgate....

DA, I went for the cheapo Lindam one from Argos that screws in.
I think the easy fit ones are probably fine, but we have a very steep staircase and I would rather wreck my walls with screws than risk ds pushing the blardy thig out it's socket.
It is a pain in the arse to open, but again, this makes it toddler proof.
hth

we have both sorts and they're both ok.
walls seem fine, not at all mashed. the pressure ones come with little cups you can fix on if you want. have never tripped over the bottom bar, it's not that high lol

the screw on ones ARE more secure. you can get them most places. got mine from argos.

We have had ones with the step - i hate them

ones with screws in the wall, fab, but a pain once you dont need them

now on a pressure fit gate that me and DH can step over, and we lift DD's over them if needs be.

Works best for us as no bars for DS to pull himself up on (8mnths)

yes, agree with Nicky, the screw on one I have is an arse to open and close too.

I have a nice pressure mounted one that is much easier to open and close, but dp has lost fome of the bits of it grrr

this is our one

My friend has the ones like a roller blind. They're fab.

I wouldn't put a pressure-mounted one at top of stairs, you hear stories about babies pushing them and falling down the stairs. Too scarey, the firmer the fixing the better.

We have screw to the wall ones from mothercare I think, they have adjustable width. They work a treat.Theyw ere only cheap I think.

You push a tab in then lift the gate, quite easy once you get the nack.

We have a special one that fits on an angle for the attic stairs.Got that from babysecurity website, also got a rollerblind one for the pantry as it has no door. It's great but not so easy to open and close.

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Was told these are not suitable for top of the stairs as you can trip on the bar or if pushed really had eg toddler falls into it it could come down the stair! Ended up getting them though and just put on the bedroom doors up stair

don't put the 'daft little bar just above floor height' at the top of stairs, displacement, v. dangerous. You can mount them just below the top step I think so no one falls over them.

Have screw fit one, not bothered taking it down yet cos it's useful when other people's babies come round. I couldn't care less about screw holes in the wall, tbh - they're not difficult to fill.

are you in Sure Start area by any chance? we got our stairgate free from firestation after a safety talk offered to all new parents. This was a couple of years ago, don't know if the scheme is still running.

yes the adjustable ones fit our victorian doorways- some of which are very narrow, some of which are wide.

We have gates for our back door and the french windows in the playroom, so we can have the doors open (except when my mother comes round as she is forever closing them and tutting).

I suggest you get some door clips as well, as my two love playing at squashing each other betwen the door and the gate if the doors are not fixed open.

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Fablo - Do you know where you can get the roller blind ones from??

I am looking for one that will fit my stairs which have round posts either side, so no flat surface to put pressure fit bit on, or even to screw the fittings into!! Am hoping that roller blind ones might be a good option...

just remembered you, Displacement, now you've said you are not in the UK - weren't you the one who was going to try my perfume?

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2point4- the link I posted below- they sell the roller blind ones, but you still need to fix a chunk of plastic to the newel posts. have a look at the angled gate one, that might do the trick.

We didn't bother with stairgates for our last two, but we did for our precious first few.

The cheap ones with the bar across the bottom and pressure fixings were not good. The bar was a liability and the pressure fixing wrecked your walls. I've even seen them go through plasterboard in people's houses. The level clasp was annoying to use that you'd tend to just leave it open.

The kind that we could live with was a wooden gate that you fixed with screws and rawplugs into the wall, and the same with the clasp on the opposite wall (or newelpost).

I don't think a spring loaded one is good for the top of the stairs, but I have used one at the bottom for when we had visiting children who didn't understand the word no.

We didn't bother with stairgates for our last two, but we did for our precious first few.

The cheap ones with the bar across the bottom and pressure fixings were not good. The bar was a liability and the pressure fixing wrecked your walls. I've even seen them go through plasterboard in people's houses. The level clasp was annoying to use that you'd tend to just leave it open.

The kind that we could live with was a wooden gate that you fixed with screws and rawplugs into the wall, and the same with the clasp on the opposite wall (or newelpost).

I don't think a spring loaded one is good for the top of the stairs, but I have used one at the bottom for when we had visiting children who didn't understand the word no.

no, no, displacement, don't worry, it's not that good really.....

and remember, you promised not to wear it to the UK!

In our old victorian house we had custom-made wooden ones with bolts and hinges. Custom-made by my Dad that is! They were very good and we kept the one at the top of the stairs on for the whole of the time we lived there - very,very steep stairs and at least you knew nobody inc yours truly would fall down them in the middle of the night! In our new house which is much newer and with lovely, lovely shallow stairs I've gone for the screw into the wall ones from Mothercare and they seem perfectly up to the task. Dh was quite interested in the easifix ones - until i pointed out to him how many times I've fallen over the things at friends etc.

yes I know, fabio,but there is nowhere for a gate to open to in our pantry, IYSWIM, but after DS attempted a few 'experiments' with the microwave we decided it was cheaper than a new kithchen. They are also good for especially wide spaces.

Fabulous, thank you for links.
I will need to save up I think - we have 2 flights of stairs eeek