About Baby Gates
Babies are notorious for getting into things that they are not supposed to. Because of their inquiring minds, it may be necessary to block them from potential dangers. While you can baby proof one room, it can be difficult to baby proof your entire house. A baby gate will provide a barrier, keeping your child away from hazards in other rooms. Several types of baby gates exist, allowing you to find one for your needs.
Pressure mounted baby gates are very easy to install, as they rely on pressure and most of the time require no tools. No serious damage will be done to the installation site, and the gate simply screws out until the pads come in snug contact with the wall. Because of this, they are easy to move to a different location and set up quickly. Some pressure mounted baby gates consist of one unit in which adults can step over, but there are several types that offer an inner swinging gate that makes it easier to pass through the area. Be aware, however, that these types of gates sometimes slip if a large child or dog puts enough pressure on them.
Hardware mounted baby gates are much more baby proof in that they are secured to the wall. A bracket is attached to the wall, which can sometimes make installation difficult as a door frame or newel post is required, but they are much safer than pressure mounted baby gates. These gates usually swing open as an entire unit from mounted hinges.
Retractable baby gates can either be mounted via pressure frames or hardware and offer the unique feature of retracting when not in use. The gate is made out of a polyester mesh screen that can be pulled across the opening desired to be blocked off and secured to the brackets on the other wall. When not in use, the gate is stored in a small roll near the wall. These gates are great options for areas where you don’t know the exact width of the opening, as they can extend to almost any width. Because these gates are made out of fabric, they can be susceptible to young children pushing on them and falling through. This type of gate would not be ideal at the top of stairs or where any fall hazards may be present.