Baby Gates

Retractable Baby Gate

Whether looking for a baby gate for an extra wide doorway or a very small space, the retractable baby gate will solve your baby gate dilemma. This gate has many great uses and features. The retractable baby gate is commonly described as a roller. The gate does look like a window shade on its side. It is quite honestly the perfect baby gate.

The retractable baby gate is a problem solver for wide doorways. There are many different brands of retractable baby gates and their dimensions vary. Most extend from 42 to 72 inches wide and are 30 to 34 inches high, which will fit great in those unusual doorways. Obviously these gates are not to be used at the top of the stairs. The mesh material will not safely prevent a child from falling down the stairs. If the doorway is accompanied by stairs a heavy duty plastic swinging gate may be a better choice.

Another use for the retractable baby gate is for use in small spaces. Although the swinging open gates are popular and handy, they require a lot of space to swing them open. The pressure fitting or tension get is another popular gate but this gate must be stored away when not in use. The retractable baby gate requires no additional space to swing or store.

Arguably the best feature of this gate is the hiding factor. If there is no extra space to store a gate, the retractable gate is the gate to choose. The gate is made of high quality, sturdy, laminate polyester mesh so it simply rolls up and is out of the way. Again this is a great feature for small spaces. Also it is easy to hide the gate for guests or times when children are not present. Most baby gates can be opened and closed with one hand.

Installation of the gate is not the easiest. Most gates will require some tools and time to install. Although some gates claim they can be instantly reinstalled in another door way, it does not seem likely. Each gate has to be mounted on the wall and an additional bracket for the opposite side of the doorway for the gate to latch on. In addition to the hassle of installing, these gates are known to be quite noisy while retracting which can be a con for families with multiple children as this loud sound may wake a sleeping sibling. Consider these facts before choosing this baby gate.

Tagged: , , , , , ,

Leave a reply »

Wooden Baby Gate

The wooden baby gate is often described as the ideal baby gate for the top of the stairs. While this is true, there are yet more benefits for using the gate. It is a great alternative from the typical plastic gate. It provides a solid barrier from harm and is much more attractive than the plastic alternative.

Since the wooden gate is made of wood it seems it would be much more safe and durable than plastic. In addition to the solid wood, most wooden baby gate are re-enforced with steel. This is most likely the reason it is so often recommended for the top of the staircase. The wooden baby gate can be hardware mounted to the wall for even more stability. Safety is the whole reason for purchasing a baby gate, so why not get the safest gate out there.

It must be noted that this article is not in reference to the accordion wooden baby gate. The accordion gate is a wooden gate that has hinged strips of wood that are spread apart to span the width of the doorway. This gate was popular many years ago but companies stopped manufacturing these gates in the mid 80’s. This gate had major safety issues and was posed as a hazard rather than a safety device.

Most parents now days consider safety first when choosing a baby gate, but style is a close second. Not only does the wooden baby gate appear to be much more safe, it is much more eye appealing. Instead of having a white plastic gate sticking out like a sore thumb, the wooden baby gate can blend in with your home décor. Many wooden baby gates come in multiple finishes, making it easy to find a gate to fit your home. This makes it easy to make the baby gate with the trim, other furniture in the house or home décor.

Kidco G32 Wooden Angle-Mount™ Safeway® Safety Gate, SUMMER® SURE & SECURE™ DELUXE WOOD WALK-THRU GATE, Evenflo Position and Lock Wood Safety Gate and Evenflo Top of Stair Gate are a few of the more popular brands. These gates can be found in specialty baby stores, department stores or online. Most wooden baby gates range in price from $40 to $80. This is a small price to pay for a solid gate that will provide comfort to parents in knowing their child is safe. Before purchasing a baby gate, wooden or not, consider these facts.

Tagged: , , , ,

Leave a reply »