Can I Put Pressure-Mounted Gates at the Top of a Stairway?

Features

• To install a pressure-mounted gate, you place it in a doorway and use a pressure bar or a similar locking tool to wedge the gate into the door jamb or other entryway. Pressure holds the gate in place. The gate may have sliding panels that you can adjust for a proper fit. Pressure-mounted gates are available in a variety of materials and styles, including wood, steel, plastic and aluminum tubing. Some have a childproof swinging or sliding mechanism that allows you to move part of the gate and walk through.

Disadvantages

• Although pressure-mounted safety gates work well at the bottom of stairways and between rooms, they are not intended for use at the top of stairways. Pressure-mounted gates are not as secure as hardware-mounted gates. This means that a toddler could manage to push a pressure-mounted gate over, risking a fall.

Advantages

• For uses that don't involve the top of a stairway, a pressure-mounted safety gate has obvious advantages over a hardware-mounted gate. You don't need any tools to install this type of gate. It's easy to set up, remove and move from one location to another. In addition, you don't screw it into the entryway, so once you take the gate down, it leaves no sign that it was ever there. Rubber bumpers protect the door jamb or walls from damage.

Solution

• Hardware-mounted gates are the sturdy and secure solution for keeping your little ones safe at the top of the stairway. These gates screw into the door jamb or walls. Not all these gates are as secure as others, so check the product's labeling to determine whether the manufacturer lists top-of-stairway use as a function of this particular item. If you choose a gate that has a swing-out door, the safest installation method allows the gate to swing away from the stairs rather than over them.