These Rugrats Aren't Going Nowhere Now

photo credit: Lynn Kelley Author via photopin cc

Well I knocked one thing off of my Wish List recently! I finally got one of my dream baby gates (a secure baby gate) and installed it today.

As I explained before about my reasons for wanting this baby gate my girls are 2-1/2 years old and they are not ready to go upstairs by themselves, etc.

My doorways are uneven, so wooden baby gates and plastic baby gates are not sturdy enough. The girls take them right down.

My main concern has been keeping them from getting upstairs and I would also like to keep them out of the kitchen for a little while longer.

My Baby Gate of Choice is...

I wanted the safest baby gate that mounts to the wall but also one that was within my budget, so I bought the Summer Infant Secure-Entry Metal Gate. This gate screws into the wall securely and it's tall! He, he, the little Rugrats won't be getting past this gate! I was so excited to install this thing.

I had a couple of issues but am very happy with my purchase thus far. I'll give a run down of the installation process. First of all, after putting together many things in my life and following directions I have learned to really absorb the instructions before beginning. Because no matter how hard you try sometimes you have to redo something. And, man, do I hate that... Even after reading the instructions very carefully and studying them, along with studying the pictures, I had to redo a couple of things in the past.

It comes with a temporary foot support that you use while installing that way you can be sure that the gate is even with the wall. Because of the wood trim at the bottom of the wall I had to bring the gate up just a little higher. I attached the bottom portion to the wood trim, but higher up on the trim. Then I wasn't able to use the permanent foot stopper that stays on the gate to support it in case anyone tries climbing on it, because I needed to use the second panel; it comes with two.

You can still use the foot stopper with the second panel as long as it extends long enough. My doorway was wide enough where I needed the second panel, but where it didn't extend out to add the foot stopper and that's okay. It's on there good. When installing this kind of gate you have to make sure that you secure it to a stud in the wall.

The instructions say that they are for mounting the gate to wood and that if you need to mount it to another surface that you should use the wall anchors provided. This is really a no-brainer. I've had experience in the past with trying to hang heavy things on the wall in an area that had, lets just say, some sheet rock. And whatever it is that you're trying to hang on the wall will eventually come out and you're left with a hole in the wall to patch and repair.

So the best way to avoid this is to use anchors or to look for a stud. Luckily my doorway seems to be solid steel underneath the sheet rock - I "think." I have a stud finder but it had no battery, so I just knocked on the wall to make sure there were no hollow areas. The entire thing was solid. My last issue was with the latch, which was the final step of installation.

When All is Said and Done

The screws that come with the gate are really not long enough for the latch. I used them for now, but I can definitely see them eventually coming out and becoming a problem, so I'm going to buy longer screws and fix it another time. The gate is high and there's no way to just open the gate. I thought there would be a way to do that.

I'm 5'3 and I just barely make it over carefully. The last thing you want to do is put weight on it by trying to get over the thing. There is a way of unscrewing the spindles on the top and bottom to let the gate swing open to get through.

See, this is not a problem to me because I'm just happy to know that my girls are safe and can no longer take the gate down. I'll unscrew the spindles or climb over it - no problem for me. I feel like a weight has been lifted from me, ha. I got so much done today now that I don't have to keep fixing the gate!! I LOVE this thing and want one more for the kitchen, then I'll be even happier! :D

If you have no clue what a "stud" is then click here to learn what a stud is and how to locate one in your wall!