The moment your little one starts commando-crawling across the floor, it’s time to start your search for baby gates. An essential baby-proofing product, safety gates help keep your baby from getting into places they shouldn’t. (And they’re much more effective at doing that than the old I’m-going-to-count-to-three method.) Because once they figure out how to move around, kids want to explore the whole house. If you’re trying to figure out what gate is right for your family, we’re here to help make sense of the world of safety gates.
Pressure-Mounted vs. Hardware-Mounted Baby Gates
Hardware-Mounted Gates attach directly to the wall or doorway with screws or additional hardware. Always use a hardware mounted gate at the top of stairs – these gates are the safest and most secure.
Pressure-Mounted Gates are installed using pressure applied against the walls rather than screwing into the wall. While these gates are great for doorways or entryways where you may need to move the gate frequently, they should not be used at the top of the stairs, as they can fall over if not properly installed. The pressure used to keep the gate installed can decrease over time and needs to be regularly tightened to keep the gate secure. To make it easy for parents to know when it's time to tighten the gate, Safety 1st gates feature SecureTech - a red/green visual indicator system that lets you know when the gate has lost pressure and needs to be tightened and when it is properly locked.
Size Matters
Before you buy a child safety gate, measure the spaces you intend to use it in. Different gates have different size ranges, so measuring will ensure the most secure fit. Most traditional baby gates are designed to fit within a standard doorway so if you are looking to block off a wider space, look for extra wide gates.
New Guidelines for Baby Gates
JPMA, the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association, established a new guideline for child safety gates that will go into effect on July 6, 2021. All gates must be made to withstand 30 lbs. of force before dislodging, up from the current minimum of 10 lbs. . This applies to both pressure mounted and hardware mounted gates.
This change also requires pressure mounted gates to have additional hardware for installation. We’re redesigning our pressure mounted gates to include hardware mounted wall cups to increase the security of our gates.
Life as a parent is hectic. From the moment you leave the hospital, it’s one complex decision after the other. At Safety 1st, we make parenting less complicated, so you can enjoy the (sometimes bumpy) ride. Shop all our child safety gates today!