Stair gates: choosing and fitting them safely
Written by Scott Jones, The Stair Guys, independent staircase measuring and sourcing specialists·Last updated
A stair gate is the most effective single thing you can do for stair safety while a child is small, and covered on the wider point in stairs and safety. But the type of gate and where it goes matter, and there is one distinction that is genuinely a safety issue rather than a preference.
Screw-fit at the top, pressure-fit only at the bottom
There are two ways gates fix. A pressure-fit gate wedges between the walls with tension and no screws, which is quick and leaves no marks. A screw-fit gate bolts to the wall or the newel. The rule that matters: at the top of the stairs, always use a screw-fit gate. A pressure-fit gate relies on friction and usually has a lower bar you step over, and if it is knocked or leaned on it can shift or come away, which at the top of a flight is exactly where you do not want it to fail. Pressure-fit gates are fine at the bottom of the stairs and across doorways, where the consequence of it moving is not a fall down a flight.
Fixing to spindles or a newel without drilling
The common problem is that one side of the top of the stairs is not a flat wall, it is the balustrade: spindles and a newel post. You do not want to drill screws straight into the joinery, and if you are renting you may not be allowed to. The answer is a banister gate fitting kit: a set of clamps or cups that grip around the spindles and the newel and give the gate something solid to bolt to, without a single screw going into the timber. It spreads the load, protects the balustrade, and comes off cleanly later. It is the right way to put a screw-fit gate on a staircase that has spindles rather than a wall.
Getting the fit right
Whatever you fit, the gate has to be the right width for the opening (with extensions if needed), latch positively every time, and leave no gap at the side a child could squeeze through, the same thinking as the 100mm rule on the guarding page. And a gate only works if it is actually shut, so a self-closing one takes the human error out.
Frequently asked
Should a stair gate be screw-fit or pressure-fit?+
At the top of the stairs, always screw-fit. A pressure-fit gate holds by tension and can be dislodged if knocked or leaned on, which is a fall risk at the top of a flight. Pressure-fit gates are fine at the bottom of the stairs and in doorways, where the gate shifting does not put a child at the top of a staircase.
How do you fit a stair gate to spindles or a banister without drilling?+
Use a banister gate fitting kit. It is a set of clamps that grip around the spindles and the newel post and give the gate a solid fixing point, so no screws go into the joinery. It protects the balustrade, spreads the load, suits rented homes, and comes off cleanly. It is the correct way to mount a screw-fit gate where one side is a balustrade rather than a wall.
When do you need a stair gate?+
Through the toddler years, roughly from when a baby starts crawling or pulling up until around two years old, when children can begin to climb over or no longer need it. A gate at the top and bottom of the stairs during that period is the single most effective step for stair safety with a small child.
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