There are many great standard-sized baby gates on the market for those who need to protect their babies from the dangers of staircases. However, many people need gates to fit into much larger gaps than your average sized staircase or doorway, and finding a good quality product to meet those needs can be a bit more of a challenge.
There are 2 main categories of baby gates for large openings:
- Extra wide staircases and doorways
- Room dividers
Extra wide baby gates for staircases and doorways
I have previously written a post on this subject and identified some very good products here.
Read about Retractable / Sliding Baby Gates instead.
Room Dividers
Depending upon the layout of your home, you may want to consider buying some form of room divider that allows you to create a safe area for your baby to play in while you deal with domestic chores or visit the bathroom (amongst other things). You probably won’t want your baby / toddler to roam free during your temporary absence since it is almost impossible to make every part of your home safe and child-proof.
There are some home layouts that clearly call for a room divider, including open plan kitchen-dining areas. In these circumstances, room divider gates are great – they allow you to prepare a hot meal while your baby / toddler is still in view, but at a safe distance away from sharp knives and hot cooking equipment.
So, what are the options?
(1) Summer Infant Sure & Secure Custom Fit Safety Gate
These gates are prefect for a variety of large and/or unusual shaped openings.
They are completely flexible for gaps measuring between 178 – 356 cm.
The Key Features are:
- Screw Fited gate with Two Way Opening and auto-close function
- Simple one-handed opening operation
- Fits straight openings or unusual doorways
- Ideal for separating a room or at the bottom of a stairway
- Fully adjustable to fit openings from 178cms to 366cms
In addition to dividing rooms, these gates can be used to create playpen-type areas in the corner of the room instead.
They are also quite nice to look at in my opinion and can be easily unclipped from the wall fixings when you want to take them down and put them away.
(2) BabyDan Premium Hearth Gate (UK)
The main gate is supplied with 3 (60cm each) interlocking sections that can be used to fit into a gap of up to 180 cm.
You have a choice of black or white.
You can buy additional sections individually to increase the size of the gate (if needed). These extra sections come in 20.5 cm and 60 cm sizes.
The joint between each section can be adjusted in 10 degree increments to suit your needs.
The Key Features are:
- Three 60cm interlocking sections (gate + 2 panels)
- One hand adult release handle
- Unique rounded corners for maximum protection
- Durable Black finish
- Constructed of strong tubular steel
- Easy “clip off” wall fittings allow easy removal and storage
- Can be folded completely when not in use.
I had one of these around my fireplace when my mischievous twin boys were very little and it was great – very sturdy and easy to operate.
(3) Kidco Autoclose Configure Gate (US)
These gates are very similar to the BabyDan Configure gate in design and size.
It comes with 3 sections (including 1 door), but you can add extra sections if required.
The Key Features are:
- For use in any extra wide or oddly-shaped area
- All joints rotate
- Magnet lock technology
- Heavy duty steel construction
- Fits a 6.5′ opening immediately
Additional sections can be bought separately to increase the size of the gate – they come in 9 inch and 24 inch lengths.
The gate is truly one-hand operation (unlike many that claim to be) and the magnetic lock / auto close mechanism works well.
The rotating joints create a gate that is very flexible.
Conclusions
If you are looking to buy baby gates for large openings in your home, I highly recommend one of the products listed above. I you have any questions or feedback about this subject, please leave a comment in the box below or send an email to kristian@kidsafetyfirst.com
Click here for more baby gate information and product reviews.
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