A Stair Gate Is Two Installs in One: Pressure-Fit at the Bottom, Hardware at the Top. Decide Who Mounts Each

When the stairs sit between her and the front door, a gate at the top of them is one of the few pieces of equipment in the house that can change the outcome of a fall. Treat it as two separate installs, one at the bottom and one at the top, and decide who does each before anyone opens a box.

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The top and the bottom are different jobs

A gate at the bottom of the stairs can often be pressure-mounted, held in place by tension between two walls. A gate at the top needs to be fastened to the wall or to a solid post with hardware. Read the label on any gate you are considering. If the manufacturer says pressure-mounted gates are for the bottom only, follow the label. Look for the statement that says whether the gate is suitable for the top of stairs at all, and do not assume a gate sold as a stair gate is meant for both places.

Check the swing and the wall before you drill

Stand at the top step and picture the gate open. It should swing onto the landing, away from the drop, and never over the stairs. Measure the width of the opening and the height of the gate at the spot you plan to fix it. Then find out what is behind that spot. Screws in drywall alone can pull loose under a hard push, so look for a stud or a fixed post and mark it before anyone drills.

Decide who mounts each gate

The bottom gate is often a short job for one person with a level and a drill. The top gate deserves more thought. Ask the person who will do it three questions: have they fixed hardware into a stud before, do they have the right drill bit and fasteners, and will they test the gate with their full weight before anyone else uses it? If the answer to any of those is no, hire the install. If you rent, check with the landlord before drilling, since the landlord may need to approve it or do the work. Write down who installed each gate and who is responsible for rechecking it.

Test it the way it will be met at night

Push, pull, and lean on the gate from the landing side and from the stair side. Then open it with one hand, quickly, the way a family member would coming up in the dark with a flashlight in the other hand. The latch should be easy for an adult to work in a hurry and should not be easy to miss. A gate that holds her back but also slows you down at the wrong moment has not solved the problem. Recheck the mounting screws after the first week, since fixings can settle.

What a gate does not cover

A gate lowers the risk on the stairs. It does not lock a door, and it does not stop her from crossing a yard or a driveway. Keep the staircase well lit with working bulbs, and keep the top steps clear of loose rugs and objects. If you are not sure which other parts of the route to the door need attention, work through the order on Start Here: Dusk to Morning, in Order.