Babyproofing the basement

The day I have been dreading looks like it has finally come - my 8
month old is starting to get a little mobile. We have two other boys,
8 and 6, and I have no idea how we are going to baby proof this house.

My main concern is the basement door. The door is right in the middle
of the house and very accessible from the living room or kitchen. I
have been working on the older boys to remember to close it whenever
they go through, and they are learning, but their friends aren't. I
need to find a more effective solution.

I've thought of putting spring-loaded hinges on the door, but will
that actually close the door all the way, or just swing the door
mostly closed but not completely latched? If this works, then I'm OK
while he's still crawling, but then when he's walking I will need
another solution. The door has a swing door handle, not a regular
knob, so a knob cover won't work. I can't do anything that locks the
door because I don't want the other kids getting locked in the
basement. Has anyone tried putting a gate immediately inside a door?
I'm not sure I can do that without having a gap that he could slip
under. Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

Thanks!

~ Sher

sher wrote in message
om...
The day I have been dreading looks like it has finally come - my 8
month old is starting to get a little mobile. We have two other boys,
8 and 6, and I have no idea how we are going to baby proof this house.

My main concern is the basement door. The door is right in the middle
of the house and very accessible from the living room or kitchen. I
have been working on the older boys to remember to close it whenever
they go through, and they are learning, but their friends aren't. I
need to find a more effective solution.

I've thought of putting spring-loaded hinges on the door, but will
that actually close the door all the way, or just swing the door
mostly closed but not completely latched? If this works, then I'm OK
while he's still crawling, but then when he's walking I will need
another solution. The door has a swing door handle, not a regular
knob, so a knob cover won't work. I can't do anything that locks the
door because I don't want the other kids getting locked in the
basement. Has anyone tried putting a gate immediately inside a door?
I'm not sure I can do that without having a gap that he could slip
under. Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

I'd have thought spring loaded hinges were a hazard for your older ones and
later the baby. I'd go the way of the stairgate. We've got one just by the
kitchen door.
Debbie

sher wrote:


The door has a swing door handle, not a regular
knob, so a knob cover won't work.

There are locks designed to work with these
handles. They have one at http://www.onestepahead.com.
The product number is #10428.

Has anyone tried putting a gate immediately inside a door?

Yep, works like a charm. I would think you
could get it low enough that there wasn't a gap,
but I suppose that would depend on the exact
geometry of the situation.

Best wishes,
Ericka

sher wrote:

The door has a swing door handle, not a regular
knob, so a knob cover won't work. I can't do anything that locks the
door because I don't want the other kids getting locked in the
basement. Has anyone tried putting a gate immediately inside a door?
I'm not sure I can do that without having a gap that he could slip
under. Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

We have a swing door to the kitchen. We put the gate in the doorway,
and the door can still swing shut (whacking into the gate). The gap
under the gate is only an inch or two -- not a problem.

If the gate doesn't work on your door, you could get one of those
expensive fences from One Step Ahead or the like, and put it in a
semi-circle around the door.

--
Sara, accompanied by the baby barnacle

I got a swing gate from walmart for about $20 behind my basement door and it
works nicely. Its made by evenflo.

Jennifer
Ariana 8/17/03
"sher" wrote in message
om...
The day I have been dreading looks like it has finally come - my 8
month old is starting to get a little mobile. We have two other boys,
8 and 6, and I have no idea how we are going to baby proof this house.

My main concern is the basement door. The door is right in the middle
of the house and very accessible from the living room or kitchen. I
have been working on the older boys to remember to close it whenever
they go through, and they are learning, but their friends aren't. I
need to find a more effective solution.

I've thought of putting spring-loaded hinges on the door, but will
that actually close the door all the way, or just swing the door
mostly closed but not completely latched? If this works, then I'm OK
while he's still crawling, but then when he's walking I will need
another solution. The door has a swing door handle, not a regular
knob, so a knob cover won't work. I can't do anything that locks the
door because I don't want the other kids getting locked in the
basement. Has anyone tried putting a gate immediately inside a door?
I'm not sure I can do that without having a gap that he could slip
under. Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

Thanks!

~ Sher

"sher" wrote in message
om...
?
I'm not sure I can do that without having a gap that he could slip
under.

A gate if properly installed shouldn't be more than a couple inches off the
ground, not enough space for baby to slip under.

If you put a gate, it has to be hard mounted in (not a pressure gate). But
still, then you would have to make sure that everyone latches the gate.

"sher" wrote in message
om...

Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

What about a step-through gate?
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
EDD #2 10/24/04
remove "no........spam" to reply

"sher" wrote in message
om...

Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

What about a step-through gate?
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
EDD #2 10/24/04
remove "no........spam" to reply

"JennP" wrote in message
news:9Ztzc.107344$Ly.23981@attbi_s01...

"sher" wrote in message
om...

Any other ideas for baby-proofing a basement door besides the
obvious "constant vigilance"?

What about a step-through gate?
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
EDD #2 10/24/04
remove "no........spam" to reply

Maybe she's talking about a barrier that has a gate in it with a
toddler-proof latch that opens and shuts. You can get them with automatic
closing.

Here's one:
http://www.totsafe.com.au/product.aspx?id=27

Liz

Tracey wrote:

If you put a gate, it has to be hard mounted in (not a pressure gate). But
still, then you would have to make sure that everyone latches the gate.

Nah, ours is a pressure gate -- the cheap-o kind from a hardware store
-- and it works just fine behind a door. We're tall enough to step
over it, though, which probably isn't the case in the OP's situation.

--
Sara, accompanied by the baby barnacle