S.M. 2008-08-21
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
This gate works very well. My 5 year old can open and close it easily, but my 2 year old cannot. It can be opened/closed easily with one hand while holding a baby with the other. We mounted 2 of them, one at the top and one at the bottom of the stairs. We've used this gate for 2 years without any problems.
When installing, don't use the screws that came with the gate. Use 1-1/2" galvanized screws instead. Pre-drill slightly narrower holes about 1" into the studs before screwing. If you run into a metal plate just underneath the drywall while drilling (common in newer homes at the corners of walls), stop drilling and take a sharp and somewhat thick nail and hammer it gently through the metal plate, just far enough to puncture a hole that the drill bit can fit through, then continue drilling. When tightening the screws, you can use a cordless screwdriver, but stop just before it is tight, then tighten by hand with a Philips screwdriver so as to not break the plastic. From start to finish, it took me 2 hours to install and that was with my 5 year old "helping" :-)
After installation, if the gate is difficult to open/close and doesn't seem to drop into place or lift easily, retighten the bottom hinge bolt: if it is misaligned it will catch on the plastic rod and stop sliding. Use crescent wrench or pliers to hold the bolt firmly (not too tightly or it will crush the threads), then use the wrench included with the gate to tighten the nut. Also, rub candle wax on the locking bolts and edge of the locking trays, so that the bolts slide easily into the trays. A little WD40 on the hinge sliding mechanisms helps, too.
