Does anyone know of a great gate? Or maybe I don't need a "great" one; a cheap one will do? I have only one kid, and a small apartment, so it's not like he will be unsupervised long enough to dismantle it. Also, we rent, so if anyone has used a pressure mounted extra long gate they recommend, that would be great.
Also... instead of paying $200 + to gate off a fireplace we never use, would it make sense to just put a much needed sturdy bookcase in front instead? (hearth is not raised) I am pretty sure no one in the small apartment complex uses their fireplace, but if someone suddenly did, would it be a fire hazard if there were a book case blocking off OUR unused fireplace?
Thanks!!!
I used a retract-a-gate, (they sell onli). or a large wooden playyard,( using only a few panels with gate included) to block unusually wide areas.
They make DOG gates that wide (and they're taller and sturdier and less expensive that toddler gates).
A 2nd option would be an 'enclosure'. They're hexagonal or octogonal shapes of connected gates that are used to create a play area. Again, these are found for both dogs and kids, and the dog ones tend to be better and less expensive.
The only way a bookcase would be a fire hazard (assuming you don't use yours) is if the whole durn chimney caught fire. At which point, you have far more serious issues... because a chimney catching fire is almost a guarantee that the rooms by the chimney will also catch fire. (Which is why one has a chimney sweep out periodically, to clear the ashy oily soot... so it can't catch fire).
Try onestepahead.com
I don't think a pressure mounted gate would work on that large a scale, but it's easy to patch later.
A book case might be more of a "crush" hazzard than a fire hazard. Unless it is a bookcase designed to be a room divider (they have special mounts you use to prevent tipovers etc.) then I'd say abandon the idea.
If your local hardware store is devoid of options, I've had great luck with One Step Ahead for hard to find, hard to size baby gates. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/thumbnail.jsp?siteId=...
Yes, gates are pricey, but well worth it in my opinion. You'll be loving them when you find you don't have to chase your child down day and night because they're contained in a safe area.
My kids are now past baby gate stage, but we STILL use them for our 80lb dog to keep him off our white carpeting and they're great when friends bring their babies over. Definitely a great investment.
we used plastic lattice (like you would use on a porch) & built a wooden frame to create a gate for both our hallway & to block off our fireplace.
The hallway gate is wonderful. It keeps the dogs out of the living room when my daycare is running. It also keeps the kids from hanging around the front door....a huge safety bonus! We made it so it latches "closed" in the center, thus able to lay flat against the wall when open. Love it!
The fireplace "fence" works wonders, too. It completely surrounds the hearth. We can load wood without removing it, & it keeps little hands from being burned.
Both are made with 1x4 pine boards, made like a picture frame. The lattice is inserted into the opening. Simple hinges for the fence, with a footed bottom on each corner. The gate has decorative hinges, since you see the mountings on the walls.
Hope this helps....
http://www.amazon.com/North-States-Superyard-Classic-Pack...
I used 2 panels of this gate when trying to block off the dining room and kitchen which was about 5 feet wide. The gate can be used hooked together or you can use it two or three pieces wide. (You get 6 panels and can by a 2 panel extension kit, if needed.) I used screw eyes screwed into the wall, one at the top of the wall and one at the bottom of the wall on each wall and then tied twine to the hooks and the gate to keep it in place. They screws don't leave bad holes in the wall and you can patch them with the drywall putty patch in a tube if you move. I was also in an apartment at the time. I will say that if your son is older, he might try to climb it. My son did that, but I could usually catch him before he got over. The gate just made it where he couldn't walk in there easily. He had to work to try to get there and 99% of the time it wasn't worth it to him. The other 6 panels I used to block off the living room. I had my two couches in an L shape and hooked the ends of the gate to the ends of the couches, which created a huge gated off area in the living room. Once he outgrew that, I took the panels and made a box around the TV entertainment center. The gate is really versatile.
I also had a fireplace in my apartment and I got a piece of insulation board, cut it to size, and stuck it in the opening. I then placed an end table in front of it. This was great a few reasons. It kept the cold air out in the winter, stopped the A/C from sending cold air out during the summer, and kept my son away from the fireplace. I really doubt blocking off your fireplace will do anything. I'm sure building codes would say a fireplace in an apartment must be for one unit only. The fireplace was also on the outside of the gated off area in my living room, so it worked out really well.
We made a wide gate at my child care center with some plywood and a couple of heavy duty hinges. I think putting a bookcase in front of the fireplace would be counter productive. What is the power was out or the gas wasn't working. Some times we just need to have the fireplace going. Of course I would have it checked out by maintenance before starting a fire. It could have 20 years of birds nests in it.
There are companies who do custom work on gates. Try googling that. They will come out and measure, look at your space, and show you what they have that works well and easily for what you need.
Dawn
The product Amanda H "linked" is very good. My friend uses it to wall off a computer area, so she uses two stretches of six feet.
I'm curious as to why you want to block off the fireplace. Do you feel an unused fireplace poses a danger? Other than your child possibly wanting to climb into the fireplace (and mine would try), I don't think there is any danger. You could solve that problem with some plywood or cardboard. My husband was more concerned with the hitting their head on the edge of the brick ledge that is one step off the floor (I have no idea what to call it). He bought a wood plank that is the same size and then stapled a strip of carpet onto it. It now sits directly on top, and the kids climb on it and jump off it and have never gotten hurt.
I have never seen a pressure gate for openings wider than four ft. The one we had between our kitchen and family room hooked on both sides with two eye hooks on each side. Easy as pie to spackle over when we didn't need it anymore. That gate was for dogs, not children mind you but the hooks went into studs so I don't think a climbing child could pull it out.
Never covered our fireplace and never had an injury for it. You may want to consider doing nothing until you know it will actually be an issue.
