Baby gate catch/latch

[Britman]

My niece has asked my to make a baby gate, the gate will separate the kitchen from the dining room. She doesn't like the off the shelf things and really doesn't like the idea of having the bar across the bottom that you get with off the shelf gates.
I have a design formulating in my head but I need a bit of advice on the type of catch I should use, would a simple barrel bolt be sufficient or can I get specific catch for these type of gate?

Cheers.

 

[Bingy man]

The one thing I can say is as toddlers get older they will soon sus out a simple bolt . I’ve no idea if the these handles/ locks anre available but most of the common stair gates need two simultaneous actions to open the gate . I know they don’t always look nice but the regular shop brands are cheap and they do work . Just my opinion as my now 15 yr old had no problem defeating stair gates , socket protectors or cupboard locks etc. good luck

 

[ChaiLatte]

Every off the shelf gate (most often seen as a stair gate) has two means of unlatching. You have to open the catch and also lift the gate off its secondary means of retention.

If the manufacturers feel it necessary to do this in order not to be sued, you would need a good reason not to follow their lead.

 

[Cabinetman]

Some childproof cabinet locks are magnet activated. So, it will need some experimentation but a steel bar embedded in a slot in the gate frame which could be pulled across into the wall frame might do it, the magnetic effect acting through the timber. Magnet on an elastic cord out of reach of clever little fingers.
Ian

 

[Tris]

We had a metal version of what you are doing. The top hinge was spring loaded so it pushed the latch firmly down into a cup arrangement on the wall. Above this cup was a swinging plate that locked the latch in place. Not sure if that makes sense as written?

This is almost identical, may provide some inspiration
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4070249

 

[Tris]

They also sell this, which is cheaper than the spares kit of just the hinges
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7159703

 

[jb94]

I was thinking it could have a 2 part mechanism with a lift and a spring-loaded pin?

Brass rod with a narrow section in the middle allows the latch to lift out when pressed in

Or if that’s too much work both a lift mechanism and a sliding locking bolt through the lift would probably be enough?

 

[jb94]

They also sell this, which is cheaper than the spares kit of just the hinges
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7159703

To be honest for £15 thats a lot better than faffing about making a mechanism, could just replace the gate in the middle (or keep the white metal if you’ve just got white gloss posts like my house

 

[ChaiLatte]

They also sell this, which is cheaper than the spares kit of just the hinges

That is a good find. The four horizontal silver items that go into the white gate itself are standard M10 (maybe M8) thread. So you could make any gate you like and use four threaded inserts to accommodate them. You would just need a reasonably deep 10mm clearance hole below the insert.

Argos are naming their products using the Ikea dictionary.

 

[Britman]

We had a metal version of what you are doing. The top hinge was spring loaded so it pushed the latch firmly down into a cup arrangement on the wall. Above this cup was a swinging plate that locked the latch in place. Not sure if that makes sense as written?

This is almost identical, may provide some inspiration
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4070249

You know what I am going to forward that.
It is pretty much what I had going around in my head.
And why built it when buying it is easy and cheap.

I would still need to add a post of some sort as one end is a Kitchen unit end panel.

 

[MarkAW]

I have 2 of this (metal) gate for the stairs. Specifically because I didn't want a bar across the bottom. Had to make a jam for each side to help them hold plasterboard/newel post.

You could easily replace the gate and use everything else.
They do require a bit of precision though, so any sag in the gate of more than around 2mm will mean problems closing. They are fairly adjustable.

Beware finger trap hazards, and splintery wood. There's also potential for them to be chewed, so a wood that doesn't cause reaction is advisable. Beech is often used for kids toys, and not too expensive.

 

[AJB Temple]

Baby gates work for about a week. Ours could climb out of his high sided cot before he could toddle properly. He watched his mother lift the gate latch at the top of the stairs, and lift the gate, and promptly replicated that and was successful after a few tries. He either opened it or climbed over it from then on, and I was forced to remove it as scaling a gate at the top of the stairs was more dangerous that no gate. The little devils see it as a game.

 

[Tris]

Funny isn't it, we give them shape sorters and puzzles to improve their dexterity then get surprised when they apply it to the things around them

 

[Bingy man]

Baby gates work for about a week. Ours could climb out of his high sided cot before he could toddle properly. He watched his mother lift the gate latch at the top of the stairs, and lift the gate, and promptly replicated that and was successful after a few tries. He either opened it or climbed over it from then on, and I was forced to remove it as scaling a gate at the top of the stairs was more dangerous that no gate. The little devils see it as a game.

Oh the joys… my lad would do exactly the same thing , I was horrified to find him balancing on the thin rail while trying to climb over .

 

[jb94]

I guess the trick is to make it / get something that is either too more force for a little hand to operate, or too far apart

 

[Britman]

Can we use electric fences these days?

 

[Bingy man]

Can we use electric fences these days?

As long as it’s low voltage