have an old house? Get this gate!

Because the "contact" side of this gate can be adjusted in two indepenent spots you are able to install this gate in a location where you lack two parallel surfraces. At first, this may appear a head scratcher. Think OLD HOUSE. Walls shift, floors sink, wood moldings are high.

After buying (and returning) numerous gates, we ended up with two of these which indeed provide the "perfect" fit for our stairs, which have moldings so high that all other gates hit them, creating an uneven surface that would not allow the gates to close completely. Using the different points of adjustment, we could create a wider top and a narrower bottom for this gate. The results was a very strong gate because the screws provided give a hefty anchor. One side is mounted into the wall, while the other is held in place by tension when the opening mechanism is "snapped" down in to place, which causes the gate to expand ever so. The manufacturer actually provided a plastic piece to shield the wall from the point of contact on the side held in place by tension, but since that piece requires more screw holes, we decided to chance it and go without. The point of contact of the gate is well cushioned and our walls have not been damaged.

Installation is not difficult although you will definitely want a drill to start those screw holes.

The mechanism to open, close and expand or contract the gate seems complicated at first but it is not. It relies on pinching/pushing on two points at the same time. While other reviewers have complained that the mechanism to open the gate is too complicated for older children, that made it perfect for our needs. The mechanism is simple enough for adults, but curious older siblings can not open gate. This avoids the frightening possiblity of the gate being left open for younger children to tumble through. Since our gates are at the top and bottom of a stairwell, this safety feature is crucial. I could see that someone with arthritis or weaker hands, such as an elderly grandparent, might have difficulty with the mechanism.

The first of these gates went up on my first mother's day, almost four years ago. It held up remarkably well until my older child attempted to hang from it. The manufacturer quickly shipped, at no expense, a replacement hinge. We still have the gate at the top of the stairs in place going on five years and I have to say it works as well as it did the first day.