What would you do if your kid wandered into a half-demo’d kitchen?

Ended up stacking a couple laundry baskets to block the way until we finished. Not fancy, but hey, it worked.

Honestly, I’ve seen more “creative” barricades than actual safety products that hold up. Half the time, those so-called childproof locks are just a minor puzzle for a determined toddler. I’d rather invest in a solid temporary door or even a pressure-mounted gate - worth every penny compared to patching up drywall or chasing a kid with a screwdriver.

Pressure gates are a game changer. I get the urge to improvise with whatever’s on hand - been there, stacked chairs, even a cooler once. But honestly, those “creative” setups are just asking for trouble if you’ve got a persistent kid. Like you said,

“those so-called childproof locks are just a minor puzzle for a determined toddler.”

If you’re in the middle of demo, I’d go with a pressure-mounted gate every time. They’re quick to set up and don’t leave holes everywhere. Plus, you can move them around as the project shifts. Laundry baskets work in a pinch, but I’ve seen a toddler bulldoze through those like they’re nothing. Not worth the risk, especially with exposed nails or tools lying around.

Honestly, if you’re going to spend money anywhere during a reno, safety gates are it. Cheaper than an ER visit.

Pressure gates are a lifesaver, but I’ll admit I tried the “barricade with random furniture” method at first. Didn’t last long - my daughter just climbed over the ottoman like it was an Olympic event. Pressure gates are way less stressful, especially when you’re juggling demo chaos and a curious kid. I do wish they made them a bit taller though... mine figured out how to scale it after a few weeks, but at least it slowed her down.

Pressure gates definitely beat the “pile of chairs and hope for the best” approach, but I get what you mean about the height. My son’s a climber too - once he realized he could get a foothold on the crossbar, it was game over. I actually looked into some of the extra-tall ones, but they’re not exactly cheap, and honestly, most are still only a few inches taller than standard.

“mine figured out how to scale it after a few weeks, but at least it slowed her down.”

That’s about where we landed too. For us, slowing them down was better than nothing. I did wonder if stacking two pressure gates would work (one above the other), but then you’re doubling the cost and probably making it less stable... not ideal.

Has anyone tried any budget-friendly hacks to make gates harder to climb? I thought about adding some kind of smooth plastic panel to the gate so there’s nothing to grip, but wasn’t sure if that’d be safe or just make things worse. Also curious if anyone’s had luck with rearranging furniture to actually block access without creating more climbing opportunities. The ottoman trick lasted all of five minutes here before turning into a launch pad.

I keep thinking there has to be a middle ground between “spend a fortune on custom gates” and “just accept total chaos during renos.” Maybe I’m missing something obvious?

- Tried the “smooth plastic panel” idea once - used a cut-up shower curtain zip-tied to the gate. It did stop the foothold problem, but my daughter just started trying to wedge her fingers in the sides instead. Not sure it was any safer, honestly.
- Rearranging furniture was hit or miss for us. Anything soft became a climbing prop, and harder stuff just made it more dangerous.
- I’ve seen people use clear acrylic sheets bolted to gates, but then you’re drilling into the frame and possibly weakening it.

“The ottoman trick lasted all of five minutes here before turning into a launch pad.”

Same here. Anyone tried those temporary construction panels (the folding kind) as a barrier? Wondering if that’s overkill or actually practical.