Prepare Mounting Boards

What happens in this clip

Gather two pieces of hardwood flooring or similar sturdy wood planks. These pieces will serve as temporary, non-damaging mounting surfaces for the baby gate hardware. The video uses leftover hardwood flooring, which suggests they are pre-finished and relatively thin but strong. If not already cut to size, they should be measured to span the height of the gate and align with the staircase posts.

Goal: Obtain or prepare suitable wooden boards for gate attachment.

What's used

Tools

• Leftover Hardwood Flooring Pieces
• MDF strips
• Plywood strips
• Measuring Tape
• Saw
• Miter saw

About the full video

This DIY project provides a clever solution for installing a baby gate on staircases with non-standard or irregularly shaped banister posts, where traditional pressure-mounted gates are not suitable, and drilling into the existing posts is undesirable. The method involves securing vertical wooden planks (repurposed hardwood flooring in this case) to the banister posts using extra-long zip ties, creating stable and temporary mounting surfaces to which a standard wall-mount baby gate can then be attached.

Step 1 of 6: Identify Mounting Surfaces

For a hardware-mounted baby gate at the top of a staircase, it is crucial to mount it to solid wood. Inspect the wall studs on either side of the staircase opening. You may need to use a stud finder to locate them precisely. If mounting to a newel post, ensure it is a solid wood post and not hollow. Avoid mounting to drywall alone or to baseboards, as these will not provide sufficient support.

Open this step in the guide

Every video in How to Install a Hardware-Mounted Baby Gate at the Top of Stairs

1. Step 1: Identify Mounting Surfaces

   • 0:24–0:31 Install Lower Wall Mounts (First Side)
   • 0:13–0:18 Prepare Mounting Boards (this video)
   • 0:23–0:32 Install Wall-Mount Baby Gate

2. Step 2: Mark Bracket Positions

   • 2:59–3:10 Mark, Drill, and Secure Top Mounting Bracket (Side 1)
   • 1:21–1:35 Position Gate and Mark Wall
   • 1:26–1:45 Position Gate and Mark Wall

3. Step 3: Drill Pilot Holes

   • 1:05–1:12 Mark and Drill Wall Holes
   • 1:50–2:02 Mark and Drill Bottom Pilot Holes (Side 1)
   • 1:18–1:48 Drill Pilot Holes and Insert Anchors

4. Step 4: Attach Mounting Brackets

   • 1:43–1:50 Secure Wall Brackets
   • 3:44–4:19 Secure Mounting Brackets (Side 2)
   • 3:14–3:37 Mount the Bracket to the Wall

5. Step 5: Attach Gate to Brackets

   • 3:44–4:19 Secure Mounting Brackets (Side 2)
   • 1:48–1:55 Mount the Gate into Brackets
   • 3:37–4:15 Install the Safety Gate

6. Step 6: Adjust and Test Gate Functionality

   • 17:06–18:29 Test Gate Functionality and Latch
   • 1:30–2:19 Final Assembly and Testing
   • 3:49–4:22 Verify Security and Functionality