A baby gate or stair gate is a protective barrier designed to prevent babies and toddlers from accessing areas of a home that may not be safe for them, such as stairways and kitchens.
[2] Baby gates are typically constructed of metal, plastic and/or wood, and can be expanded to fit in a range of doorway widths.
Pressure-mounted gates are typically held in place by friction with the walls on either side, while hardware-mounted gates are screwed into the wall studs and swing fully open like a door.
Safety gates are used to help prevent a child from accessing an area of a house, especially the stairway, or to allow an exterior door to be open for ventilation while restricting movement of a child.
Pressure gates can be dislodged by children and should not be used at the top of stairs.