What can I use instead of a baby gate?

When babies become mobile, they start to get into everything. To keep the babies and your home safe, it’s a good idea to put up baby gates to keep certain areas off limits. A lot of parents have baby gates in almost every hallway and doorway. They aren’t exactly nice to look at it, but they serve a purpose and are necessary.

Before you go out and buy an ugly gate that costs a small fortune, consider making your own. Here are nine amazing baby gates that you can make yourself. You don’t even have to have any building experience or a lot of fancy tools.

Barn Wood Gate

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Amazon Aws

The rustic or farmhouse style is in, and many people are using barn wood doors to replace their existing front doors, closet doors, and bedroom doors. You can also make a barndoor baby gate for an affordable price. It’s a lot more attractive than regular gates, and it’s easy to make. You can find the instructions here.

Half Door Gate

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Lumber Jocks

Instead of making your baby gate look like an obvious obstruction, use a half door design to make it look like it is part of the home. You can actually use half a door or build the gate to look like the bottom half of the other doors in your home. You can find the instructions to make one yourself here.

Plexi Glass Gate

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Chris Loves Julia

If you want to make a baby gate that isn’t very noticeable, consider using Plexiglass. Just cut it to fit the size of the door or opening you want to block, and attach it with hinges. You can also frame it in metal, wood, or plastic to make it more stylish and make it match your décor. Learn how to make one here.

Pallet Gate

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Décor Love

Another option for a rustic gate is a pallet gate. You can find pallets cheap online or sometimes even get them free from stores or factories near your home. Simply cut the boards to size and use nails or screws to build it the way you want it. Be sure to sand it down so baby doesn’t get any splinters when trying to climb over it. Here are the instructions to build one.

Fabric Gate

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A Pair of Schues

If you have some extra fabric lying around the house, you can turn it into a beautiful gate. Simply size it, hem it, and add ties to each corner, and then attach it to the doorframe. Fabric gates do the job and are affordable. They also easy to store and move around from location to location. They can even be used in hotels while traveling. Learn to make one here.

Sliding Gate

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New Castle Woodworking

Sometimes, baby gates are just as good at keeping the adults out as they are the babies. They are hard to move and operate, and some of them are just downright confusing. A sliding baby gate can be made from various types of wood, and instead of using latches and hooks to fasten it, it just slides open. It keeps babies out but still allows the adults to move around the house easily. Find out how to make one here.

PVC Pipe Gate

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A Wicked Daddy Life

PVC pipe is affordable and easy to work with. You can create a gate by connecting the pipes to make the gate large enough to cover the space in your home. These gates are lightweight, and you can even paint them to match the décor in your home if desired. The instructions are here.

Plywood Gate

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Busy Dads Worthwhile

Plywood is easy to find, affordable, and easy to work with. You can buy it at your local hardware or lumber store, cut it to size, and paint or stain it to match the other pieces in your home. Because it’s not heavy, it makes a great gate, and it’s durable enough to keep out even the wildest toddler. You can find out how to make one here.

Galvanized Metal Gate

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Neige Morte

Another rustic gate option is to use galvanized metal. You can frame it with wood to prevent any sharp edges and add rusting latches or handles to complete the look. You can find galvanized metal at most home improvement stores and even fence supply stores.

These are just a few of the different types of baby gates you can make for your home.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and come up with other ideas that fit your home, needs, and budget. Be sure to share them online so others can use them.

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