Frequently Asked Questions

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The short answer is yes.  Our gates are 33 inches high which assures you won't fall over them.  Made out of solid oak, maple and metal they have a breaking point in excess of 1000 pounds of pressure.  Your average baby gate is rated for twenty.  They are hardware mounted, not using a tension bar eliminating the trip hazard associated with the tension bars.  while most big box store gates look cheap are manufactured from substandard materials, Oak Grove gates are specifically handmade to fit and match your space.  Our latches are recommended by various sites specifically catering to dementia patients and their caretakers. 

Our gates are constructed the same for your baby and your pet.  As pet owners and parents we know how important it is to keep them both safe. So whether you have a 15 pound toddler or a 100 pound Rottweiler our gates are designed with both in mind.  The only concession we make is that we offer magnetic latches for our sliding gates if these are intended as dog gates.  

Choose a gate with a straight top edge and closely spaced rigid vertical slats, no more than 3 inches apart.  Look for a gate that has heavy construction and an even finish with surfaces that are smooth and splinter free.  Our gates do not have a support bar that crosses the floor beneath the gate that could cause a tripping hazard.

Any gate you buy should meet the industry standard of 22 inches.  To discourage adventurous children from climbing over a gate, the one you buy should be at least three quarters of your child's height.  You should also opt for vertical rather than horizontal bars as to not tempt your child.

The American Society for Material and Testing (ASTM) has published standards for baby gates.  Our gates exceed and meet all those standards with factors such as component strength, latch integrity, and size of openings.  They also specify that a gate should be at least 22 inches high, ours are 33, and the distance between the bottom of the gate and the floor should not exceed 3 inches, ours are 1 inch.  

The short answer is no.  Pressure mounted gates stay in place by pressing on opposing walls, like your shower curtain rod.  Pressure mounted gates should never be used where falling is a hazard, such as at the top of stairs, so never use them that way, no matter how much you want to avoid drilling holes into your walls.

Our hardware mounted gates are among the safest in the industry.  They are screwed to to the wall, doorframe or either screwed directly or mounted to your stairs baluster or post with clamps.  We supply each gate with the necessary hardware to securely fasten it to the top of the stair or the bottom.  Our double doors come with a solid metal flip latch that has a clild proof knob to secure it.  These are the bests gates to use if there is a chance of your child falling.  Our gates are constructed out of solid wood and metal and are designed to eliminate any trip hazard .

Strategically placed baby gates can make the job of new parents easier by separating a child from potential dangers, such as stairs or other areas of the home that might be unsafe. It can help keep your toddler away from a stove or bathroom medicine cabinet (because toddlers have been known to defeat all kinds of childproofing devices).  In addition to keeping your children safe, baby gates can used to corral pets be they large or small.

Gates are typically designed for children between 6 months and 2 years. Our gates are 11 inches higher than your average gate, extending their use for up to another year, however once a child learns how to open the gate, a risk we minimize by using a modified bolt lock, or can climb over it, it should no longer be relied on as a safety device.

You can go to the big box stores or online and find a baby gate for $20, and that is what you get. These gates are build to or below the minimum government standard.  For example, they have to withstand a pull force of 20 pounds.  If you mount your cheap gate at the top of the stairs and fall against it, those 20 pounds of force will not do you any good.  Our gates are made of 3 by 1 1/4 inch oak which takes a force of 10,000 pounds to break.

Our production time is currently 6-8 weeks.  With painted gates, that time can run a little longer depending on how busy we are.

Since our gates are custom, the size depends on your space.  We ask customers to measure the width above any base molding on the posts or walls before you order and you would order from that width category.  We recommend ordering double, or saloon, doors for spaces wider than 44 inches and we build double doors in all of the styles.  Please send us a photo of the setting and we will get detailed measurements after your order is placed.

We specialize in solving your unique gate situation, curved or angled walls, metal newels, posts that aren't plumb, new or existing construction.  Our gates are custom built just for you, so they look like part of your home and not an after thought.  Some cases may require you to purchase our clamps if you don't want to drill into your wood work or have rounded posts. 

We have a standard height of 34" which is 33" for the gate itself, with 1" of clearance.  The minimum height requirement for ASTM gates is 22".   We can custom build any gate to your height specifications but pricing will vary.  Please message us for details.

We use solid oak for our waxed and dyed gates and new, hard maple for our painted gates. They are all assembled using traditional joinery, eliminating the need for nails and screws.  The front of the gate looks the same as the back.

We use Benjamin Moore for our white, painted gates.   We have a pure white as our standard color.  If you'd like a painted gate, you would need to either order a painted gate from our shop, or add the painting charge to your standard gate.  When we paint gates, we use hard maple and spray them with a high quality, easy to clean finish.  Because it's more time consuming, we charge $125 for painting single door gates, and $150 for painting double doors.

We can paint custom colors if your color is available in the type of paint we use.  To paint a custom color, you would need to order the painting charge along with the custom color fee of $100.  Unfortunately, the high quality paint we use is not available in quarts, however we'd be more than happy to ship you the leftover paint when we complete your order.

Attaching the jambs that come with our gates directly to your posts gives you a built in look.  When attaching to posts, you only need 2 wood screws that leave around 1/4" holes once they're removed and these are fairly easy to touch up down the road when you remove the gate.   Sometimes customers would like another option and we have that with our custom clamps.  If you have a post that you simply don't want to screw into, or your post is round at the top, you can order our custom clamps to attach your jamb.  

Yes, all hardware for mounting is supplied.  We include easy to follow instructions.  If you have any questions, we'd be glad to help however we can.  We use black and oil rubbed bronze but can also get brushed nickel if you prefer.

Our gates come with a life time warranty.  Our warranty covers all aspects of material and production.  Since these are custom orders, we do not take returns.