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Nepal, Kathmandu
1 Level
744 Review
32 Karma

Review on Cumbor Auto-Close Extra Wide Safety Baby Gate For Stairs And Doorways, Hardware Or Pressure Mounted, Suitable For Dogs, Easy Walk-Through Pet Gate For Home - Winner Of Mom'S Choice Awards by Ken Perry

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Well constructed gate, but beware compatibility with baseboards

I have 36" doorway and selected this model for compatibility with my doorway, as several other models are compatible with both smaller and wider openings, but exclude 36" openings. With significant extra effort, I was able to install and am very happy with the gate now that I have it in place, but the gate is indeed not compatible with a 36" opening with baseboards and requires modifying the trim. More details below.The gate: Once installed, the gate is operating smoothly. It is very easy to open with one hand. When opened fully, it will stay open, but when opened less than 90 degrees, will fall back closed on its own, which is quite convenient. The mechanisms operate smoothly and seem like they will hold up over time. I used the provided hardware to attach the cups directly to wood studs and the gate is held very firmly in place. The drywall anchors provided seem insufficient for such a high-stress use. If you're installing where you can't drill directly into the studs, I'd recommend getting stronger drywall anchors rather than relying on the included hardware.Note on install: DO NOT cut the zip ties on the gate until install is complete. The directions indicate this, but if you unpack before reading the directions, it could be easy to miss. Install instructions indicate the gap size needed at the top of the gate. Make sure to measure as you tighten the gate. When following the instructions, this part was easy, but you do have to follow the instructions for the locking mechanism to work correctly.Installation with baseboards: The gate comes with two extension pieces: 2.75" and 5.5". You use neither, select one, or use both, depending on the width of your opening. The installation instructions indicate that no extender is needed up to 32.3", the small extender is needed for openings of 32.3-35", the large extender is needed for openings 35-37.8", and both extenders are used for openings of 37.8-40.6". My opening is 36" wall to wall, but has baseboards at the bottom that reduce the opening to 34.25". This would mean that at the top, I require the 5.5" extender and at the bottom, the 2.75" extender. The gate would not fit between the baseboard with the 5.5" extender in place and would not reach the walls at the top with the 2.75" extender. To install, I ended up having to drill a recess into my baseboards to allow the wall cups to sit within the baseboard. The wall cups are 1.5" in diameter, so this modification requires a 1.5" drill bit. I was able to make it work, but note that technically I had to modify the opening to a compatible opening. Before buying, be aware that if your top and bottom measurements span the ranges listed above and require use of 2 different extenders, you will have similar challenges for install and this gate is not compatible with your opening out of the box.Overall, after finally getting it installed, I am very happy with this gate, so have given it 4 stars, but the manufacturer/seller should more clearly state the opening sizes that the gate is compatible with and note the limitations imposed if your opening has baseboards. If I was a renter, or even a homeowner with less confidence in replacing trim down the road, I may not have been able to install this gate at all in my home, despite the fact that I was within the advertised range of opening sizes.

Pros
  • Easy to install but must use the screws that comeWith it!
Cons
  • May not be strong enough to withstand more aggressive pets