Childproofing and baby proofing in Decatur

Decatur's housing stock is unusual, and it matters

Decatur is one of the most varied neighborhoods we work in. The homes in Oakhurst, Winnona Park, and the blocks near the square tend to be 1920s to 1940s Craftsman bungalows and small two-story homes, often with original plaster walls, narrow staircases, and outlets that predate the modern grounded three-prong standard. Then within a few blocks you have new infill construction in MAK and Great Lakes, plus a strong rental market around Agnes Scott and the Emory corridor.

Each of those house types needs a different approach to childproofing. A 1925 bungalow with plaster over wood lath holds hardware differently than a 2020 infill build with engineered studs. A duplex rental near the Decatur square needs damage-free solutions that leave the property intact at move-out. Understanding which category your home falls into is step one.

The problems we see most in Decatur homes

• Plaster walls that crack when drilled wrong. Plaster holds anchors, but only if you pre-drill at the right speed and seat the fastener into the wood lath behind it. DIY installs often end in spider cracks across a living room wall.
• Narrow staircases with tight banister spacing. Many Decatur bungalows have 30-inch-wide stair openings with round newel posts that standard baby gates cannot clamp to. We use banister adapter kits for these.
• Ungrounded two-prong outlets. Common in pre-war homes. Standard outlet covers fit fine, but we flag these so the family knows what is there.
• Steep basement stairs. Many Decatur homes have unfinished or semi-finished basements with steep, open stairs that need a hardware-mounted gate at the top.
• Shared-wall duplex rentals. Adhesive and pressure-mounted solutions let renters childproof without leaving holes for the landlord.

What we install most often in Decatur

Decatur families most commonly call us for three things. First, hardware-mounted gates at the top of the main staircase, because pressure gates are not safe for stair tops and the bungalow stairwell almost always needs a banister adapter. Second, cabinet locks in kitchens that were renovated with modern cabinet boxes but still have older layouts that put cleaning supplies under the sink within easy reach of a crawler. Third, furniture anchoring for IKEA dressers and tall bookshelves in the small upstairs bedrooms common in bungalows.

Families planning for a first baby often start with a full home walkthrough, which covers every room and ends with a written plan. It takes a few hours and saves a year of buying wrong products from Amazon.

Nearby neighborhoods we also serve

In addition to Decatur, we cover Virginia-Highland, Brookhaven, Druid Hills, Candler Park, Grant Park, and the Emory corridor. If you are nearby, we will come to you. For the full list of our service area, see our areas overview.