Childproof your home: 3 simple tips that really help
Are your children full of curiosity? And do they love trying to open every single drawer in your home? We’ll show you how to make your home child-friendly in just a few steps using small furniture knobs. When you’ve followed our tips, you won’t have to worry about furniture tipping over and posing a safety risk to your children while they are playing. And tiny fingers getting caught in drawers will soon be a thing of the past.
%TRANSLATE VALUE%
Problem 1: Tipping furniture
Has your little one just learned to walk and is pulling him or herself up on everything for support? Stop bookshelves and drawers from falling over with this simple trick. Use webbing to easily secure your furniture to the wall.
Problem 1 – step 1: Measure the length of the webbing
Measure the strip so that it just reaches from the wall to the furniture – the furniture shouldn’t tip over and should stay completely upright.
Problem 1 – step 2: Cut the webbing
Now cut the webbing at the desired place using an IXO fitted with a universal cutting adapter . Alternatively, you can use a carpet knife. Make sure the blade is always facing away from you when cutting. So in this case, the blade should be facing upwards.
Problem 1 – step 3: Secure the webbing to the furniture and wall
Attach one end of the webbing to the back of your furniture First, mark where you want to drill into the wall before you start. Mark where you want to drill into the wall using a pencil Now drill a hole for attaching the other end of the webbing to the wall To make your furniture completely childproof, secure the other end of the webbing to the wall with a screw
Attach the webbing to the back of your furniture using a cordless screwdriver. Use washers so that the webbing doesn’t tear. Then secure the other end of the webbing to the wall by inserting a screw into the hole you have drilled for the wall anchor. Use a washer here as well. Afterwards, repeat this process on the other side of the back of the furniture you want to secure, so that it is attached to the wall with two strips of webbing. The wall anchor you use will depend on the type of wall you have. The wall type will also affect the type of device you need to drill into the wall. Watch our video tutorial to find out how to drill a hole in concrete walls. Before you start drilling, check the wall for live wires using a detection device.
Once you’ve secured the webbing, your furniture will be child-friendly. Wave goodbye to furniture that tips over and say hello to a childproof home.
Problem 2: Opening cupboards with handles
Does your child like to open cupboard doors and drawers and jam their tiny fingers in them? One quick solution is to remove the handles. But most children won’t be fooled by this for long. So here we’ll show you how to build a small bolt out of a few pieces of wood, which you can use to make furniture handles childproof.
Problem 2 – step 2: Measure the dimensions of the bolt
Measure out the bolt and the two stoppers on the wood. The size of the bolt should be based on the cupboard door or drawer handles that it will be used on. The bolt should be long enough that your child can’t remove it, even with lots of shaking. Mark up the bolt and two stoppers on the wood with a pencil.
Problem 2 – step 2: Saw the pieces of wood
Use screw clamps to keep the rod in place while sawing it Now saw the bolt and the two stoppers
Before you start sawing your bolt, secure the wood with screw clamps. This will ensure it doesn’t slip while you are sawing it. Cut the bolt using a NanoBlade saw or a jigsaw , along the lines you have marked. Then saw off the stoppers. Make sure you put on work gloves and safety glasses before you start sawing.
Problem 2 – step 3: Sand down the bolt and stoppers
Use a sander to sand down the ends of the bolt and stoppers. Before sanding, make sure you put on work gloves and protect yourself against dust using a face mask. Sanding down the pieces of wood helps to prevent splinters from forming.
Problem 2 – step 4: Screw the bolt and stoppers together
Drill holes in the bolt first, before you insert the screws. This makes it a lot easier to screw bolt together Now attach the stoppers to the bolt Your DIY bolt is now finished. And your home is a little safer for your children
Drill holes in the bolt so that it’s easier to insert the screws. Then screw on the stoppers using one screw per stopper. Your bolt is now finished. Slide it through the handles of the cupboard door or the drawer you want to secure to make them childproof.
Problem 3: Opening drawers or cupboard doors without handles
Do your drawers have handles or knobs? Simply wrap a rubber band around two knobs to join them together. That way, your kid won’t be able to open them when you don’t want them to. If your drawers or doors don’t have any handles, you can mount some new knobs on them first. Not only are they really useful, they can look stylish too. For cupboards, join together doors that are next to one another. For drawers or standalone doors, the second knob goes on the side of the piece of furniture.
Problem 3 – step 1: Mark up where the knobs should be mounted
First, mark up where you want to mount the knob on the front of the drawer using a folding ruler and a pencil Now mark where you want to place the knob on the outside of your drawers
Start by using a tape measure to measure where the new knobs need to be mounted. Mark exactly where you want to position the knobs using a pencil.
Problem 3 – step 2: Drill holes for the knobs and mount them
Drill the first hole directly into the drawer Now attach a large and brightly coloured knob that your child won't be able to miss. This reduces the risk of them bumping into it Now drill a second hole, this time into the side of the piece of furniture Mount the second knob on to the side of the piece of furniture
Now drill a hole through the drawer or door at the spot you marked up. If necessary, remove the drawer or door before doing so. Then secure the knob using a cordless screwdriver. Now drill another hole in the side of the piece of furniture. If you are working on a chest of drawers, remove the relevant drawer before you start. Attach the second knob.
Problem 3 – step 3: Attach the rubber band
Once you have secured both knobs to the furniture, connect them with a rubber band. Your little ones won’t be able to open your drawers or cupboard doors any more without the help of an adult. And your furniture is now childproof. You no longer need to worry about your kid’s fingers getting caught in things.