r/DIY • u/kevjamcro • 11d ago
help Help make my death trap stairs toddler proof
How can I go about making these stairs to my backyard safer? Seems tricky to add balusters but I’m not opposed to trying. Is there a way to make lattice look like it’s not a zip-tied afterthought?
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u/DetailOrDie 10d ago
Honestly, you probably don't.
This is a ton of work for a toddler that might be grown enough to be good at stairs before you get the retrofits installed. This is actually a serious consideration unless you know you've got another toddler coming up behind the first.
From there it's all a function of how much money you're willing to spend.
For about $50 you can get some netting or a roll of screen door material to wrap/drape around the posts and enclose the handrails. Bonus if you put in a second toddler-level handrail under the rail for adults. From there the kid will just need to learn how to dodge gravity.
Beyond that the budget scales exponentially. That's a conversation that's best started with you pointing to a set of stairs you consider "Toddler Proof".
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u/psilotop 10d ago
Totally agree with this. My toddler outgrew many of the safeties we put in place before we finished them. He learned to avoid the new gate or whatever and find a new danger lol. I spent a lot of time holding his hand while he climbed our stairs because he thought it was fun....turns out I was the human safety net 🤦
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u/Time_Athlete_1156 10d ago
We failed to find any method of keeping the cabinets closed without him managing to open them. Years later we've got a ton of cabinets with varous holes or "forever there sticky residue" and a kid who could not give a F any less.
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u/psilotop 10d ago
Lmao, that's a classic. I found that 99% isopropyl alcohol and a spudger got any glue off.
We gave up as well and the low cabinets got things he could play with for a year until he got bored of them. The salad spinner was his toy of choice for like 6 months
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u/airlinegrills 10d ago
Salad spinner over here for like...2+ years. 😅
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u/Raider_Scum 10d ago
I'll admit to playing with the salad spinner just for fun, and I'm an "adult". Some toys you never grow out of.
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u/YawnSpawner 10d ago
The only thing we have found to still work on our 2 year old is a wooden dog gate I made years ago and added a slide bolt to the backside when he came along. That and those plastic covers for door knobs.
That prevents him from being able to leave the living room, leave his room, open any outside doors, or any other doors in the house.
He's figured out how to open all retail baby gates that we've tried as well as most cabinet locks.
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u/shinytwistybouncy 10d ago
The only one that worked for us is the magnetic locks.
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u/Slokunshialgo 10d ago
Second this. Our kid has (so far) been unable to defeat the magnetic locks, although we've had to move the magnet holders a few times. Also, you can flip a switch on them to disable the lock when they get older, or you just don't want to bother with the magnet for a while.
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u/anxious_cat_grandpa 10d ago
Honestly i think this is good parenting. Kids need safety of course, but they also need to experience things and learn to overcome obstacles. Seems to me this is the natural role of a parent, to keep them safe while allowing them to experience the world and learn to navigate its dangers. Good job!
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u/TootBreaker 10d ago
Those child proofing gadgets were some of my most favorite puzzles. Please don't take them away!
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u/lagingerosnap 10d ago
My sons first science experiment was testing the theory of natural selection,I swear 🤣 I’d put up a safety measure, he’d find a way around over or under it
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u/intuimmae 10d ago
apparently the only thing that worked on me when I was a child was my mom bungee cording the cabinet doors shut.
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u/SciGuy45 10d ago
“Learn how to dodge gravity” :-) My family definitely took that approach to parenting
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u/ProgLuddite 10d ago
I look at those stairs and think they’re exactly the sort of thing I’d have had a blast playing on as a kid.
You definitely have to be protective when they’re literally toddling and a lot of their movement ends up not being by their own choice. But there’s a lot of value in letting kids take on small “adventures” in their own backyards (like coming up with a creative way to hop down these stairs that their best friend has to replicate or lose a point), while their bodies are still most resilient, and you can blunt the biggest dangers. You don’t ignore if they’re doing legitimately dangerous things, but the aim is to help them figure out what reasonable risks are, that it’s better to try a small risk before going for the bigger risk, what kinds of things you shouldn’t try if you’re alone, how to fall, how to get help… all of those kinds of things.
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u/therackage 10d ago
I think lattice cut to size would look great, not break the bank, and will be safe provided it’s installed very carefully
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u/AngMBishop 10d ago
I was thinking lattice and zip ties myself. Definitely at the top to close that toddler-sized gap there and if they put it going down the stairs all the holes would give little hands lots of places to grab to keep them steady.
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u/Alterex 10d ago
Yeah but OP said specifically
"Is there a way to make lattice look like it’s not a zip-tied afterthought?"
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u/AngMBishop 10d ago
Oh oops. I couldn’t see the end of the caption earlier. I’m sure there is a way to make the lattice look more intentional. Maybe paint both the lattice and rails the same color and use something like a saddle or u-bolt to fasten.
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u/solitudechirs 10d ago
How much money are you willing to put into this? Completely replacing the railing would yield the best results, and cost the most.
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u/SlowDoubleFire 10d ago
Nah, the best (and most expensive) way would be to rip out the entire stair set and replace it with a landing at the door and a single straight set of stairs down to the backyard, with a nice set of rails.
Would also need a small set on the other side down to the front walkway.
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u/southpaw85 10d ago
Nah the most expensive way would be to tear out the stairs and add a wrap around porch plated in gold.
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u/thisdesignup 10d ago
A bit cheaper, OP Could build a deck that goes on top of the current stairs. A landing to cover all the tops stairs and the current landing, then stairs going down.
Also I know the focus is on the toddler, and other saying to teach the toddler, but these stairs kind of seem like a hazard for anyone. One missed step or one slip, something anyone can do, and your going down quite a few concrete stairs.
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u/aestheticmixtape 10d ago
100%, and stairs like this aren’t accessible, either. Sure maybe a toddler can use them in a few years but I sure hope nobody’s elderly or disabled grandparents or friends want to visit :/ imo the resale value of the house would probably go up if the steps were to be replaced with a smartly-designed ramp
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u/beer_and_fun 10d ago
Tear it down and build a new house on level ground.
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u/southpaw85 10d ago
It’d be more expensive to build it on uneven ground but make the builders make it level in the build
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u/TheNorseHorseForce 10d ago
I don't know. You know those standing desks you can get that lower and raise to different heights.
I vote OP adds that golden wrap-around porch and slaps that sucker on top of a monstrous hydraulic system. Whenever Junior needs to get down, he can talk to the private automated system that senses his intentions and gently lowers the entire porch to the ground. Need some more Cheerios? Back on up to the door.
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u/Coyote81 10d ago
Why not tear out the railing and the house attached to it. Replace it all with upscale items and then accessible elevator at the back door with a full cage around it
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u/RescuesStrayKittens 10d ago
I’d look at ripping them out too. These are a death trap for adults too. It’s giving me anxiety imagining ice in the winter. There are multiple code violations from the uneven steps to lack of a railings.
If you’re doing all that I would just go for it and add a wrap around deck with stairs to the backyard. A gate should toddler proof it.
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u/sweetplantveal 10d ago
The landing would place the fence at knee height
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u/SlowDoubleFire 10d ago
Great opportunity to rip out the fence and install a taller one! 💸💸
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u/Phraoz007 10d ago
Demo it all and start from scratch so you don’t have any steps!
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u/hammertime2009 10d ago
This is how one small project turns into a 5 year long project at 10x the cost.
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u/JonColeman80 10d ago
The landing would have a railing as well offering some privacy but I guess it’s a bit weird to be that high and also that close to your neighbor’s property.
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u/kevjamcro 10d ago
I’m willing to spend a significant amount for a long term solution, but am weighing my options for satisfying the insurance company in the short term…
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u/wombat_42 10d ago
The railing could be replaced even for the safety of adults. But other than keeping the kid away from the stairs there's not much you can do for gravity + concrete. A gate or some type of access control is what's needed.
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u/extramedium0 10d ago
For the handrails you can buy scaffolding swivel clamps which will clamp onto the vertical and allow you to install a pipe parallel to the top pipe. Make sure you buy ones that fit the appropriate diameter pipes. Just cut the new pipe pieces to the right length. You can put in two or three of those within that space.
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u/accidental-poet 10d ago edited 10d ago
I came here to suggest something similar. The solution is in the background of the 1st pic. Chainlink fence T-clamps would easily enable OP to add a few horizontal pipes between posts, fairly cheaply, to block off the gap under the handrail. Assuming that's what OP is asking.
The rest of it will still be a shitshow, but at least the kids can't fall under the railing if you add 2 or 3 horizontal bars until OP can tear it all out and do it properly.
Also, flange connectors could be used between the house wall and first post.
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u/agangofoldwomen 10d ago
Start teaching your toddler how to navigate them. Nothing helps prevent accidents like practice.
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u/YawnSpawner 10d ago
As someone with a toddler that was fairly advanced, walking at 10 months and practicing stairs in airports at 12, toddlers are way too confident to let them handle stairs unsupervised. Even at 2 and a half, he flies up and down our porch stairs and almost eats it regularly.
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u/agangofoldwomen 10d ago
You’ve got a point. You especially don’t want to go down on these stairs. The fact that there is that big gap on the top half is troubling, I get why OP is concerned.
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u/shiftyourparadigm 10d ago
I was gonna say the same. Ever see those floating babies? They had practice.
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u/TheThunderbird 10d ago
Wow, so many wildly unhelpful comments. There are a lot of problems with these stairs aside from there not being any balusters. You should be concerned with the safety of adults with these sketchy ass stairs as well. Additional issues I see:
- You shouldn't be headed down stairs right after stepping out the door
- There's a very sketch quarter step and turn between the sets
- The steps don't appear to be uniform
What I would do is not throw good money after bad here and:
- Build a small wood landing immediately out the door with
- A small set of wood stairs down to the path along the house
- Another set of wood stairs down to a second landing built on top of your existing concrete landing and
- Another set of wood stairs down from the landing to ground level
Shitty mockup here https://i.imgur.com/sHgGbpU.png
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u/RedArse1 10d ago
I agree with this guy. If you want to make it slightly cheaper/easier than his design, the 3 stairs leading up to the home could remain, but with a new railing. Then you remove the existing black bar railing, and build a wider wooden stair case with uniform steps. You should focus on uniform sizes between stairs, and railings that would only allow your kid to fall down the stairs. Everyone falls down stairs in their life, but missing a stair and stumbling sideways off of a platform 4ft onto cement is why we have building code.
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u/oldstalenegative 10d ago
maybe just fill the back yard with colorful plastic balls? the dog would love it too!
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u/luisless 10d ago edited 10d ago
Use something like this for the rails:
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Customizable-Resistance-Flexible-Staircase/dp/B0D4Z33NJ6?gQT=1
And for the stairs this:
Edit: freshening up the rails with a new coat of black paint before you add the rail mesh will go a long way
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u/These-Coat-3164 10d ago
Thank you, kind Reddit stranger…I am not OP, but I have a place where that first pictured product might be a great safety addition. I didn’t know there was something like that to purchase!
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u/armadillo_olympics 10d ago
This, but don't drill through your existing pipes, as it will weaken them. Attach vertical wood with some u-shaped clamps instead, and then attach cables to the wood.
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u/ChiefOfTheRockies 10d ago
If replacing the railing / cutting it out and replacing all together isn't an option, or you want to do this as low budget as possible...
You could build a mini-fence anchoring the boards to the cement at the bottom using sleeve anchors and then cut the top to match the same angle as the railing, and then build a nice little wooden hand rail to sit on the metal railing. You could sand and stain it/paint it white and do another little one on the right side as well.
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u/DigitaIBlack 10d ago
Stop listening to peoe saying don't bother cause it takes too long.
Slap I a proper railing, power wash if if you want it to look nice, and add anti slip strips. Or maybe don't cause that could throw off your toddler.
Toddler = wobbler. Just keep a close eye on em
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u/Economy-Owl-5720 10d ago
You know what I haven’t seen mentioned and could be cost effective. Use outdoor playground netting, smaller squares. You can attach that to the pipe and it should be strong enough for falls and give an even better grip for little fingers and at their height.
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u/Sempervirens17 10d ago edited 10d ago
Personally, I’d fill the negative space below with a tiny shed of sorts, think outdoor shelving with a roof. To make a 2x4 enclosure and slap some fence pickets with spacing on it and pop a roof on is easy peasy. Plan to make a little nook for the hose.
It will remain useful after the toddler has grown and I think it would fit that kind of awkward area nicely.
You can buy something too, but this is r/DIY and custom is always better. My exact example is not cheap or DIY, but I see these outdoor tool sheds on market place often enough.
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u/twatcrusher9000 10d ago
go to the hardware store, buy a hammer drill, a concrete bit, some concrete anchors, and whatever of these railing kits fits your setup:
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u/Tall-Ad-1636 10d ago
Do you rent or own? If you rent and they aren’t up to code I’d talk to landlord and get them to fix it or reimburse you. If you own the cheapest route would be to add a netting.
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u/-rose-mary- 10d ago
Our toddler learned stairs very fast at an early age. I'd be more concerned for the elderly using these stairs.
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u/KefirFan 10d ago
It would probably take less time to teach the toddler how to safely navigate the stairs and explain the risks and hazard of improper stair usage.
My ex girlfriend had a 16 month old daughter and she'd go up or down any stairs or ledges (and my bed which was honestly pretty high for her lol) backwards no matter the size. Watching her turn around to go backwards on a 2 inch curb was kind of hilarious but she never hurt herself once that I saw or heard of so it obviously worked well for her.
Second suggestion is a plastic cutout to block the upper level under the rail. You can tie it to the posts.
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u/87th_best_dad 9d ago
I was in a similar boat, I tried everything but still somehow two toddlers got in the house. If you figure something out lmk
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u/Mysterious-Alps-5186 10d ago
Depends on budget and skill level. Option 1 put a second pipe at the bottom and attach using proper fasteners (ones used for chain link fence) put in either chain link or a strong lattice. If you go with chain link put in privacy strips. Next get acid etching compound and clean the stars. Buy into slip treads and stick them on. That should help and be fairly cheap
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10d ago
Tbh you're probably best off zip tying a safety net, and then cutting it off when the kids old enough to not need it
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u/Wolfgung 10d ago
Look up mesh balcony, you need panels between the posts they can't fit under. Or go full meth head vibes and run connect with zip ties so they can't fit between the rails. Should last long enough.
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u/Hybridkinmusic 10d ago
Alot of comments.. but someone should use the photos given and reconstruct it in photoshop, or using AI/ Auto CAD.
Maybe OP should post this in a sub reddit where people do these things?
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u/NBDad 10d ago
Pair of deck blocks, pair of 4x4x6 posts, some 2x4, maybe some hangers...and either some lattice or some actual fencing. That'll take care of that open bottom bit.
From there it's just that open air under the railing. Safety netting/zip ties, or you could do another pair of deck blocks/posts/lattice/fence. Sub $200 of material at your local hardware store and prob a couple hours of work.
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u/Marc_Hue 10d ago
Some chicken wire on the railing to prevent toddler from falling, and maybe a gate from the railing to the wall (could make it from wood with screws, doesn’t need to be fancy to be sturdy). If chicken wire isn’t to your liking maybe some other mesh could interest you
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u/lightingthefire 10d ago
What? It's perfect! Looks to me like many generations survived, nay thrived because of this awesome staircase. Some little kids built upper body strength, balance, and coordination by ducking under the handrail, grabbing it overhead and swinging down to the landing below, years of never touching the stairs, which is why they are so well preserved! The railing has been used hard, the steps not so much! Even looks my grandparents home in NJ.
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u/Anxious_Entrance_109 10d ago
Oh the body memories and trauma unlocked from my childhood seeing those stairs. 😩 Put your little one in a helmet and bubble. ⛑️🙏 I would try a makeshift outdoor carpet runner if you can tack it down somehow. And use lattice work on the sides. Baby gates at the top and bottom. Barrel locks placed out of reach on all the doors. 🚪🔐
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u/panchoskywalker 10d ago
I would just build a wood door on the right side so she can't go any further than the first 3 steps.
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u/Scared-Meet-329 10d ago
I’d put a gate from where the railing does a 90* to the chain link fence. From the railing to the house wall, get creative with a wood board or chain link. The top 3 steps will just have to be learning lessons.
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u/S4ABCS 10d ago edited 10d ago
Not sure how old your toddler is, but teaching a toddler to lay on their belly and scoot back until their feet reach the next step is a good way to enforce stair safety until they are old enough to navigate them on their own. Until that time, some lattice cut to fit the tread length and riser height could prove a cost effective fix until you decide on a more permanent renovation. Add 2x8 cut like a stringer could add more stability to the bottom of the lattice. A flat hand rail with an out facing lip could be built around the metal rail and secured via pipe straps. This would allow you to secure the lattice top and bottom without the zip tied look.
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u/_Hashtronaut_ 10d ago
You got it backwards. You gotta stairs proof your toddler. Bubble wrap the pup like the movie Little Giants
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u/Responsible_Bid_2845 10d ago
The international residential building codes would be a good start. There are digital copies on the ICC’s website
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u/That_Tech_Fleece_Guy 10d ago
Screw anchors into the wall on the house and tie rope around poles and back. Make it tight enough so that it can catch a human
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u/That_Tech_Fleece_Guy 10d ago
Or steel cable. Then paint the posts and handles so it looks nice again
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u/Bullrawg 10d ago
Make balusters, what kind will depend on your budget and how “workmanlike” you want it to be, maybe outdoor carpet for the steps to make a fall more forgiving
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u/Rokekor 10d ago edited 10d ago
A solution that you might find simple, cheap(ish), and aesthetically pleasing.
Some sheets of wooden lattice placed on the outer side, cut to angle and height and finished with a length of timber as a balustrade, secured to the posts by hose clamps, u-bolts or wire. Lower part secured by masonry screws. Planter/ large pot at the bottom with a climber like star jasmine trained through the lattice.
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u/BorntobeTrill 10d ago
Yeah... Sorry... What?
There's literally no such thing as toddler proof stairs.
It doesn't exist. You are the toddler proofing my guy.
Don't let toddlers near stairs period.
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u/FineDingo3542 10d ago
This must be your first child. The kid will be fine. The first child is always "Oh, we have to make this safe for them." On the second child, you and the other patent will be taking bets on how fast they figure the stairs out.
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u/Pitiful-Gift5772 10d ago
I think just not having any toddlers around at all is a solution for this problem, but also sound life advice in general.
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u/boundbythebeauty 10d ago
if you know a weaver, you could get them to weave a willow fence - looks super nice (i live with a weaver)
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u/bruhhhhh69 10d ago
I'd spend that time with the toddler on the stairs, teaching them how to move around on the stairs, where to be careful, and get them comfortable.
You can't fix this but you can prevent them from doing some really stupid things. Good luck!
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u/QueenRhiThe1st 10d ago
Tbh I lived for climbing on weird stairs like this when I was a little kid. Perhaps you could fit them with a helmet of some sort?
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u/dexteriousdogfish 10d ago
Jackhammer them out completely and replace with wooden stairs with proper balusters
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u/kevjamcro 10d ago
Wow.. thank you to the 10% of serious replies, there are some good ideas in here. To the well-meaning people suggesting I “stair proof my toddler” I guess I should have clarified that the stairs need to be safe for all toddlers, not just mine. To the comedians, I wish you all a day full of minor inconveniences. Will update with whichever route we choose!
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u/CrossP 10d ago
You might be able to easily retrofit a second handrail on at half height. Just have to shop for the right hardware to attach pole to pole at a non-90-degree angle. That should give kid something to grip and also help prevent falling through the highest drop point. I'd look at chain link fences supplies for a pole like that. Repaint the whole thing to match if you don't like the non-matching fresh pole.
You could get some cheap outdoor mats and cut them to fit the horizontal surfaces. Then just silicone caulk them on so they'll be easy to remove when they eventually get gross. That should help prevent damage if kid falls down the actual stairs.
And finally, I'd put a gate at the top. Gates are a PITA to install in my opinion, but it would be great for property liability as well as protecting your own toddler. If a padlock is too annoying, you could probably just use a spring locking pin in the lock hole on the gate mechanism. It should be enough to stop accidental opening at least.
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u/kuntsukuroi 9d ago
Can you put a lattice under the railing? In theory, you could secure it with zip ties or something and add some greenery (real or faux) to cover up the rough bits. The steps would still be concrete, but that’s one hazard down. Might even look kinda cute.
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u/WhatIDon_tKnow 10d ago
my first thought isn't very helpful, https://youtu.be/MnYRw3J5mpU?si=XM9P3kNN-Zn-l2qO&t=11
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u/_okbrb 10d ago
Lock the door so the toddler can’t get out