Features of child protection for drawers and cabinets, selection rules
Currently, protection from children on drawers and cabinets is a necessity that will help preserve the health of the child and the nerves of the parents. There is a huge variety of protective devices for this type of furniture, which differ in form, type of lock, design, functionality.
The need to protect furniture
A small child finds everything that is interesting around interesting, therefore situations that threaten the health of the baby often arise. Especially dangerous is the time when children begin to crawl and walk, since the danger will be sharp corners and doors of furniture, sockets, household appliances. Young children are especially active in exploring the world from the contents of the closet and shelves. Some things can be removed or shifted higher, but there are sharp corners of tables, sofas, chairs, drawers.
Even if you protect the sharp elements of furniture, the question arises regarding the contents of cabinets, cabinets, drawers. The kid can open the door, easily get to small items, dangerous appliances and valuables, medicines. Therefore, it is important to take care of the penetration of the child into the furniture.
To reduce the risk of injuries to the child, caring parents resort to tricks - establish protection, limiters and blockers. Sometimes such devices are manufactured independently, but a more reliable option is special products that can be purchased at hardware stores.
Types of Blockers
There are several main types of blockers. The difference lies in the way the fixture is attached to the furniture, the features of their functioning. There are Velcro locks and stationary fasteners.
The main types of door locks:
- locks are locks that are locked on handles from the outside. The device reliably closes the door leaf, which allows you to protect the contents from damage, and the baby's fingers from injuries. The mechanism of the device is a plastic cord with notches, which are fixed with a special nozzle. The cord braids the handles and closes with a “lock”. The advantage is that adults can easily open the mechanism, but the baby can not;
- universal lock connecting the cabinet door or chest of drawers with the case. The mechanism is a silicone strap, which is fixed with clasps on the sides. The advantage is the versatility of fixation, as it can easily be used on drawers and doors, where there are absolutely no handles;
- shock absorbers blockers - devices of this type are made of elastic and at the same time durable materials: plastic, foam rubber, rubber, silicone. He does not close the doors, but, on the contrary, does not allow her to fully open or close completely. Thus, the baby will not be able to nail his fingers. A shock absorber is installed in the upper part of the door;
- locks for sliding doors, for example, for sliding wardrobes. Often the device is made of plastic, and by the mechanism it completely repeats the design of the door, where the strap is fixed with a special clasp. It is impossible for a child to cope with the mechanism, and for an adult it is easy to open the door with such a lock;
- internal locks are mounted on screws, are a retractable design that will not allow to open a chest of drawers or cabinets. In addition, this item does not attract unnecessary attention of the child, does not spoil the appearance of the furniture.
It is better to choose blockers and other protection elements that do not stand out against the background of the overall design of the room, so that they do not attract unnecessary attention of the crumbs. There are locks for other needs - fixing plastic windows, a device for restricting door locks. The main thing is to choose the right device for the appropriate door or drawer.
Shock absorberExternalInteriorOn the door of the compartmentUniversalAdhesive based
Basically, all the locks for openings, drawers are designed for external use. Fixing the device to screws to furniture can ruin its appearance. Therefore, other methods of fastening the locks are used - the glue base.
Such a device consists of two “buttons” that are glued to a wooden case. A silicone or woven strap is pulled between the buttons. After removing the elements, the glue is removed easily, leaves no residue on the surface.
Advantages of adhesive based blockers:
- product availability;
- a huge variety of design decisions regarding color, design;
- strength in fastening;
- it is easily dismantled, does not leave marks on a furniture surface;
- does not require special materials for fastening.
When choosing a device on an adhesive basis, you should definitely pay attention to the integrity of the packaging, shelf life. These conditions may affect the quality of attachment.
Thanks to unique manufacturing technologies, you can choose a device where the adhesive base is completely environmentally friendly. The child should choose materials of hypoallergenic value.
For internal mounting
For drawers and cabinet doors often use mechanisms that are mounted inside. Due to the unique method of attachment and functional features in this type of locks, there are a lot of advantages.
Locking of the internal fastening is applied using adhesive tape with a special adhesive composition. Since the attachment point will not be visible from the inside, you can choose models with screw mounting.
Advantages of internal mounting:
- the lock does not spoil the appearance of the furniture;
- there is no risk of surface damage;
- does not attract the attention of children;
- selection of the product in accordance with the interior of the premises is not required;
- wide range of functional features.
For blockers of this type, the main thing is durability, since they must withstand huge loads. The design can be homogeneous and consist of two separate parts.
U and C shaped
Types of protection have not only features in the method of attachment. Some devices also differ in shape. Often, operation features depend on this. Distinguish between U and C-shaped shock absorbers, this type of lock is not mounted on drawers and doors - they are mainly used for interior doors.
There are U and C shaped latches on the handles. Thanks to them, furniture elements cannot be opened. These devices snap tightly and prevent the baby from getting inside. Perform these items from high quality plastic.
For adults, such a latch is advantageous in that it is very easily and quickly dismantled. No need to think about how to fix the elements of the blocker. A simple and quick way of mounting and dismounting is another plus of this particular device for protecting children.
U shapedC shapedAdditional Protection Elements
In addition to locks on doors and drawers, there are other ways to protect this type of furniture. Sharp corners are particularly dangerous. Depending on the height of the chest, cabinet or cabinet, protection is chosen.
Corner closures come in several forms:
- fixed angles - this device exclusively covers an angle with a small range. It is made mainly of silicone or rubber;
- special soft balls - the softening element is worn directly at the corner;
- soft tape - the range of softening angles is very large. You can secure a large area of the furniture surface.
A soft tape may not be suitable for a cabinet, but for cabinets and chests of drawers this is the best option for protection.
In addition to corners for the safe operation of furniture such as a cabinet, chest of drawers and a cabinet, special straps are used for fastening. One part is securely screwed to the wall, and the second directly to the furniture. Thanks to such fastening it is impossible to overturn furniture.
Attachment Rules
To ensure the safety of the child, it is worth not only using locks and protections for furniture, but also doing it correctly. So that the fasteners do not break, you need to follow several basic installation rules:
- check the quality of the purchased device: packaging integrity and shelf life;
- select the necessary materials and devices;
- First, prepare the surface of the cabinets and doors;
- clean the place of intended attachment from grease and other particles with acetone;
- when the part consists of two parts, it is necessary to mark the attachment points so that they are on the same level;
- remove the protective film from the adhesive tape on the blocker and attach it to the furniture surface with a slight movement;
- if the glue is frozen, then you can heat the connection point. This is easy to do with a hair dryer;
- hold the lock in this state for several minutes;
- check the reliability of the fastening, producing the characteristic actions.
If you violate one of the stages of the technology, then the quality of the fastening will be unreliable. Sometimes there is a need for additional materials for fixing: superglue, bolts. In case of improper fastening, it is better to change the nozzles.
On a glue basisOn the screwsWhat to look for when choosing
Protection against children on drawers and cabinets must meet certain conditions. If the product does not meet the conditions of quality, then operational moments of use may be violated. In addition, depending on the material and structure of the furniture, appropriate types of blockers and protection are selected.
It is better to use proven brands manufacturers. They will definitely be able to guarantee the quality and safety of the product:
- for wooden furniture, internal fixtures can be used. The fastening itself can be carried out using adhesive tape or small screws;
- for modern wardrobes, mechanisms are used that are attached to the surface with adhesive tape;
- for sliding doors in sliding wardrobes it is better to choose sliding or tape locks;
- in accordance with the age of the child, a mechanism is selected with a certain quality of fastening, fixing;
- initially it is worth paying attention to the manufacturer. There are fakes that are not characterized by quality;
- the material should be non-toxic, so it is worth studying the composition;
- Pay attention to the peculiarity of use, the simplicity of latches, locks.
If the choice is not easy to make due to the complexity of the furniture design, then you should contact a professional. Sometimes specialist assistance is required even in the installation of devices. Given all the features of the fastening in the process of choosing a device, you can choose the best protection for furniture, protect the child from danger.