Classically overengineered hearth babyproofing

Classically overengineered hearth babyproofing · 09-01-2009, 10:01 PM

My LOML asked that I baby proof our fireplace hearth and then promptly took off to Toledo to visit with her parents for the week. So...here I was unsupervised and a week to get a task done. I went to the store and looked through the stick-on rubber thingies and figured they would not be durable or attractive. That being ruled out, I thought I could do something with a carpet remnent from the habitat restore. Went there and found some that basically matched our carpet. Then, figured that we may want to use the fireplace this winter so just sticking it to the brick was out. This is what I ended up with. Not a real WW project but close and may be a spark for a better idea when you need to do the same thing.

Lots of pocket screws. I love that jig.

Fits like a glove.

Bet I'm not the only one to hang onto these edge bands for the interlocking mats. I found a use so I feel good about being a pack rat.

Add a coat of carpet and it's done.

Thanks for looking.
Steve

PChristy · 09-01-2009, 10:53 PM

Great job Steve - that was a good idea about the rupper edging

Hope no sparks get on that carpet

ashley_phil · 09-01-2009, 11:31 PM

very nice. i bet you could sell those

Sealeveler · 09-02-2009, 12:11 AM

That'll work.Tony

Glennbear · 09-02-2009, 11:14 AM

Please excuse my ignorance but my babies were born decades ago.

The rationale for covering the hearth is to protect little parts from sharp brick edges?

ashley_phil · 09-02-2009, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Glennbear

Please excuse my ignorance but my babies were born decades ago. The rationale for covering the hearth is to protect little parts from sharp brick edges?

yes today's children are not smart enough to learn by cracking their head on a brick hearth or pulling a TV off a table. we have to protect them.

SteveCogs · 09-02-2009, 01:56 PM

Thanks for the comments guys.
My intent was to protect the edges but I didn't think I would like the look of those rubber strips so I just covered the whole thing. I also made it removable (just sits on top) so we could still use the fireplace this winter.
Steve

Glennbear · 09-02-2009, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by ashley_phil

yes today's children are not smart enough to learn by cracking their head on a brick hearth or pulling a TV off a table. we have to protect them.

Thanks Phil, I was not making light of a safety issue for the wee people I just never dealt with interior brickwork when my girls were tiny. The hazard we had was an old fashioned metal swing set, 1 broken forearm and 1 broken collarbone later Daddy made the swingset go bye-bye.

JOAT · 09-04-2009, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Glennbear

The hazard we had was an old fashioned metal swing set, 1 broken forearm and 1 broken collarbone later Daddy made the swingset go bye-bye.

One of the joys of parenting was to be able to say, "Don't do that, or you're going to be hurt". Then it was, "See, I told you that you'd get hurt if you did that, didn't I?". They'd have hurt themselves one way or another anyway, but at least that way they learned to listen.

When I was a kid, we all got sharp pocketknives, and told to be careful or we'd cut ourselves. Then it was, "See, I told you to be carefull". But we didn't cut ourselves again, lesson learned.