Patio/glass doors - safety

[Maza]

I've finally achieved a dream of mine of moving to a house with direct access o the garden via patio doors.

I'm now wondering how/if you make them safe for little toddlers who might fall into them. We also have some glass doors separating the lounge/kitchen and some wide floor to ceiling glass panels next to the front door.

I remember my little brother falling into one as a toddler, but fortunately he didn't have a scratch on him - the glass door shattered though. Maybe it was different glass as I'm talking early 80s.

[loocyloo]

My glass doors are from sitting room into conservatory and were safety glass. I put a selection of big stickers ( leaves and flowers ) on the bottom 3rd of the door, so that small people would notice if the door was shut!

[Maza]

Fabulous idea loocyloo!

[moggy]

Always had big glass patio doors- all modern ones have a glass safety mark on, look in the corners. Never been a problem here.

[FloraDora]

I had glass and wood doors leading from living to dining room.
We initially put special film on them, which my Ofsted inspection approved of, I also put it on a small glass fronted bookcase I had inherited. One day someone threw a really hard ball for our dog and it landed on the glass of the bookcase with a fair slam..we all took a breath but the film seemed to work and it was ok. Then discovered a local glass company sold safety glass. They cut to size DH fitted them. Worked out cheaper than the glass film!
Patio doors should be ok, if they are fairly modern. I used to keep a circular door stopper at the top if they were open in the summer to stop trapped fingers. DH built a little door step too as it was just a little too tricky for one LO to step down onto patio....just one brick high...until she mastered it.

[Maza]

Thanks all. I checked my patio doors to the garden and they do have the safety mark in the top corner - so thanks Moggy for that.

The sliding doors from the lounge to the kitchen don't seem to have it though, neither do the big glass panels next to the front door.

Floradora, I thought I remembered seeing safety film somewhere. That will probably have to be the answer for now (well, when I start minding). Is it very obvious when it is on? I seem to remember having some of it at home after the incident with my little brother and it didn't look great - but as I said, that was early 80s.

The same little brother also pulled a glass drinks cabinet on top of him as a toddler. I remember my dad being genuinely scared when lifting it off him, because my brother was screaming underneath the frame of it and the glass was everywhere. Again, he didn't have a scratch on him.

[FloraDora]

Oh my goodness, your little brother has 9 lives!
The safety film is easy to put on, if you take your time and get rid of air bubbles. We could always see the first one we did....but the others were fine and unless you looked close..you don’t notice they have a duller look about them. I am looking at the small bookcase now and can’t see it...we never took it off after childminding.

[BallyH]

We have a conservatory with two sets double glazed doors, one from dining room and one from lounge/playroom. No problem here as all have safety glass. They are fabulous when the sun is shining through them.