the crib

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As requested by Design*Sponge, I’m posting instructions on how to make your very own crib/co sleeper. The crib is very simple and straight forward, but I’ll share how I made the different joints, etc. It is important to consider the safety of your child when undertaking this project. For helpful tips, click here for a list of safety guides for your crib.

With that said, here’s the basic idea…

Material Costs (approximate):

Wood and hardware: $80
High density foam: $10
Bumper pad kit: $15
1 yard of oilcloth: $6
3 yards of decorative cotton fabric: $15

First, we went to the hardware store and bought all of our supplies; 3/4 inch plywood for the base, 1″x3″ boards for the frame for the base, castors, 1″x2″ boards for the external framework, 1/2″x6″ and 1/2″x8″ boards for the slats. If you plan on doing this project or something similar, you’ll want to draw out detailed plans ahead of time and bring a calculator with you to the hardware store to figure out quantity. Remember that lumber is labeled according to its PRE milled size, e.g. a 1×3 is really 3/4″x2 1/2″.

After cutting out the base to size, I reinforced the bottom with 1″x3″ boards cut at 45ยบ angles at the corners. Then I cut out notches to fit the 1″x2″ boards to make the vertical frame. After cutting all of the vertical boards to length, I cut notches out of the top of the 1″x2″ boards for the cross bars. For illustrations on the joints and what they look like, click HERE. Before assembling everything, I sanded all of the wood until smooth, then applied a few coats of polycrylic wood finish. Once assembled, I added the finishing touches of white paint to the exterior.

I used the bumper pad kit (found at JoAnn Fabrics), and cut the pads to fit the dimensions of my crib/co sleeper. I followed the pattern provided in the kit, making the appropriate adjustments to fit. For the mattress, I used a high density foam. Once it was cut to size, I made a cover for it by measuring the dimensions plus half the thickness of the pad, plus seam allowances. I inserted a zipper to the cover to allow for easy removal.

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    1. […] week and i have the commenters to thank. after all was said and done, thousands of you voted for melissa’s diy crib project and today she’s our third place winner and the recipient of a check […]

    2. Fiona C says:

      I was stunned at the beauty of the piece. All of the elements, hand painted panels
      the cloth ,the wood, the child, combine famously. Well done (I almost want another baby so I can make it!!!)

    3. Frida says:

      This is a lovely idea!!

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