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 45º 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.
