# Crib/baby furniture plans?!?



## believebraves (Jan 10, 2011)

My wife and I are expecting our first baby in October and I really wanna build his/her crib... However the wife doesn't know about that idea, therefore il just get a jump start on it before she has time to go shop for one...

Just wondering if anyone has a good set of plans for a baby crib or a changing station or both? 

Any advice is greatly appreciated. BTW, I have a full shop and can do most joinery, so pleZ no "well we don't know what you can do responses..." LOL thanks guys!!!


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## lawrence (Nov 14, 2009)

With these things that are bound to become heirlooms I think it is best if you look at a bunch of them and then do your own plans....it adds another depth to the piece that will carry on for generations.of course that is just my opinion


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## BigBull (Feb 10, 2010)

There are a couple of builds on this forum you can look at to get some ideas. Google baby bed patterns and start looking. The one I built is in my album. It started out from a patteren then modified to the way I wanted it. Good luck with the build, and congrats on the new adition to the family.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Congrats on the new baby!

I just wanted to warn you about the New federal crib laws, http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2011/07/02/news/nh4199909.txt.

Also some states have come up with their own laws. I don’t see Georgia as one of them but I’m sure it s coming, 
http://www.keepingbabiessafe.org/safecrib_law.shtml

I had to throw away a beautiful crib that I had for my kids 30 years ago because of the law. So before you build I would check to see if the plans are up to code.


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## Sorrowful Jones (Nov 28, 2010)

I might be wrong but I do not believe the laws are applicable to those who build a crib for their own kids. I think it has to do with those who make and sell cribs, and those who donate cribs to agencies, resell shops, etc


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Sorrowful Jones said:


> I might be wrong but I do not believe the laws are applicable to those who build a crib for their own kids. I think it has to do with those who make and sell cribs, and those who donate cribs to agencies, resell shops, etc


 Well I haven’t read the federal law and I don’t know about Georgia and Texas isn’t listed either, but if you read the other State Laws notice, it says it’s against the law to even use it. 


In huge letters it says “Don’t Sell Or Use That Crib!”


I don't have kids any more and I don't want to take the time to read the Federal Law and I 'm just saying.


here is the federal law, but its too much reading for me http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/frnotices/fr11/cribfinal.pdf


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## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

First off congrats on the baby! My little girl is due in July and I am building her crib. I have a build thread in the project showcase here on the forum. My wife searched for plans and never really found one she liked. So what we did was find a crib online (rosenberryrooms.com) and then I bought plans for a simple crib and altered the plans to make it look similar to the one she like as well as a unique family heirloom. The reason I bought plans was to find the measurements for the mattress as well as slat spacing. One thing to consider is making it a convertible crib, to toddler bed and finally full size bed.
here are the plans I purchased for the crib: http://woodworking.ecrater.com/p/7031271/convertible-sleigh-style-crib-woodworking
I am also going to build a dresser/changing table 
http://woodworking.ecrater.com/p/7028658/nursery-baby-changing-dresser-woodworking
Good luck and let us see some pics when you build it!


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## believebraves (Jan 10, 2011)

Thank you so much preacher man! I will keep y'all posted when I start!

Also thank you for the laws y'all! Not that I give a crap what the lying thieves say should be legal or not, my #1 goal is to keep my future child SAFE!!! Therefore on this one I will not only obey the law but also make sure I am well above the law standards!!


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

lawrence said:


> With these things that are bound to become heirlooms I think it is best if you look at a bunch of them and then do your own plans....it adds another depth to the piece that will carry on for generations.of course that is just my opinion


the only thing i can add to lawrences post is congrats on the new baby.

and dont fear the federal law in the other posts. i raised 2 fine boys and never once did the crib police visit us.


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## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

*Concerning Laws*

As far as all those laws I read so many pages I was going in circles. You just about need to be a lawyer to understand some of that foolishness. 

The basics have to do with drop side cribs, they are no longer allowed. You can not even get hardware for those anymore.

The slat spacing can be no greater than 2 3/8 inches at rest. And no much larger than that when a wedge test is performed. You also cannot have small spaces that would cause possible entrapment issuses. There cannot be any horoziontal spaces or flat spots on the inside of the crib that the child could use as a toe hold to climb out either.

Then of course the finish can not be lead paint, like you can get any of that anymore.

Basically use a little common sense and you will be able to build something that is much better and even safer than what is sold in the stores.


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## Fishbucket (Aug 18, 2010)

I built my son's crib with Rockler plans 11 yr's ago. 
I still have the crib plans. 

The Changing Table ( from Shopsmith plans I think ) was actually a 3 drawer, 1 door Hutch bottom. I extened the legs to raise it to a comfortable height. It worked out perfectly. 
I dont have the plans for the changing table. 

Keep looking around Google images, you'll find what you need.


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## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

believebraves said:


> However the wife doesn't know about that idea,


I don't know if you should try to dissuade her.

What you might do is just build one and see if she likes it. Let her decide if she's willing to put her baby in it all on her own no pressure. 

Absent some good design and engineering skills on your part you might have the best chances with a more conventional design like what you can get from Taunten books or Rockler. 


Let her call the shots on that one. 
It'll make her feel so much better.


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## auhux926 (Jan 23, 2012)

Can't believe this is gonna be my first post. Congrats on the new baby!

No woodworking expert here, but a big fan. Heres the table I built for my son. Its a changing table for now, and will be a dresser when he gets older.













IMO , the only thing that need to be planned, is that the size must hold the pad ur gonna buy from the baby store. As for the height, I figure changing dipper is sort of like doing woodwork on ur bench. Consider your wife might be shorter than u, assumed, make it a couple inches shorter than ur bench. 

Rest of it, is simply to build a box, a few drawers, doors, and whatever, surely with your favorate joinery.

My table may not be one of the pretty ones. But my wife liked it a lot. My son has been on it now for 6 month and no complaint as I can tell. 

Finally, build it strong, so you add a zero to your babies weight, let it still hold. Can't realy stand with those shaky changing tables sold in the store.

Good luck building. pictures expected.


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## Scubadaveojr (Apr 25, 2011)

If you want custom plans let me know. I have the ability to draw them up for you. I have 4 kids and each one has there own furniture to there name.


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

Do NOT purchase anything from plans design! Follow my crib build in plans&designs , I have run into yet another problem seems the finished dimentions are too large for the mattress to fit safely...


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

The new regulations are available at the Consumer Products Safety Commission web site: http://www.cpsc.gov/about/CPSIA/smbus/manufacturers.html

A key element is that the crib must be submitted to an approved testing facility and receive certification before it can be transferred to someone else. I also expect that plans currently published will slowly be eliminated as "building your own" may not be able to pass the certification tests.

While you may be able to build a crib for your own use, it would probably be a violation of the regulation to transfer it to someone else


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## Dave66 (Apr 6, 2012)

As others have said, check your local state laws for any restrictions on baby cribs.

I'm a cabinet and furniture designer/builder with a brand new grandson. I could have easily made a crib, but we decided that it just wasn't worth the aggravation. I'll wait until he's ready for a "big boy bed" and built that instead.


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