Baby Crib Challenge

[Darknight]

Hi all - My wife and I are planning on our first grand babies this year (nothing official yet but both kids are trying...) and they have asked if I would build baby cribs for them. Of course I'm excited and honored to take on this challenge.

I've done some research and have a decent idea of how I'm going to build them... both kids want something that will convert to toddler beds then full beds so I may use Wood Magazines 3 in 1 plans as a guide. Both kids and their spouses have different tastes, so the style of cribs/beds will be different, but I should be able to engineer them the same.

What I'm struggling with is finding the hardware for a crib. I can't find a dealer for the mattress 'platform' or spring frame (not really sure what it's called) or the hanging hardware.  On some old posts here I saw links to Products America but they must be out of business or the links are old and not functioning (I Googled them with no luck also). I've also Googled every way I can think of to find crib hardware, but all i get are images or links to Wayfair, Amazon, or Target for actual cribs.  I was hoping someone here may have a source they could recommend for hardware, frames, platforms. Any help is appreciated.

I did a search here on the forums and found very little on cribs as well but the posts I was able to pull up were a few years old and the images no longer work, so if anyone has built a crib, I'd love to see pics and see how you designed it to convert as they get older.

Thanks!

Dark

[Gary G™]

I built a special needs crib from plans in my head.
The build pics are on Lumberjocks.
I didn’t use springs for the mattress support.
I made rails which held slats in place.
https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/80515

Google photo says this link will provide access to the build album:
https://goo.gl/photos/a644AkpToEunQobNA

There are 60+ detailed pics including how the mattress support is built.

[abernat]

I made a crib about eleven years ago for my son (... coincidentally, about to turn eleven. Weird.)

I also didn't use any hardware. I built a slat-based platform to hold the mattress, and installed the sides with bed bolts. We never actually raised or lowered the platform, so I just focused on building everything as solid as possible.

[cme4dk]

I made a crib a few years ago for my grandson.  I used a plywood base with a mattress over it, and threaded inserts to hold cleats to lower the mattress as the child got bigger.  Since they do not allow the sides to lower anymore, I used bed hardware to attach the sides to the front and back.  This will allow us to take it apart and store the crib until it is needed again.

[FS7]

I built a crib a few years ago for my oldest. She's coming up on 4 and her younger sister is in it now.

It isn't designed as a toddler bed, just a crib. Of course, from the dimensions, it can convert relatively easily to a full-size bed. I will need to create side rails at some point.

As a crib, it is necessary to have multiple height levels for the bedding surface. Since I used bubinga for the corner posts, I was able to tap the wood with a machine tap for 1/4" screws. There are three levels of screw holes, and I use socket cap screws to thread into them. The actual bed surface is 2x2 pine for the outside with 1x2 pine slats. Soft, strong, easy and cheap.  On the four corners, I used turnbuckles with one side being a hook and one side being an eye. The eye side was attached to the mattress support with nylon lock nuts and bolts through the eyes, while the hook sides rest on the screws I threaded into the tapped holes (one inch screws mostly threaded in, so you only need about 3/16" exposed).


Hopefully this helps. The bed surface you will use as a crib may or may not be the same as the bed surface you will use as a toddler.

[BrentDH]

Please do not take this wrong.  It is intended to be a considerate suggestion given in the most polite manner possible.

I don't want to burst your "grandpa" balloon, but....     Are you sure you want to build a crib for your grandchildren?  I hear about all of these people who want to make cribs and I cringe a little bit.  Do you really want to spend that much time and expense building something that they will use for a couple of years and then have to store for the rest of their lives because Dad/Grandpa made it and we can't get rid of it?  Don't get me wrong, I am all for building things for the grandkids, I am just not sure a crib is the answer.  Even if it converts to a toddler bed there are still the extra pieces to store, and then what about when they outgrow the toddler bed?  And I have not even mentioned the safety concerns.  Cribs nowadays have so many requirements you may not even be aware of.  I would use the money that you would have used on materials and buy them a crib.  Then if you want to build them something build them toys or full size beds or other bedroom furniture.  

When your kids are done having kids put the purchased crib on facebook marketplace or craigslist and have it be gone.

[Darknight]

Brent - I appreciate your input and certainly have no trouble accepting anyone's thoughts and perspective... 

I fully understand your point and totally agree, if it were only to be a crib.  I may not have made it clear in my original post, but I intend to build a crib that will convert from a crib, to a toddler bed, then to a full bed.  This is the one ask that both kids had... that way the grandchildren will always have a bed that fits them and take with them if they so choose. If they don't take it, I hope someone would donate it to a deserving family and their kids can enjoy it for another 18 years.

I will take your advise on the safety and research what the specs are for cribs and see if it's something I can work with and fulfill. Again, I appreciate your input.

Thanks

[ed kerns]

I built this one about 5 years ago or so with the help of the dad- to- be. It is made so that the sides come off and the rear becomes a headboard while the front is the footboard. A couple of 2x10's span the two to make the bed frame.  Fun project, lots of laminated curves. No plans, but I do think we bought parts from Products America [attachment=24171]

[GeeDub]

Let's not confuse cradles and cribs.  I applaud your idea for a crib that converts to a bed to assure a long life and extended use of the item.  Just to add food for thought; I went with the changing table/dresser.  The changing table comes off and the dresser can be used through college.

   

   

[BrokenOlMarine]

Let's not confuse cradles and cribs.

Thanks, missed that. I deleted my post.