Expecting the arrival of a baby can involve a flurry of activities. Among which is deciding if you are better off in buying a ready made commercial baby crib or learn how to build a baby crib for your own bundle of joy. In my case, having completed some woodworking pieces and furniture in the house, I've always known there's nothing more special than something you've built with your own hands.
As it was, I was determined to put in the time and effort to learn how to build a baby crib. After all, it is something that my young tot is going to use for the most part of his infant years. Might as well build something special. While I was learning how to build a baby crib, I've always known that safety for my baby is going to be topmost priorities.
Convertible Crib Rail
Here's some of the safety measure I've put in place in building a crib:
* Wood slats are no more than 2 inches apart.
* I made sure there's no rough edges and I've added padding on some corners for extra protection.
* Rail height is at least 26 inches high. If the height of the rail is less than three-fourths of a baby's height, it is no longer safe for the baby.
WOOD
In learning how to build a baby crib, I've come to the point of choosing a wood to use. I have the option of choosing a soft or hard wood. Generally, hard wood cost more than soft woods, but knowing I wanted to build a sturdy infant crib, I opted for mahogany.
Of course, the type of wood is going to be your choice but you have to keep in mind some factors like sturdiness and durability and for how long you wish to use the crib. Soft woods may not be able to withstand your infant's increasing weight and ever increasing playful activities.
FINISHING
It is imperative that you apply enough finishing to the newly built crib. The finishing would smoothen out surfaces and it would seal the wood and bind the fibers well. This way, safety for your baby is ensured and splintering can be prevented.
All finishing is non-toxic once it's cured. But as a parent, I want the added assurance as babies would just chew on just about anything especially when they are at the teething age. That's why when it comes to finishing I go for shellac as it's sometimes used on confectioners coating on candy. It is as non-toxic as I like it to be.
BABY CRIB DESIGN
In learning how to build a baby crib, I've come across a very good and workable crib plan which save me some troubles and headaches. Having a comprehensive list of materials beforehand, I was able to anticipate the total cost of the crib and a step-by-step instruction save me some time in being able to prepare the necessary tools. It also left nothing to the imagination on how to go about building a baby crib.