Any children's bed, created with your own hands for a baby, is not only convenient and inexpensive, but also a great memory. Despite the fact that modern manufacturers offer many models of ready-made cribs, many parents want to create a sleeping place for their child on their own. Those who do not have practical skills in this matter will need expert advice.
Factory models have standard sizes, which mainly determine the dimensions of the sleeping place. The height of the backs and sides should be sufficient to prevent the child from falling and comfortable for the mother leaning towards the baby.
In order to decide how to make a children's bed optimally suitable for both the child and the mother, standard sizes must be adhered to:
- The width of the backs is 60-70 cm.
- Back height – 90-100 cm.
- The length of the side rails is 125-130 cm.
- The height of the rear side is 65 cm.
- The height of the front side is 50 cm.
Knowing the dimensions, prepare necessary materials it won't be difficult.
Selection of materials
To ensure that the bed you make is safe for your baby, you must use environmentally friendly materials that are not harmful to health.
The best option, of course, would be natural wood (solid wood):
- linden;
- birch.
MDF can also be used on a budget and safe for the child. The visible parts of the future crib are mainly made from this material.
To make the structure you will need:
- bars at least 5 cm wide and 3 cm thick;
- slats 1.5 cm thick, width 2.5-5 cm.
For ease of movement, the crib can be additionally equipped with wheels..
Necessary tool
The best option for making crib parts would be to have a carpentry or lathe. If such equipment is not available, you will have to use hand tools:
- Use a chisel, hammer and construction knife to remove wood from holes for installing vertical elements in horizontal guides.
- File and sandpaper for sanding parts.
- Construction meter and pencil for marking.
- A hacksaw with a miter box for cutting workpieces. A miter box will be needed to ensure that the cuts are even. If you use a triangle with a right angle when cutting material, you can do without unnecessary equipment.
It is easier to assemble a crib with your own hands, the drawings of which do not include chamfers and other elements created by professional tools. How simpler scheme, the less you have to think about how to make and what the completed element will look like.
You will also need:
- wood glue;
- wood screws;
- putty;
- steel corners;
- stain or paint;
Assembling the base for the mattress
The minimum size of children's mattresses is 120 by 60 cm. Based on this, the base is made with a small allowance; it is assembled, like the rest of the bed elements, from 2 bars, between which transverse slats will be located. To ensure the reliability of the base, grooves are made in the middle of the longitudinal elements into which the slats will be inserted.
This is the only part of the crib where continuous recesses can be used. To secure the slats, wood glue must be used. Short self-tapping screws can be used as additional fasteners. Their length should be less than the width of the bar. The length of the longitudinal elements of the mattress base depends on the chosen pattern. In some cribs, their length corresponds to the sides; they are secured to the vertical elements of the back with long self-tapping screws or bolts. In others, where the base is placed on the transverse elements of the backs, allowances of 1.5-2 cm are made on each side.
Assembling the backs
Both backs are done the same way. Between the two bars, assembled gratings are placed, consisting of two transverse and several vertical elements. Holes are cut in the transverse upper and lower thick slats according to the size of the slats. The ends of the slats coated with glue are inserted into the grooves. The lower and upper elements of the resulting lattice are fixed between the bars. To add rigidity to the structure, another wide element is attached 5-10 cm below the grille.
The sides are assembled in the same way as the backrest lattice. They are also attached to bars that serve as the legs of the child’s bed. If you plan to put the crib on wheels, then before attaching the sides, you need to drill holes at the bottom of the bars. The pins of the rotating wheels will be inserted into them. Another design of furniture wheels is fastened with two screws, but they are static and only drive straight.
Painting a wooden product
When the crib assembly is completed, all that remains is to give it a finished look. To do this, you need to decide how to paint the crib and how to decorate it. For coloring, it is best to use stain, since it is relatively safe for the child’s body after drying. It happens different colors, but one of its qualities is unchanged - it does not hide, but emphasizes the texture and protects the wood from rotting. Despite the fact that the stain is absorbed well, the surface of the product will have to be coated with it in several stages to get the maximum effect.
Depending on the type of stain you use, it may have a specific odor that is difficult to get rid of. Therefore, it is better to carry out work outdoors. After treatment, the crib should be varnished, which will protect the wood from moisture.. Instead of stain, you can use acrylic and acrylate paints.
On video: how to cover wood.
It will also give the bed a beautiful appearance varied decor. You can use almost anything as it, for example, ribbons, textiles, etc. Do not limit your imagination to give your child’s sleeping place a complete, logical and individual appearance.
Advice. For coloring, it is best to use stain, since it is relatively safe for the child’s body after drying.
Original cribs made of wood
Having the skills to work on woodworking machines, the simplest bed for a child can be turned into a masterpiece. A photo of a self-made children's bed using a CNC milling machine shows that it was made using standard scheme the crib can become an interior decoration. By choosing multi-layer thread for the wide elements of the crib, thanks to computer program, it is easy to repeat. It will take from 30 minutes to several hours to make the elements, depending on the complexity of the design. When compared with the time that our great-grandfathers spent masterfully wielding hand tools, this is mere nonsense.
For home craftsmen who only have an electric jigsaw at hand, you can try their hand at cutting ornaments. A heart, a clover trefoil, a bell are the simplest shapes, but they will become a wonderful decoration for the crib..
Typewriter
For older children, you can make a bed with a more intricate shape. For example, today a model in the form of a typewriter is very popular.
Using a woodworking machine you can make the contours of a future bed. Such a car will be made from several separate parts:
- The outer end part is the bumper, headlights, and radiator grille.
- Side elements – wheels and side rails that imitate car doors.
- A simple board headboard will be decorated with a wooden spoiler.
Such a frame can be built by fathers and grandfathers who understand the intricacies not only of woodworking tools, but also of cars. To make this crib comfortable so that the mattress does not slip, a mattress base installed below the sides of the machine will help.
Drawings of children's beds show that the ideal basis for any external design is a wooden lattice mounted on the legs.
The modern market offers a sufficient selection of children's furniture, including cribs.
A child will be able to sleep in his crib for a maximum of four years, then he will have to change it to a more adult-sized version. And the price of furniture is not cheap at all, so there is an option to make a comfortable crib with your own hands. It's not as difficult as it seems at first glance!
It is not at all necessary to be a professional in this field and spend a lot of time on assembly.
The first step is to purchase only high-quality environmentally friendly materials and take this issue seriously, considering the entire upcoming process.
The photo of a do-it-yourself crib shows how to make one for a five-year-old child, but all of the specified parameters can be increased to a larger size.
The benefits of a self-made bed
When you go to a furniture store, you can find a lot of options for children's beds from various materials(plastic, fiberboard, chipboard, wood). The best material, of course, wood, which provides safety, durability and is the most durable option.
A finished wooden crib is quite expensive. Not every family can afford such costs, especially since it will only last a few years.
The cost of a hand-made design will be several times less and has the following positive aspects:
- reliability in use of the design. Children often love to play and jump on the bed, and you won’t have to worry that it will break under the load;
- You can make a strictly individual bed. Which will suit the style and interior of the children's room and has individual sizes;
- The creation process will help you spend time with interest with your child, who will probably not refuse to help his parents.
Purchasing the necessary material and preparing tools
To begin with, you should carefully prepare the room in which the planned process will take place. If it will take place directly in the room, it is wise to cover the floor and furniture with film, since a lot of dust and sawdust will appear during the work.
Then you need to competently prepare an exact drawing of a crib for a newborn with your own hands, or find a suitable sketch on the Internet.
You will need a number of materials:
- self-tapping screws of different diameters;
- wooden panels for furniture;
- special wheels with which the drawers will be pulled out;
- a sheet of plywood or a metal grid for the base of the bed;
- sandpaper for processing cuts.
The set of tools is absolutely minimal: an electric jigsaw, an angle grinder and a regular drill.
It is important to first, before drawing up the drawing, measure the mattress that will be placed in the crib, since later it will be more difficult to choose the right size!
Step-by-step making of a baby crib with your own hands
Having decided on the size and design of the children's bed, you can begin the actual work:
- All necessary markings are carefully applied with a pencil, not forgetting the edges.
- Then, using a jigsaw, you need to carefully cut out all the parts.
- It is necessary to cut the metal corners of the required size, immediately drilling holes in them (maximum five), into which self-tapping screws will be mounted in the future.
- To make the base of the mattress, you need to screw the corners to the bottom of the sides.
- Having conveniently placed the crib on its side, you need to assemble all the necessary parts.
- Use sandpaper to smooth out possible irregularities and sharp corners.
- There are spacious drawers at the bottom of the furniture.
- It is wise to coat the crib with varnish or a similar coating, which will give it an aesthetic appearance.
- The final stage: place the mattress on the bottom of the bed and spread the bed linen.
Accessories for baby's bed
A crib for a small family member must be equipped with sides that will serve as protection for the baby. It’s very easy and fun to sew the sides of a crib with your own hands.
Their most popular type is the option that protects all four sides and is secured with regular ties.
Pay attention!
When choosing fabric for children's bumpers, you should opt for lightweight materials with not too “pretentious” patterns, since the baby will have to study the patterns around him for quite a long time.
A cape over the crib protects the child from insects and possible drafts. It is also possible to make an original canopy for a crib with your own hands by choosing the right fabric.
It is better to buy two different cuts (quite wide for allowance) of natural material: weightless, light, summer fabric and a denser one for winter. First, you need to purchase a frame that attaches to the bed. Then draw a pattern according to size, cut out the parts and sew them in the right places.
With imagination and minimal skills, you can make an original, unique crib that will serve and delight both you and your baby for several years!
DIY crib photo
Pay attention!
Pay attention!
All photos from the article
Baby cribs made of natural wood for newborns can be found in any furniture store today. However, very often parents prefer to make this piece of furniture themselves: this way, costs can be reduced almost by an order of magnitude, and the design can be chosen exactly the one that will fully meet our needs. And just creating something for your child yourself is very nice.
Naturally, making such a crib is a rather complex process, which should only be undertaken after thorough preparation. So if you have not encountered furniture work before, we recommend that you carefully study the methodology described in the article.
Materials and tools
Blanks for main parts
Cribs for newborns made of natural wood cost a lot in furniture stores, but the materials for their manufacture can be purchased at a very reasonable price. So it turns out that if we have the skill, we can make premium furniture, spending about the same amount of money as we would need to buy a simple crib made of MDF or chipboard.
To make children's furniture we will need:
- Edged boards made of coniferous wood (spruce or pine).
- Bars with a cross section of 30x50 mm for the manufacture of main frames.
- Slats with a cross-section of 20x20 mm for making filling.
- Plywood (optimal thickness about 5 mm).
Pay attention! For bars and slats, it is best to take the most durable wood, for example, beech or oak.
In addition, the work will be impossible without the accompanying materials:
- Self-tapping screws (it is best to take phosphated products intended for woodworking).
- Carpenter's glue.
- Wood putty.
- Steel angles for connecting parts.
- A stain or other composition designed to impregnate wood and protect it from moisture.
- Furniture varnish or paint for interior work.
As for decoration, here you are not limited in your imagination. For this purpose, it is worth using multi-colored ribbons, textiles (you can make a canopy from it), and complex compositions for artificial aging of wood.
In addition, we will need a children's mattress. And here it is better not to save money, but to buy an orthopedic product in a specialized store. Of course, the price of such mattresses is quite high, but they really have a beneficial effect on the baby’s developing spine, so we take the highest quality model as our budget allows.
Set of tools for work
Despite the fact that a wooden crib does not have a complex design, we still need carpentry tools to make it. Of course, every master has most of them, but if any of the above is missing, then you should either buy it or rent it
So, we will need:
- A jigsaw or reciprocating saw for cutting boards and beams.
- Grinding machine.
- Manual router with a set of attachments.
Pay attention! If possible, it is better to use a stationary router, but there will be little work for it.
- Wood file.
- Drill and screwdriver.
- Measuring tools (tape measure, level).
- Clamps for gluing workpieces.
- Acids and rollers for painting, varnishing or decorating.
Method of building a crib
Making the basic elements
Solid wood cribs for newborns are usually made quite compact. The optimal dimensions of the product will be as follows:
Pay attention! Small deviations from these dimensions are possible, but you should not make the crib too large or too small.
Assembling the crib
If you performed all the operations described in the previous section yourself, then you will not need instructions for assembling the crib - you will already understand perfectly where each part is installed.
So below we will limit ourselves to only general recommendations:
- First, we install the frame for the mattress on the backrests. To do this, we attach metal corners to the frame of the side parts, on which we place the lower support part on top.
Advice! For more reliable fixation, it is worth additionally securing the frame with through self-tapping screws, screwed through the crossbars in the backrests.
- Then we install the far side. It can also be secured with self-tapping screws, but if you want the structure to contain a minimum of cracks, then you should first make nests in the backs for the tenons on the side cross members.
- It is best to make the near side folding. To do this, we install two furniture hinges on the mattress frame, to which we attach the side frame.
- We fix the side in the closed position with two latches, which we fix on the outside of the crib.
Finishing and decoration
When our natural wood crib is ready, it should be decorated.
We carry out the work in the following sequence:
- First, using wood putty, we eliminate all defects and gaps between the parts. We wait until the putty mass dries, after which we carefully sand the leveled areas with a fine-grained abrasive material.
- Then we impregnate all wooden parts with stain or other composition designed to protect the wood from moisture and rotting.
Important! Since we make children's furniture, we need to use impregnations that are as natural as possible and do not contain aggressive or toxic substances.
- After the impregnation has dried, we either open the crib with varnish, or paint it with latex or acrylic paint selected shade.
- You can also use today’s popular technologies of craquelure (artificial aging of paint), decoupage (gluing images printed on thin paper under a layer of varnish), etc. for decoration.
So, the crib for the baby is ready, and all we have to do is put the previously purchased mattress in it.
Conclusion
Making a crib for newborns from solid wood according to the scheme described above will be possible even for a beginner in carpentry. However, the final result largely depends on your skill and accuracy, so for a more detailed study of the techniques and techniques, we recommend watching the video in this article.
The crib should be ready to welcome a new addition to the family while the mother prepares to be discharged, but not just out of courtesy and joy. Man is a social being, and a stable society is impossible without hierarchy. Having received his own territory and things from birth, even if he still does not completely understand their meaning, the little person will gain self-confidence, over time correctly determine his place in society and achieve success. This, of course, is not an absolute law, but statistics clearly show: babies who, by the will (or lack of will) of their parents, wandered anywhere at an unintelligent age, have a much greater chance of growing up careless and worthless. There is even a historical and sociological theory: they say that people began to emerge from savagery and create civilization when the cradle was invented and mothers stopped carrying their babies around all the time.
All this may be interesting, but in a developed civilization, dad, rushing around stores and websites in happy anticipation, discovers that the prices for cribs for babies are disproportionately high compared to the complexity and material intensity of the products. And you can’t undermine it; under each hidden scam there is a solid medical, environmental, production and legislative basis. But what about in a consumer society, and let parents spare nothing for their child.
Let's say the head of the family is a craftsman. Then he has the idea of making a crib himself: its design has been formed over thousands of years, there is nothing complicated about it, and nothing is required of material. It is possible to make a crib for a baby with your own hands, using ordinary household tools plus a jigsaw, manual or, better, electric. There is one more reason: after giving birth, the mother, especially if it is her first child, will be “on edge.” Having made sure that the faithful did not revel or procrastinate in her absence, but worked diligently in his field for the sake of the family good, she will calm down much faster and generally return to normal. And there will be more milk, which is again good for the baby.
Which one will we do?
Classic crib for a newborn, pos. 1 in Fig., the design is simple. Basic requirements for it:
- Environmental cleanliness and complete health and sanitary safety.
- No sharp protrusions or edges.
- There should be no holes/openings or crevices in which a little one can get stuck with anything, from a finger to a head.
- The presence of sides is required; It is well known how dangerous it is for babies to fall even from a small height. It is desirable that the front side (wall) be partially folded or lowered to make it more convenient for the mother to care for the child.
- Ventilated, i.e. lattice or perforated bottom. No matter how much baby hygiene products improve, the baby will one day make the bed dirty.
- If the newborn is the first-born and it is planned to someday add brothers and sisters to him, then sufficient strength and durability in combination with a collapsible design.
Often, for ease of movement around the house, a baby crib is placed on wheels, pos. 2. In small apartments you can sometimes find samples with drawers for linen in the under-bed space, like in adults, pos. 3. However, for the reasons stated above, drawers under an infant's cot should be equipped with waterproof lids. Finally, a rather complex and expensive, but convenient for mother and space-saving product - a crib for newborns, combined with a changing chest, pos. 4.
Many babies have to be rocked to sleep. Main types of rocking beds hammock, pos. 5, cradle (with upper suspension of the bed), pos. 6, and a cradle (with a bed on the lower curved rocking supports), pos. 7. A hammock is only suitable as a temporary rookery, say, at the dacha on the weekend. The baby’s bones are still soft, and constant lying on something malleable deforms his skeleton. Cribs for newborns - hammocks are most often made folding and transportable.
The cradle is easy to rock, but difficult to make, because... some kind of mechanism is required. In addition, the risk for a baby to fall out of the cradle, hanging over the side, is much greater than from a hammock or cradle. The latter, moreover, is easier to make, and the small bumper protrusions on the rocking chairs make it completely safe, which is why the cradle is the most common. The cradle must have a bed lock, preferably a spring one with a self-resetting mechanism, which must be retracted for rocking, otherwise a busy mother may forget to insert it when leaving the crib. “With self-resetting” means that the mechanism itself will place the stock horizontally and reset the pin into the socket if the angle of inclination of the cradle exceeds a certain permissible value.
Note: cribs for babies may have completely different bumpers, see the end for details.
Motion sickness in the transverse direction is not optimal for a person, this is how our vestibular apparatus is designed. Anyone who has gone to sea on a boat or sailing yacht knows that pitching motion is much easier to bear than side motion. Babies who are constantly rocked sideways may even develop an addiction to rocking, which is why the obnoxious screamer, as he grows up, risks turning into a hyperactive idiot or “no” autist. The likelihood of injuring the baby’s psyche by excessive motion sickness is reduced to almost zero if the cradle (pos. 8) or cradle (pos. 9) is adapted to motion sickness in the longitudinal direction.
Recently, pendulum beds have become widespread, pos. 10, free from the disadvantages of cradles and cradles. Firstly, transverse motion sickness in a pendulum crib is harmless, because The child’s body does not tilt when it is used and his vestibular apparatus experiences a completely negligible load in one plane. Secondly, it is almost impossible for a child to fall out of it, because the crib itself is not tiltable. Thirdly, the under-bed drawer can be arranged more simply - access to it is provided automatically. The pendulum mechanism itself is fundamentally simple, pos. 11, you will only have to occasionally adjust the tension of the springs as the child grows.
What not to do!
Under no circumstances should you make a crib for a newborn that can swing in 2 planes, pos. 1 and 2 in Fig. Perhaps your offspring, having matured, will set out to become a pilot or parachutist and, from the first approach, will withstand the jumping training with a joyful grin, without turning a bit green. But in infancy, humpty dumpty back and forth would not have benefited Valery Chkalov either.
Further, it is undesirable to make the bottom of the crib with too thin a crate, pos. 3. When the baby learns to stand up, his legs will crawl into the cracks along with the mattress. A thick mattress pad (see below) solves the problem, but this is extra work, material and costs, and unnecessary drying and replacement. The best bottom for a newborn’s crib is made of fiberboard with a thickness of approx. 10 mm with holes with a diameter of 20-30 mm, drilled along the grid with a pitch of 70-90 mm. If it suddenly becomes completely unusable, it is easier and cheaper to replace than a mattress pad, and the spare space takes up less space. And don’t worry, fiberboard is an environmentally friendly material, even cleaner than the original wood. In its production, no synthetic binders are used, and during the processing process, all volatile substances are “exhaled” from the wood.
Note: It is also undesirable to make a height-adjustable bottom in a baby’s crib. The nests under its holders are tempting from the point of view of understanding the world, and the little finger will climb into them. If without nests, then a rather complex and expensive mechanism is required. And for mom, a folding side is quite enough.
A bad solution is also the playpen crib, pos. 4. In all creatures whose life is divided into an active phase and sleep, instinct during the latter requires complete safety. Combining the sleeping area with the play area does not provide it. Which adult is able to get a good night's sleep at work? What can we say about small children who are defenseless and are not yet able to understand their surroundings?
About the canopy
A canopy over a newborn's crib is not a luxury. And not so much a remedy for dust, which should not exist in a nursery or in a well-kept apartment in general. But remember, which adult has not been driven to white heat by an autumn fly or a mosquito itching and itching in the dark? What does it feel like for a baby who doesn’t yet use his hands? And there is really no need to turn on the fumigator or spray repellent in the nursery.
The canopy over the baby's crib is made from natural fabric that allows air to pass freely: chiffon, voile (silk or cotton), organza (silk only), muslin. The optimal design is a tent, on the left in the figure, or a tent, in the center, allowing, if necessary, to completely fold back/retract the canopy. But we remember: in the process of learning about the environment, the child will tug and pull the canopy.
Purchased children's canopies are equipped with a durable bracket with a holder made of light, durable elastic plastic, on the right in Fig. At self-production best option- a canopy tent suspended on a cord from the ceiling. An M6 hook-screw screwed into a steel threaded collet cannot be pulled out of the ceiling by a strong adult, and if it is unscrewed, the hole is almost invisible on a ceiling only 2.5 m high. If a fidget suddenly tears off the canopy, then there is nothing on it, except for the lightest fabric and thin lace, it will not fall off.
Note: The best protection for the crib from annoying insects and dust, under which even an asthmatic will not be out of breath, is a mosquito net. But not a fiberglass window, but a special tropical one. Its meshes are wider than those of airy dress-drapery fabrics and it itself is stronger. This is a rare product here, but still take an interest. Ruched bows also look good on her.
What kind of sides should I make?
Sellers offer a wide variety of protective barriers for infant cribs: folding, lowering, hinged, sliding, with doors and hatches. But upon closer examination, it turns out that there is something everywhere in which a finger or the entire pen can get caught. And the recesses under the overhead parts carefully store dust and seem to invite settlers. Only unwanted ones and not of the human kind, but of the arthropod.
The simplest and safest bumpers for a newborn’s crib are folding ones with elastic bands, see fig. The height of the folding part of 150-180 mm is enough for the mother to comfortably care for her child. There are no complaints about such boards, but it is reliably known that at least one new person in this world with a character to envy m-mes Sobtchak & Timoshenko, for 3.5 years she was never injured or broke anything; The rubber bands were changed 2 times during this time.
Note: 2 ways of laying a folding strip of this type will be discussed below.
Let's get down to business
Now it's time to make a crib. Its design and decoration is another matter (with one small exception, see below); First you need to make a strong and reliable base for them. And even before that, decide on the material; first of all, in terms of its safety for the baby, then in terms of price and manufacturability at home.
What to make it from?
Even the safest plastics are no longer needed: as children grow up a little, they begin to touch everything. Tactile sensations from plastic run counter to his fundamental instincts, which can cause irritability and damage the developing moral and volitional qualities. For the same reason, we also discard metal, which will also cause more harm when the baby starts teething. Then the shortcomings of textile and other semi-soft types of cribs will be fully reflected.
As for laminated chipboard, the emission class of phenol-containing compounds is E0 (zero, highest or extra grade), it seems to be applicable for children's furniture. But conscientious manufacturers honestly indicate in their specifications: “For children from 6 months”, therefore, not newborns. In addition, high-quality laminated chipboard is expensive; a crib made from it will cost more than a ready-made one with a canopy. That is, a newborn’s crib should be made of wood.
We select wood for a crib taking into account the fact that its impregnation with any biocides is unacceptable. Therefore, any industrial wood of foreign origin is no longer needed: consumer supervision simply will not allow it to enter the market raw. Among deciduous domestic species, birch and beech are suitable for a crib for several generations; for single use - cheap aspen or linden, but it is expensive. All others contain tannins, salicylates and other substances that are harmless for adults, but can cause allergies in an infant.
Of the coniferous species, pine is quite reliable, but not every type. Pine wood goes on sale in the form of expensive tar, cut down during sap flow, and cheaper dried wood, harvested in winter. Tar is good for outdoor buildings because... It is not susceptible to rot and pests, but is absolutely unsuitable for a crib. In other coniferous trees, the change in resin content from sap flow to sleep is not so pronounced, so it is better not to risk it.
In order not to make a mistake with pine, it is better to make a crib out of it using plywood. The cheapest construction and packaging plywood is made from dead wood pine glued with harmless and safe casein glue. There is no point in “cheating” for manufacturers, because everything else is more expensive. A plywood crib will last with proper home preparation of the material, see below, 2-3 times for 4-5 years, which is quite enough for a family.
About finishing
Over time, the baby will feel that there is something in his mouth that is being bitten. And then he will start gnawing on everything. This is a natural and necessary process, but once it created serious problems for children's furniture makers: leaving the wood bare means that fibers will be swallowed, or even choking on a splinter. Nitrolac is not harmless, and its sharp scales cut lips, gums, and tongue.
Now there is no such problem: acrylic varnish on water based, firstly, it is completely safe; secondly, it is very durable. Compounds of a similar composition restore the enamel of bathtubs, which even a seasoned wolf would break its fangs on.
Very suspicious parents can also put special silicone pads on the sides of the crib. But you will have to buy them and adjust the design to the chosen model: construction and aquarium silicone is not suitable for homemade products, you need a special one, from which teething toys are made. It is not on sale in its raw form, only in finished products.
Cradle and classic
How a classic wooden crib for newborns works is shown in Fig. right. Pay attention, firstly, to the placement of the sides in the pockets and the prefabricated structure of the rocking chairs. We'll deal with the first one later, and use the second one further. Its recommended dimensions and specification of parts in a modern design, without labor-intensive artistic details, are shown in Fig. below.
Cradle
Who knows, perhaps the pediatrician, after looking at your restless baby, will recommend rocking him to sleep in a cradle. Child differs from child to child, and there is no one who can agree on everything general rules. In such a case, in Fig. drawings of a newborn's crib - a cradle made of boards. However, it is no longer possible to keep an older child in a cradle, so the length of this crib should not be increased. Secondly, a latch (stopper) of the bed is still needed, since the baby is restless. In this design it is manual, so remember to insert as you leave and supervise each other.
Plywood classic
Here in Fig. – detailing of a classic-type plywood crib for a newborn with a side with elastic bands. It was made at home; a hand jigsaw (electric ones were not widely available at that time). The wayward person mentioned above grew up in her. Material – 2 sheets (quite a lot left) of birch plywood 6 mm thick; Construction pine will also work.
First of all, a plaster was prepared (several pieces of packaging cardboard put together), the outlines of the parts were sketched on it, and everything was covered with solid plastic film. Then a sheet of plywood on the plaza was impregnated with a water-polymer emulsion, first on one side, and after it had completely dried on the other, and cut into blanks with a hacksaw. Using a jigsaw, grooves for the sheathing were cut out in the middle plates of the bags and openings in the backs.
Parts were glued together from plates using PVA for wood (sold and is sold in construction and hardware stores). The glue was applied with a brush in a thin layer to all glued surfaces of the plates of the package and left until softly tacky (the glue film turns slightly yellow and becomes translucent in places).
There was no money to hold the packages together; there was no time to do it. Therefore, small bags were simply wrapped in plastic and tied tightly with a flat elastic band; It took a whole skein, approx. 10 m. It was necessary to tighten the bags with an elastic band, twisting and pulling the turns very evenly so that the plates did not crawl along the glue. The upper and lower planks of the walls (items 1 and 3) still crawled, so after applying and soaking the glue, they had to be knocked down with small nails. The nails were then pulled out, and the holes were covered with homemade putty made from sawdust using the same PVA.
It was more difficult with the backs; you can’t tighten them with rubber bands. Therefore, holes were drilled for assembly guides, for which furniture dowels 18 mm long were used. The gluing of the backs was carried out on the plaza under pressure, which was used to use dumbbell plates and stacks of books. According to calculations, for 2 layers of PVA of such an area, a bend of 25-35 kg is needed, evenly distributed over the surface of the bag.
Also, from 3 strips of plywood each, the parts of the support belt were glued together, but it was assembled in the crib in place. After drying for 3-4 days, any leaks of glue that appeared in all parts were cut off with a safety razor blade (there were no assembly knives then either) and the edges were sanded.
While the glued bags were drying, the frame of the bed was assembled from boards cut into half a tree, glued without holding and reinforced with nails. The rectangularity of the frame on the glue that had not yet hardened was carefully verified by measuring the sides and diagonals, because it then served as an assembly template, and only then were the nails driven in. The flooring of the bed is fibreboard with perforation, see above. It was laid on glue and nails on the side on which the legs of the crossbars were, so that they lay on the longitudinal beams, and did not hang on nails and glue.
Note: The racks of the sheathing of the backs were made similarly to those of the walls, but shorter. Placed in place in front of the top plate.
The crib was assembled using screws (nowadays, of course, confirmations would be better). The loads on the joints of the baby crib are small; fastening with threaded hardware along the layer in this case is quite reliable and at the same time allows up to 4-5 disassemblies/assemblies if the plywood is impregnated with a water-polymer emulsion. The squareness of the box was verified with a stock, and its horizontality with a level. Then marks were made along its bottom and beams of the support belt were placed along them using glue and nails; The transverse ones should be spaced between the longitudinal ones, so the crib will be stronger.
The oval support boss of the flap of the side is less traumatic, and it is easier to make than a pocket. Some 18 mm thick scraps were used for the bosses; they were installed with glue and nails. At the ends of the planks, U-shaped holes were selected for them using a drill and chisel - there were no household wood routers then either.
Time still passed, and the crib was covered with an oil varnish, not as harmful as nitro. Immediately, the elastic bands were fixed in the blind holes, also with furniture dowels. Then another final drying, and the crib is ready.
Transformer
There are also many convertible cribs for newborns on sale, but at least one variety is not just a fashion statement. We are talking about a crib for growth, but it doesn’t come down to a sliding bottom. An already sufficiently formed personality may be indignant: “I won’t sleep like a little guy!” Therefore, a transformable crib “from scratch” should be structurally and externally similar to an adult one. In this case, the fence is made removable from a cord; Of course, this is an option only for fairly calm babies. And the transformation comes down to removing one back and using it to increase the length of the bed. Drawings of a homemade “growing” crib for newborns are shown in Fig.
Drawings of a crib “from scratch to grow”
What if you are very restless?
It also happens that the doctor throws up his hands: nothing can be done, he needs to sleep with you, then he will outgrow it. Or, on the contrary, the mother may be the most wonderful in the world, but she is weak and she cannot constantly get up at night to feed. Then you will need a cot attached to the parent's bed without a front wall. A crib for restless newborns must include a bumper - a soft, hygroscopic pillow along the contour with ties, see fig. right. And from what and how to sew a crib bumper with your own hands, see the video below:
Video: how to sew a bumper (sides) for a child’s bed
Arrangement
Under no circumstances should you protect the crib mattress from getting wet with oilcloth; this will lead to abrasions and diaper rash for the baby. Firstly, you need 2 mattresses, with a reserve for drying. Secondly, they must not rot and dry quickly enough. Therefore, it is preferable to sew them from linen and wrap them in calico, flannel or flannel. The stuffing is the best horsehair; its almost complete replacement is coconut fiber or sisal.
Now remember that the bones of a newborn are soft. Therefore, the thickness of the mattress should be small, up to 6-7 cm. But then sleeping, feeling the hard bed with your body, will not be so comfortable. A 10-15 cm thick mattress pad made of the most dense, 45-50 number, furniture foam rubber will help out; it is wrapped in the same fabric as the mattress. The mattress pad will also absorb some of the moisture, which will speed up the drying of the mattress, but then you also need 2 of them.
A newborn does not need a pillow to prevent torticollis from developing. However, sometimes, on the recommendation of a doctor, for very fidgety people you have to buy a butterfly pillow: its middle is almost flat, and its wings are voluminous. But there is no need to experiment with such pillows yourself - suitable materials are not sold separately and the manufacturing technology cannot be “domesticated”.
Decorations
When considering the design of a baby’s crib, you need to remember that his vision, both in terms of sharpness and color perception, develops gradually. Therefore, the contours of the decorative elements need to be smooth, and the colors dim and unsaturated, preferably close to the middle of the spectrum: pale yellow, light beige, light green, pale blue. Whitened red and orange are acceptable, but poisonous green, deep blue and purple tones are not acceptable, as are anything shiny.
A very simple and useful way for a child to decorate his crib is to hang a carousel mobile above it, see picture, with soft toys. Their smooth movement will not only calm the baby, but will also contribute to the development of his visual motor skills. Since mobile phones for babies came into use, the number of children with congenital visual defects has decreased markedly.
In conclusion
Presumably, it has now become clear to you that a simple crib for a newborn is not so simple in its essence, because it contains the whole world of a new person. Therefore, let me wish you success not only in mastery, but also in studying the basics of child psychology. They have it from the very beginning, even if they themselves do not understand it yet.
Making furniture with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
A home-made children's bed will cost much less than a ready-made analogue from a store.
Any person with minimal knowledge and skills can assemble even a fairly complex structure, if guided detailed description upcoming works.
For starters, you can try making a baby bed for your child. Moreover, its device is not complicated.
Figure 1. The design of the bed includes spacious drawers for linen and small sides.
Experienced parents are well aware of the fact that the right crib for a baby is the key not only to his calm and comfortable sleep, but also to his harmonious development. As a rule, children sleep much more time than adults. And if the dimensions of your apartment are small, then such furniture can serve not only as a place to relax, but also replace a playpen.
You can make a bed with your own hands in just a few days. In this design, you can provide for all the nuances that your child needs. What the bed should look like approximately is shown in Figure 1. The diagram will help you assemble a cradle for a child quickly and efficiently.
Design calculations and materials
To make truly high-quality children's furniture with your own hands, you need to take into account several mandatory points:
- Materials for assembly must be used exclusively environmentally friendly. Solid wood or plywood is best. You should not take MDF and chipboard. The products used for sizing can cause allergies in the baby.
- Be sure to provide for the presence of protective sides, which should be equipped with any children's furniture. They will prevent the child from falling when he tosses and turns in his sleep.
- The dimensions of a child's bed should be no less than 150×60 cm, but no more than 180×70 cm. A child will quickly outgrow a smaller structure, but he will be uncomfortable with one that is too large.
- At the bottom of the bed you need to provide drawers in which you can store bed linen, diapers, nappies and other accessories, necessary for the child. This way you can save useful space in your apartment.
You can buy a lattice base ready-made or make do with a sheet of plywood.
These conditions are not always met by manufacturers of children's furniture, so choosing a finished product in a store is not easy. In addition, if you assemble the bed yourself, you can significantly save your family budget. Since the most significant expense item will be the purchase of an orthopedic mattress.
It makes more sense to purchase it in advance and, based on the existing dimensions, calculate the dimensions of the future cradle. In addition, you can buy a lattice plastic base for the bed. It is inexpensive, but you can get by with a sheet of regular plywood. As long as the child’s weight is insignificant and the base of the furniture under him will not spring, special attention may not be paid to maintaining his flexibility.
In addition to the above items, you will need the following materials:
- furniture board (it is advisable to choose non-resinous wood, for example linden) measuring 200x60x2.8 cm - 2 sheets;
- plywood sheet;
- aluminum mounting angles;
- self-tapping screws of different lengths and diameters;
- wheels for drawers (d = 4.5 cm).
When everything you need has been purchased, you can begin making the bed.
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Making a bed
To assemble the parts, you need furniture ties and a special drill.
Using a simple lead pencil, mark the furniture board according to the required dimensions. If there are holes in the sides of the bed, then they can be drawn out using available objects, for example, by circling a bouillon cup or wine glass of a suitable diameter around the edge.
Cutting furniture panels and plywood can be ordered when purchasing them, if you already have ready sizes and patterns of blank shapes. This way you can avoid dusty and dirty work in the apartment.
A jigsaw will help you cut the workpiece quickly and accurately, but if you don’t have one, you can get by with a simple hacksaw. In order for the wood fibers to lift less, the cut points must be sealed with masking paper tape. Thanks to this simple technique, there will be much less garbage and sawdust.
At this stage, all wooden parts must be thoroughly sanded and sanded so that an accidental splinter cannot damage the baby’s skin.
If you seal the cut area with paper tape, the fibers will be less likely to pick up.
If you do not have ready-made mounting angles, they can be cut from an ordinary aluminum profile. The size of the element depends on the planned dimensions of the furniture. The length of the corner should be equal to the length of the side headboard. Make holes in the fasteners for self-tapping screws. It is best to use a grinder. With its help, the holes for fasteners will be neater, and the fastening itself will be more reliable.
Using the corners, the sides of the bed are attached with their inner side to the mattress frame (or a sheet of plywood that replaces it). On each side the structure is tightened with 6-8 self-tapping screws.
After the pieces are fastened on one side, the bed must be carefully turned on its side and the walls and bottom secured on the other side. Be sure to check that all elements are positioned correctly relative to each other. Avoid distortions and displacement of the workpieces, otherwise the entire bed will turn out to be very unstable and unreliable.
The walls are secured to each other with furniture ties. To make holes for them, you can use a special drill. With its help, the work is done much faster and easier.
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Headboard product
After the furniture frame is completely assembled, you need to make a headboard. You can do without this design detail, but its presence will help avoid the following problems:
The head of the bed can be any shape.
- Childhood injuries. During sleep, a child often tosses and turns and raises his head above the pillow. If the side of the bed is low enough (less than 10 cm in height), then it may accidentally hit it. And this does not contribute to a restful sleep for either the baby or his parents.
- Throwing bedding out of the bed. Children often throw pillows and blankets on the floor. For them, this is a game, and parents have to not only lift things, but also change the bed linen.
- Lack of psychological comfort. If the head of the bed is low, the child feels unprotected. This can lead to sleep disturbances.
Therefore, it is wiser to make a headboard. To do this you will need another furniture panel. A headboard can not only serve as protection for furniture, but also decorate it. Carved backs always look beautiful and neat, adding a folkloric touch to the entire interior. The bed will look more organic if the headboard is repeated with the same detail at the feet of the product, only in a smaller size.
The legs for the bed are screwed from below with long self-tapping screws.
Windows in the backs can serve not only a decorative function. Thanks to this solution, the headboard can be attached to the bed frame so that the screw heads are not visible.
All parts are carefully ground and polished. Special attention It is necessary to pay attention to the cutouts and slits in the backs, because the child can stick his hand into them and inadvertently get hurt. It is most reasonable to carry out this work using grinding machine or similar attachment for a drill. This way you can achieve a perfectly smooth surface.
The finished backrests are fixed to the body with long self-tapping screws. If you want to make hidden fastenings from the headboard slots, then drill them from the bottom up. The holes are made carefully so as not to damage the workpiece. The place for the tie will have to be made manually, because the window is unlikely to allow drilling a hole with a drill. But if you use fairly soft wood to make the bed, then there should be no problems.
