Toddler Bed

I showed you the toddler bed made from a door last week, but I didn’t explain any of the particulars. Today I will fill you in.

This is the door I started with. I had already applied primer and paint to one side. The other side only had primer. That is why you’ll see a pink door below:

I needed to cut the door into two sections. Generally I would do this type of task on my table saw. I was unable to do that with this door due to it’s size and weight.  I measured how large I wanted the headboard and foot board to be.

  In order to get a straight line, I clamped a board to the door to serve as a “guide” for my saw.

The only circular saw I have is battery operated and it wouldn’t make it across the width of this door. I used my jigsaw. Without this board as a guide, I would have never been able to cut a straight line.

This picture is to show you that you must make allowances for the width of the shoe plate. (in your measurements)

I didn’t want the door to set directly on the floor, so I had to figure out what I could use for feet. I chose one of my spare crib spindles.  I used the parts in between the holes.

After I got them cut, I needed to drill a hole so that I could screw them onto the bottom of the door. I use a washer to help find the center of a circle.

You can see in this picture how I clamped the foot to drill the hole.  I also used Gorilla Wood Glue on the feet.

TIP: Coating your screw with soap will help the screw go into the hard wood faster and smoother. Click to Tweet tip.

I used regular side rails I had in my stash. I cut them down to fit a crib mattress.

To help give the side rails extra strength, I made a cleat for both the headboard and the foot board. I glued them with Gorilla Wood Glue and then I screwed them into place.

Here you can see the cleat and the cute little feet.

I painted the side rails and the top rail of the headboard and the foot board.

This is the bed without the top rail attached to the headboard and the foot board.

The trusty Gorilla Wood Glue again.

Here you can see the foot board’s top rail attached.

I cut some extra wide planks to help support the crib mattress since I wasn’t using the springs that a crib would have.

To attach the side rails to the headboard and foot board I used some brackets I got from the deck dept at Home Depot.  I put all the screws in the side rail but only used two screws for the headboard/foot board. That way when someone buys this bed and takes it to their house, they can add the additional screws fro strength, and they will be secure.

Voila!  Here is the finished bed!

If you have any questions, just leave a comment below.

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gail

Linking to the fabulous party and monthly contest over at the DIY Club.  Do you know about this yet?  $1500.00 worth of prizes.  Wooohooo!    Wish me luck!  Update!  I won the DIY Club monthly contest with this entry! 

Another update:  I sold the Toddler Bed.  check out this adorable Mr. B!

Mr. B's momma is transitioning him from his crib. This is his first night in his new "big boy" bed!