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Free Toddler
Bed Plans -
Click Here
To See What This Toddler Bed Looks Like!
When our girl was a little over 1
year old, she started climbing out of her crib, creating a potential
for a dangerous fall. So, I went looking for a nice low
toddler bed. What I found was of such bad quality I wondered
if the bed would even last as long as my daughter would need it.
Since I already built bunk beds, I thought the toddler bed would not
be too difficult to build. What I discovered is that the
toddler bed was incredibly easy to build, was/is very sturdy, and
cost around $35 to build. In addition, all the materials for this
bed will fit in a small hatchback economy car. We used this bed for
two of our children and are now giving it to another family! Here
are the plans:
Raw Materials
(4) eight-foot 2x4’s
(2) eight-foot 2x8’s
2 1/2 inch deck/drywall screws and
#10 finish nails
(1) 4ft by 4ft sheet or (3) 2ft by
4ft panels of 1/2” Plywood
(20) 3/8” wood plugs
(1) pound #10 finish nails
Wood Filler
Sandpaper and desired stain &
varnish to finish
Step 1 - Cut each 8-ft 2x8
into lengths of 55 1/2" and 28" . Construct a box as shown below in
fig-1. that has finished dimensions 55 1/2" by 30 7/8". Note: The
thickness of the 2x8 was just a slight bit under 1.5 " so I have the
finished width as 30 7/8". Your width may be slightly more.
Don't worry about screw holes - the area you are fastening will be
covered. Sand the top and outside before proceeding to the next
step.
Step 2 - Cut (4) 28" pieces
of 2x4 and fasten them within the 2x6 box as shown below.
These will serve as the mattress supports. Fasten the 2x4's so
they are flush with the bottom of the 2x6 frame. Place 2 of
the pieces at the ends and fasten the other 2 pieces 18" from each
end. After the bed is done, you will place plywood over these 2x4
support pieces.
Click on image above for larger view
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on the left, the 2x4's are attached to the 2x6 frame so they
are flush with the bottom. There are (4) 2x4's
although one is not showing. Attach the two end 2x4's
from the inside with deck/drywall screws and you will have
no nail holes to deal with.
To conceal where the two
middle supports are fastened, drill out a shallow hole for a
3/8" wood plug and then fasten with a deck screw - then
cover with a wood plug as shown to the left in the bottom
photo. Also secure with several long (#10) finish nails and
set and fill with wood filler.
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Step 3 - Cut (2) 27 3/4"
and (2) 20 1/2" pieces of 2x4 for the corner posts. Sand these
pieces. Then, fasten these on the corners as shown below.
Below are thumbnails of the corners fastened on. To see larger
images, click on the images.
Step 4 - Cut (3) headboard
pieces that should be about 31 7/8" - you need to measure the exact
distance from the inside of one corner to the other. Due to
slight variations in lumber, this measurement may be slightly larger
or smaller than 31 7/8". Sand these pieces. Then, fasten
pieces as shown below with 1 screw (covered with a wood plug) and
several finish nails at each location.
Step 5 - Cut mattress
support pieces out of 1/2 inch plywood and fasten with deck/drywall
screws. If you want this support in 1 piece, you will need a full
4x8 sheet of plywood. Otherwise, you can cut out 3 pieces as
shown below from a 4x4 piece or use (3) 2ftx4ft plywood panels.
Fasten the plywood with screws so you can remove it easily.
Click on image to enlarge
Step 6 - Finish as desired.
My wife liked the dark finish pictured (and she calls the shots in
the nursery!) but my personal preference is a natural stain/sealer
by Mini-wax with a satin finish polyurethane. You can use any
standard crib mattress with this bed.
Click here
to see what the finished bed looks like!
These plans are copyright
protected and are not to be resold or republished! You may use
these plans for your own personal use and share them with friends
but you may not resell or republish them. You may not copy any
part of this site and place it on your own website.
Copyright 2004 - Michael Sakowski
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