It can get very busy when in preparation for the arrival of a baby. You're usually just caught in a flurry of things to do and it seems nine months of preparation just wouldn't be enough.

I should know, happened to me.

That's why it was such a dilemma if I allocate some of my time to building a baby crib or just go on ahead and buy me a ready made baby crib.

For a DIY person like me, it was a dilemma indeed. I've always loved building things around the house and I knew that something you built with your own hands will always have a special value attached to it. And this is what I would like my baby to have.

Ultimately, I've decided to just go ahead and build a baby crib for my bundle of joy.

Getting Started to Build a Baby Crib

Having so limited time on my hands, I wanted to have everything prepared before I start building a baby crib. It's a lot faster and efficient this way.

Then, there are also things I have to consider beforehand. Stuff like safety measures, the wood and materials I'm going to use, the tools and the design of the crib.

Wood to Use in Building a Crib

For the choice of wood, I personally chose mahogany as I liked the look of mahogany and it is a hard wood which make it very sturdy.

Of course, the choice is completely up to you. Pine would be the least expensive wood but you have to make sure that the with the way that it's built, it can hold your growing and oftentimes energetic baby.

Build a Baby Crib with Safety Measures in Place

I've made some research in what goes into building a crib that's very safe for your child. The safety measure I've implemented personally are:

- Slats are 1 inches apart or no more than 2 inches apart.
- Use padding for curves and sides.
- The crib should never be less than three-fourths of the height of a child.
- Top rails should be 26 inches high or more.
- I personally used shellac for finishing. Although most finishes are non-toxic when it is cured, shellac is still the safest finishing to use considering that some food have shellac on it.

Design Used to Build a Baby Crib

I don't obsess on the design really but I just like having a ready made, easy to follow instruction on how to go about building a crib. As with other woodworking projects, when you are not using a plan, you can easily overlook some things in the building process which would cost you time and money, not to mention the frustration thrown in.

About the Author:
I have an inherent love for DIY stuff. Nothing beats completing a project with your own hands. If you are like me, I suggest you have a look at these baby crib plans : www.WoodworkHaven.info