DIY Co-Sleeper Plans

Well, I’m finally getting around to posting the plans for my DIY Co-Sleeper.  I hope you find them helpful  See the step by step process complete with photos here.

Shopping List

• ½ sheet ¾ inch plywood
• 1- 2 x 4 – length will depend on the height of your bed (5 feet long should be plenty unless you have an unusually tall bed) **you could use the left over plywood to fashion some 2 x 4’s if you wanted to save on the expense.**

Tools

• Table saw or circular saw
• Jig Saw
• Power Drill
• Sander
• Sand paper
• Kreg Jig
• 1 ¼ inch screws
• 2 ½ inch screws
• Wood Glue

Cut List

• Body
  • 1 – ¾ inch plywood @ 15” x 36”
  • 2 – ¾ inch plywood @ 15” x 12” (round off one corner of each piece with jigsaw and sander)
  • 1 – ¾ inch plywood @ 12” x 34 ½”
  • Co-Sleeper Legs
    • 2 – 2X4 @ * (measure the distance from the bottom of co-sleeper to the floor when fitted to your bed)
    • Under Mattress Support
      • 2 – ¾ inch plywood @ 4” x 3’

Instructions

•  Step 1 – Build the box
  • Use your Kreg Jig to drill pocket holes in the side pieces

• Attach sides to the base using 1 1/4 inch screws.

• Drill pocket holes for the back

• Attach the back to the bottom first, then to the sides (if you find the 1 ¼ inch screws too troublesome, try 1 inch screws)

• Step 2 – Attach under-mattress sliders
  • Screw the sliders to the underside of the base (no pocket holes here.  Just screw them straight down into the wood).  You want the sliders to be pretty far underneath the box, but make sure you leave enough room for the legs.  I used four screws on each slider, two towards the back of the box, two towards the front.

Step 3 – Measure how long your legs need to be.

• Take your box to the bed you will be using it with.  Slide the sliders underneath the mattress (if you use a box spring side it between the mattress and box spring) and push it as tight up to the mattress as you can (your mattress will act as the fourth side of the crib).  Measure from the floor to the base of the box.  Then cut your boards.  You can see how I did it here:  My legs needed to be just over 16 1/2 inches.  I cut them at 16 1/2 and made up the difference with felt to protect the floor.

Step 4- Attach legs to the base.

• Drill some countersink spaces and drive the screws into the legs from the top using 2 1/2 inch screws.

Voila!  Fill your holes, nooks and crannies, sand it down, paint, stain it upholster it or just plain make it pretty!  Add a foam mattress and it’s perfect for you to keep your little one close for those midnight feedings!