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A toddler's first big-kid bed, sized to reuse the crib mattress you already own. It's a scaled-down farmhouse bed — planked headboard and footboard panels framed by built-up legs, an optional arched header up top, and a simple slat-on-cleats platform low to the ground so a toddler can climb in and out safely.
Everything is 1x stock, joined with glue, 1-1/4" nails, and 2" screws. The panels are the signature: 1x4 boards ganged into a field with 1x3 side pieces, trimmed top and bottom. The legs are built up from an inside piece and an outside full-length piece so they read as solid, and the header can be arched (a 1x6 you shape) or left square (swap in a 1x2) — your call.
Two details matter for a bed. The side-rail notches in the leg bottoms: confirm your 1x6 is exactly 5-1/2" wide before you cut the notch, or the rails won't seat flush. And the cleats — 1x2 strips run inside the side rails to carry the 18 slats. Screw the slats down so an active toddler can't kick them loose. Keep it low and round every edge.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x2, 8 ftLegs, trim, cleats, slats. | 10 each |
| 1x3, 8 ftPanel side pieces and top pieces. | 1 each |
| 1x4, 8 ftCenter panel boards. | 2 each |
| 1x6, 8 ftHeader, side rails, endplate. Adjust if not cutting an arch. | 2 each |
| Wood screws, 2" | 40 each |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4" | 30 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 120 each |
| Wood glue | 8 oz |
| Wood putty | 1 each |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Headboard center panel1x4 | 6 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Headboard panel sides1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Headboard bottom trim1x2Cut 2 if not doing an arch. | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 26" |
| Headboard header1x6Arch to taste; use a 1x2 if not arching. | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 26" |
| Headboard inside legs1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Headboard full legs1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| Headboard top of panel/legs1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 29" |
| Headboard top cap1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 30" |
| Headboard inside bottom legs1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 6" |
| Footboard center panel1x4 | 6 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 9" |
| Footboard panel sides1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 9" |
| Footboard trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 26" |
| Footboard legs1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15" |
| Footboard top of panel/legs1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 29" |
| Footboard top cap1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 30" |
| Side rails1x6 | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 54 1/2" |
| Endplate1x6 | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 26" |
| Cleats1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 53 1/2" |
| Slats1x2 | 18 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 26" |
Buy 16 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
2 boards
Fasten the 1x4 center panel boards to the bottom trim piece, using 1-1/4" nails and glue. Add the 1x3 side pieces to frame the field. This is the planked panel that forms the middle of the headboard.
Fasten the inside leg pieces to the sides of the center panel with 2" screws, into the header and bottom trim and the side panel pieces. Then nail the full outside leg pieces onto the inside legs with 1-1/4" nails, using 2" nails into the header and bottom trim where there's enough backing. Building the legs up in two layers makes them read solid.
Fasten the top piece across the headboard with 2" nails, measuring and cutting to fit, and add the top cap. Arch the 1x6 header with a jigsaw if you want the arched look, or leave it square with a 1x2. Add the inside bottom leg pieces.
Build the footboard panel exactly as you built the headboard panel — 1x4 field, 1x3 sides, trim — then attach the inside legs with screws, the outer legs with nails, and cap the top. It's the same sequence at a shorter height.
Measure your 1x6 to confirm it's exactly 5-1/2" wide, then notch the leg bottoms for the side rails per the diagram. Getting the notch to match the actual rail width is what lets the rails seat flush. Fasten with 1-1/4" nails and glue.
Fasten the side rails to the endplate with 2" screws, then fasten the endplate to the footboard with 1-1/4" screws, and tie the rails to the headboard. This forms the bed frame between the two ends.
Fasten the 1x2 cleats to the inside of the side rails with glue and 1-1/4" nails. Lay the 18 slats across the cleats and screw them down — screwing (not just resting) the slats keeps an active toddler from kicking them loose. Fill nail holes, sand every edge round, and finish with a kid-safe finish.
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2 boards
10 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →