# Securing my crib



## Fatherlewis (Sep 8, 2016)

I am in the homestretch of finishing building my first "real" wood project. It is a basic crib that I am building for my son. I am following the plans pretty closely, but find myself a bit confused about the logic of the step of fastening the whole thing together. Picture this:

- The legs are 4×4 posts.
- Each of the ends are comprised of(at the fastening points) - 1×6 pine sandwiched between 2 - 1×3 pine. On the top of that combination, they are capped with a 2×4.
- The sides are 1×2 slats attached to a 1×3(all flush, top and bottom) and capped with another 1×2 on the top. On the bottom it is capped with a 2×4.

My question is this: the plans state that a spade bit is used to recess through the 4×4 a good bit to make sure that the screws will secure into the above stated pieces. I currently have 3-1/2" Spax lags that I planned to use for this application. Given that this is a baby crib, it won't have great deals of weight, will there be any issues with that being the primary fastener? Or would you guys recommend something else?

So far the project is going really well, and I look forward to getting it done, but I don't want to mess it up in the meantime. The expert advice will be appreciated.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Strong enough to cage a gorilla, more than adequate.


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## Fatherlewis (Sep 8, 2016)

> Strong enough to cage a gorilla, more than adequate.
> 
> - bondogaposis


I figured as much, and that is what I stuck with. I drilled about 1.75" through the post and secured it to the end panels. Seems plenty strong enough.


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## Cooler (Feb 3, 2016)

Just for the record, the Consumer Products Safety Commission regulates the crib industry and they publish "standards" that must be met by any manufacturer of cribs that are sold in the USA.

You are not a manufacturer but you are probably well-advised to adhere to that standard too:

What are the requirements for full-size cribs?

The standard prohibits traditional drop sides and has stringent requirements for various parts of the crib, such as mattress supports, slats, and hardware. More specifically, the principal requirements for full-size cribs include:
dynamic impact testing of the mattress support system - intended to address incidents involving collapse or failure of mattress support systems;
impact testing of side rails and slat strength/integrity testing - intended to prevent slats and spindles from breaking and/or detaching during use;
mattress support system testing - intended to ensure that the mattress support does not become detached from the frame, potentially resulting in a fall;
latching mechanism tests - intended to ensure that latching and locking mechanisms work as intended, preventing unintended folding while in use;
crib side configurations - intended, in part, to limit movable (drop) sides; addresses the numerous incidents related to drop-side failures;
label requirements - cover numerous hazards, such as falls from the crib, suffocation on soft bedding, and strangulation on strings and cords;
openings requirement for mattress support systems - addresses gaps in the mattress support system to reduce the possibility of entrapment;
requirements for wood screws and other fasteners - eliminate the use of wood screws that serve as the primary method of attachment on key structural elements; also includes other fastener requirements to address incidents related to loose hardware and poor structural integrity;
cyclic testing - addresses incidents involving hardware loosening and poor structural integrity;
misassembly issues - addresses the need to make it impossible to misassemble key elements or that those elements have markings that make it obvious when they have been misassembled;
test requirement for accessories - intended to address any cribs that now, or may in the future, include accessories, such as bassinets or changing tables;
component spacing - intended to prevent child entrapment between uniformly and non-uniformly spaced components, such as slats.

The actual standards are available online for $50.00. Maybe you can find some site that publishes the standard.


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## Cooler (Feb 3, 2016)

Here is the actual standard:

https://law.resource.org/pub/us/cfr/ibr/003/astm.f1169.2013.html

The two key points are: 2-3/8" max distance between slats, and no drop sides.


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## Fatherlewis (Sep 8, 2016)

Cooler,

Thank you for posting that. As I was working off of a previous build that someone had done the research, I was careful to follow certain aspects of the plan. They mentioned the 2-3/8" spacing, and I actually went on the safe side and did 2-2-1/4" spacing. As for the drop sides, I didn't know they made it standard to not have those, but I didn't go through the painstaking process of looking for this. I decided a fixed side with option for adjustable mattress support to be far more appealing and easier. I sincerely appreciate the feedback though. Never can be too safe, especially with the lives of babies hanging in the balance.


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

Besides the slats, you also have to pay close attention to the inside. You need a standard size mattress to fit with no gaps. You also want to pay attention to the mattress height requirements. These are the relevant requirements (besides the slat distance that you know about):
No corner post assembly shall extend more than 0.06in.(1.50mm) above the upper edge of an end or side panel, whichever is higher, when measured from the lowest point on the upper edge of the end or side panel within 3in.(76mm) from the outermost contour of the post or elbow

The height of the uppermost surface of any top horizontal rail shall be at least 15in.(38cm) above the top surface of the mattress support in its highest adjustable position.

The interior dimensions shall be 28 ± 5⁄8 in.(7161.6cm) wide and 52 3⁄8 ± 5⁄8in.(13361.6cm)as measured between the innermost surfaces of the crib sides

The height of the rail and end panel as measured from the top of the rail or panel in its lowest position to the top of the mattress support in its highest position shall be at least 9 in.(22.8cm).

The height of the rail and end panel as measured from the top of the rail or panel in its highest position to the top of the mattress support in its lowest position shall be at least 26 in.(66cm).


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## Fatherlewis (Sep 8, 2016)

> Besides the slats, you also have to pay close attention to the inside. You need a standard size mattress to fit with no gaps. You also want to pay attention to the mattress height requirements. These are the relevant requirements (besides the slat distance that you know about):
> No corner post assembly shall extend more than 0.06in.(1.50mm) above the upper edge of an end or side panel, whichever is higher, when measured from the lowest point on the upper edge of the end or side panel within 3in.(76mm) from the outermost contour of the post or elbow
> 
> The height of the uppermost surface of any top horizontal rail shall be at least 15in.(38cm) above the top surface of the mattress support in its highest adjustable position.
> ...


Also good information. I will double check all of my measurements before finalizing the build, but I am pretty sure all of my measurements should conform to this, as it was build based on a plan.


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