Book Shelf That Can Hold a Changing Pad for Baby

One more thing tin can be crossed off the ol' nursery to-do list! Changing tabular array? Check!

I call up earlier Clara was born a co-worker told me that changing tables were unnecessary since you lot usually cease up irresolute the child wherever is almost convenient – like on the floor or the nearest piece of furniture – rather than going through the formality of walking all the way to the plant nursery. This was subsequently nosotros had already bought & refinished Clara'due south changing table/dresser so the comment stuck with me, thinking I'd fallen into some first-time parent booby trap.

Surprisingly plenty, we used Clara's irresolute table religiously. Perchance because our house was small or because it was all i level. If we were at home she got changed on that table. And that routine stuck with us even when we moved to our 2d house, which was twice equally large (but still a ane level ranch).

Stairs might be a diaper changing game changer, though. So in this firm we plan to keep some irresolute supplies downstairs for convenience. Anything to make your I-have-a-newborn routine easier, right?

We offhandedly mentioned when nosotros started the nursery that we were because using my dad's old dresser that'south currently in our closet, which could double every bit a changing tabular array. It'south non a permanent closet solution for us (nosotros'll eventually add a built-in closet arrangement), and we kinda liked the story of our son having his granddaddy's fifty-year-erstwhile dresser. Merely after completing the built-ins we realized that the viii drawers of storage they afforded us were crawly, and it was probably overkill to add 4 more on the other side of the room – peculiarly when some sort of open, easy-admission toy & game storage would exist more useful for us over there.

So we scratched our heads for a fiddling bit, and then we bankrupt down our criteria:

• It needed a wide and flat surface to adjust our changing pad (at to the lowest degree fifteen″ wide)
• It needed to take open storage mixed in with the possibility of adding a few bins or baskets to hibernate diapering stuff for a fleeting menstruation of fourth dimension
• Information technology most likely needed to exist broad (around lx″) to brand sense on that long empty wall, while grounding the large cycle prints that we planned to hang over it. Sort of like the storage cubbies in the photo below from our last sunroom…

It was literally looking at that photo above (we were checking to see how closely we had hung the prints together) that nosotros had our A-HA! Why not the Expedit? It met all of our criteria and wasn't serving a permanent part in its current dwelling in our office (where we someday dream of adding an L-shaped file-storage surface area forth with a floating desk/meeting table). And aye, this all happened right right as the news of the Expedit's demise (or reincarnation?) hit the spider web – so it was sort of an all-signs-indicate-to-Expedit moment.

We unloaded everything (contributing more than to the disaster that is our function) and I dragged it upstairs to see if the nursery should exist its new home. And I say "drag" literally because I didn't feel comfy asking Miss Preggers to lift it. It was heavier than I remembered!

We put information technology in place on the wall opposite the built-ins and well, it was a chip underwhelming. Granted, it was very very empty and even the changing pad would somewhen go a colorful cover. But it wasn't a compelling case for the Expedit.

We leaned the cycle art up to see if that helped, which it did, but nosotros nonetheless felt like something needed to be done to make the Expedit a fiddling more upgraded and not as blendy with the wall, rug, and doors.

So we had an idea. A hack, if you volition. To add some contrast, and sort of nod to Clara'southward white-and-wood changing table, we decided to wrap the outside of the Expedit with stained wood. This would also necktie it into my homemade cycle art frames, as well as the wood-topped built-ins beyond the room. You know, kinda like this…

That's non Photoshop above (I wish I was that good!) – it's the real after. I thought information technology would help for y'all to run across that before I dove into the How-To part of the mail service. So permit's rewind to that, which started with me dragging the Expedit back out to the garage.

Our measurements revealed that three 1 ten half-dozen″ boards would exist broad enough to cover the Expedit, leaving about a one/2″ of an overhang on each side. This was nice considering it would requite the irresolute pad a bit more surface to sit on (it was the verbal width of the original Expedit). We bought basic whitewood because information technology'south the same stuff nosotros used to make our living room console tabular array, which has held up dandy for the by few years, and the cost was right ($5 for a 6 foot slice). Nosotros also wanted a slightly rustic wood look, like we achieved with the panel table.

Hither are all of the pieces one time they were cut to size at home on our miter saw.

To attach the boards into large panels, I used my Kreg Jig to create pocket holes and then I could bring together each set up of 3 side-by-side. It's the same technique I used for the console top, then you can read more near it hither. Note: I often make two holes if they're going to be subconscious when using the Kreg, merely so if my showtime try at joining doesn't line up perfectly, I can try again without having to pause out the drill again.

Hither are the finished boards all joined together. Information technology's also afterward I gave them a quick sanding to soften the edges and any ridges betwixt the boards. I simply bought ii pieces for the bottom since no ane volition ever see the missing middle piece – and then that explains why those are hanging out by themselves at the bottom of this shot.

Earlier staining, we decided to take wood conditioner for a spin. Its chore is to "fix" the woods for staining, reduce unevenness/blotchiness, and enhance the color. This small can was $half dozen, then information technology'south not much of a "run a risk" – and richer and more even results sounded proficient to the states. It goes on much like stain – you castor or wipe information technology on, let information technology penetrate for a few minutes (I gave it 15), and then wipe off the backlog. You just have to exist sure to stain within 2 hours of the application.

We used the same Minwax Dark Walnut stain that we've used elsewhere in the room for consistency (similar on the counters of the built-ins and the wheel art frames) and merely needed one coat. For demonstration purposes, I stained a piece of unconditioned scrap wood (it's the same exact type of wood, just a leftover piece) to encounter if there was a difference in using the conditioner. Both Sherry and I were pretty surprised by the comparison. I definitely felt the stain soak in more on the conditioned woods during awarding, and the color is noticeably richer/warmer on the conditioned woods.

When the stain and my ii coats of Safecoat Acrylaq were dry (that's our favorite poly alternative because information technology's non-toxic and locks in any potential fumes or offgasing) I could finally brainstorm attaching these wooden panels to the Expedit. I decided to go with a simple wood-glue-and-nails system, so that I wouldn't have screw heads to hide after the fact. I prepped the Expedit surface past roughing it upwardly a bit with sandpaper and then applying a bunch of woods gum.

And so I used my blast gun to secure them in place with some 1.75″ brad nails (give thanks goodness for the thick frame on the Expedit).

And then I did the same with the sides for sort of a waterfall-edge upshot.

I allow those dry overnight before attempting to flip the piece over and attach the bottom pieces. You can see how I merely put them on either stop in this shot, since that middle piece will never be seen.

After letting everything dry for a couple of days, I dragged information technology back upstairs and started on the next step – adding legs and casters. Sherry and I idea 2 of these mesomorphic $5 casters from Abode Depot would be a prissy affect, while some jotter legs (fabricated from ii x ii″ pino and Kregged to the back and middle) would go on it from rolling around mid-diaper-change.

If yous're scratching your caput well-nigh where the casters were on the after picture, well, they weren't there. Because nosotros decided they weren't right for this awarding. The pinnacle they added fabricated the changing pad uncomfortably high (nosotros thought we'd like that added height, but information technology was a good deal higher than the changing pad summit that we were used to in Clara'southward room) plus it would've meant the art above it would have to hang even college than the doorway tops, which we thought would look off.

But nosotros really liked the wait of information technology, so nosotros wanted to share the idea in case it worked better for someone else'southward application…

It was but a matter of unscrewing a few things to get back to the sitting-straight-on-the-flooring look (which also has the do good of not creating a spot for dust and toys to collect). So Sherry helped me hang the art and fill the shelves.

Update: There have been a few questions most the height of the changing station. The Expedit itself is 31″ and the wood frame added a few more inches, and the pad itself sits on top of the dresser, so the baby is around 34″ from the ground on the Expedit with the pad on it. Clara'southward dresser with the pad on it was around 33″ from the footing – so that range seems to be what we prefer.

The stuff on the shelves is more often than not placeholder items (another bin or basket for diapering supplies will definitely end up in the mix). In fact they've already been tweaked a little in the rest of the photos in this post. But you hopefully get the idea of how this'll function for usa.

It's nice to have some curtained storage, plus some open toys and books that he tin can hands access. The iii Sprouts dragon box was a gift from Sherry's friend Cat during Clara's dragon-loving days that Clara brought in and said was for her blood brother considering he likes green (yes, Sherry melted into a pool). Who knew those bins were perfectly sized for an Expedit? Apparently Clara did.

We might need to get a few more large baskets to firm diapers and wipes more easily, just other than that, this changing surface area has shaped up quite nicely. Well, except for the fact that the changing pad cover is just leftover fabric that Sherry tucked around it – so nosotros have to purchase/make a real comprehend shortly.

The funniest part of this entire endeavor was when Clara brought in a baby onesie from a to-be-washed pile in the guest bedroom and said Barnacle wanted to wear it while nosotros took his picture. Apparently we have an accidental tradition of dressing upward non-existent-babies in the nursery before the existent baby arrives, since this happened in Clara's crib afterward we set up it upwardly.

Oh and for anyone wondering how the changing pad is secured in place, information technology's the aforementioned one we used for Clara, and it has two over-sized snaps on the back that attach to snaps that get screwed into the furniture or wall from the back. These are pics from making Clara'due south dresser (which you read more about hither) but we were easily able to remove them and screw them into the back edge of the Expedit.

We've also used heavy duty 3M control velcro to adhere the bicycle art firmly to the wall beyond the screws-into-studs/anchors hanging method that nosotros used. So the niggling guy shouldn't able to knock information technology off the wall or even pull it off (not that he'll ever be unsupervised upwardly there anyway). We did joke that it could get peed on, only the slick affiche board textile volition hopefully work in our favor. We also have a hilarious tiny tent-like item that was a gift for keeping the spray at bay, if you volition.

We're really happy with how this little upgrade turned out, and nosotros're hoping it has some lasting value as toy and book storage when Barnacle gets older. I'g already picturing it stuffed with bins of legos. And the cost of our update was around $45 – the wood was $39 and the wood conditioner was $6 – since nosotros already endemic the stain and returned the casters (y'all can add $xv to cover those if you don't have 'em).

The nursery is feeling much more complete now that we've dealt with that formerly empty wall. And Sherry's putting the finishing touches on her mobile projection for over the crib (this is just a photoshopped version of what she'south going for), and so she'll exist back with those details in the next few days. It'due south amazing how much more homey a room feels without 2 big bare walls staring dorsum at yous.

Aaaaaand I merely realized the fun role of diaper changing is pretty much over. It only gets uglier from here. Speaking of which, we haven't forgotten that nosotros demand to add together a place for dirty diapers (we've had luck with this method for Clara, and then we might go that route again). How'due south that for a note to leave off on?

Do you guys use changing tables, or are you bed/flooring/random-other-spot folks? Take you done anything fun to an Expedit lately? It's amazing how many hacks there are. Can y'all believe Ikea's retiring them (or at least tweaking and renaming them)? Will the new name stick, or will we all still call them Expedits?

Update – Wanna know where we got something in our house or what pigment colors we used? Just click on this button:

thomasaborted.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.younghouselove.com/changing-tables-and-our-minds/

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