6 Tips for Restoring an Old Baby Crib

Preparing for a new baby, especially a first baby, means acquiring a baby crib. Many parents-to-be will find or inherit an old baby crib that needs to be restored. Since your crib will be holding special cargo, you will want to take precaution in the products you use in the restoration.

Paint

If the old baby crib is painted, you need to test the paint on it. Buy a lead paint kit to test for the presence of lead in the paint. If there is, you can’t strip it and reuse it because the lead will be ingrained deep into the wood. The paint itself is dangerous for children and even for pets. Instead, you should contact the EPA or your local municipality to learn how to dispose of the baby crib properly.

Safety Guidelines

Safety guidelines for baby cribs are constantly changing and evolving. A crib that was safe 20 years ago might not be deemed safe any more and often, this is for good reasons. You need to obtain a copy of the latest safety guidelines and make sure your baby crib fits them or that you can easily adapt to meet the necessary requirements.

One important area is the distance between the struts on the side of the crib. If they’re too wide, your baby could end up with his head stuck between them. To test the distance, take a soft drink can. If it can fit through, you’ll need to add more slats as you restore your old baby crib.

Stripping the Crib

Before you paint the baby crib, you’ll need to strip it in preparation. Since this is for your baby, you should use an environmentally friendly paint stripper where no toxic materials can remain in the wood. Make sure the wood is very smooth, with no sharp edges or splinters, after you’ve finished stripping the wood.

Painting the Crib

There are paints that are specifically made for children’s furniture. These are free of lead and all other toxic materials. You can find them at home improvement and hardware stores and the colors will most likely match those already in your nursery. Take the time to seek these out. If there are carved surfaces, you can push the paint into these areas of the baby crib with a rag. Give the paint ample time to dry before you use the baby crib.

Mattress

It’s important that the mattress you choose for your restored baby crib is a good fit (you should not use an old mattress). It needs to butt up against all the sides and should also have ties to keep it in place. This will prevents the baby ending up trapped between the mattress and the crib.

Hardware

Make sure that all the hardware is safe and operational in accordance with current standards. You can’t risk a baby’s finger becoming trapped in the hardware. You should also install a chew guard all around the top guards of the baby crib when you restore it. This can prevent a baby from biting into the wood.