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How to Make a Toddler Canopy Bed — Tutorial

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Aloha!

So today’s plans are for a toddler canopy bed! How adorable is this:

Yep, it’s a toddler canopy bed that matches the little American Girls doll canopy beds that I made for Christmas! I posted them on CL since I had some scrap wood and was hoping to earn some $$ to buy a few more tools, and I had TWO different people call me and ask me if I could make a similar toddler bed. Hmmm. Why not, right?!
So I got to work. Luckily my youngest is in a toddler bed now, so I used the dimensions from that bed to create this one.
I will be posting the Google Sketch Up plans to post on Ana White’s site later this week, but I wanted to give you some pics and a run-down here as well.
UPDATE:  As I was on Ana’s site today, I noticed she already has plans for a toddler canopy bed! The result is very similar to mine, so you have a couple of options in building! But I will not be posting the Sketch Up plans there since hers are excellent (no need to reinvent the wheel, right?)
Here’s a link to hers.
Shopping List:
2×2 – 2 @ 96″ each
1×2 – 3 @ 96″ each
1×3 – 3 @ 96″ each
1×4 – 2 @ 96″ each
1×17 (or larger if you can find them) – 1 @ 60″
#9 – 3″ wood screws (at least 32–can use only 12 if you plan to put headboard and footboard together with finish nails)
#8 or #9 -1.25″ wood screws (at least 22 to put together base and slats)
Gorilla Glue
Finials and headboard detail (if desired)
Cut list:
2×2 – 4 @ 47.5″
1×2 – 2 @  52″ (for top side rails)
          2 @  27″   (for top head and foot rails)
          2 @ 47.5″ (for cleats for the base slats to lay across)
1×3 – 9 @ 27.5″ (for slats that mattress will lay on)
1×4 – 2 @    52″       (for sides of base) 
1×17 – 2 @ 27″ (headboard and footboard)
Now, let’s start with the base. 
Glue and clamp each of your 47.5″ 1×2’s to your 1×4 sides. Center them from left to right, but make sure they’re flush along the bottom. Let it dry completely. You want these to be nice and firm because all of the slats and weight will rest right on these cleats.

Now screw in two of your 27.5″ 1×3’s (using the 1.25″ screws).

We made the cleats slightly shorter than our sides to allow for these two end pieces.

Now space out the rest of your 27.5″ 1×3’s along the base. When you have them spaced how you want them, use your 1.25″ screws to screw them to your cleats. I just put one screw in each side.

Let’s stick the crib mattress on there to make sure it fits…PHEW!  Fits like a glove.

For the headboard and footboard, I just used a pencil directly on the board. I start in the middle and mark it, then go down the sides to see how far down I want it to be, and I kind of connect the two points on just one side. Then I cut out the one side with my jig saw, and then flipped that over to the other side and traced it to get the exact same pattern. 🙂 It really is easy. I have no art skills. Erasers are wonderful things.

If you’re using the decorative headboard piece, now is when you’ll want to put that on, too. Just glue and clamp. 🙂  I found mine at Lowes for just over $4.  Here is a similar wood onlay found on Amazon for less than $3.50.

Now glue and screw your 2×2’s into your headboard and footboard. I wanted to give the illusion that my headboard was taller than the footboard (without having to purchase a larger piece of wood), so I placed the headboard up 6″ from the bottom, and the footboard is only 3″ up.

Since we’re attaching a 1″ thick piece of headboard to a 2″ thick side post, it’s hard to get it centered just right. I ended up setting up quite the work station to do this. I used some scrap 1/2″ plywood I had in order to center the headboard on the 2×2.

You’ll need to do the same with the 27″ 1×2 pieces that will be flush with the top of your posts. Glue and screw. Sink all of these since you’ll just be mudding and painting right over the top of them.

So here are two headboards that I finished:

After I had these three separate pieces built, I mudded all my holes with wood putty, let that dry, and then primed and painted them all before attaching them. I did NOT do the poly at this point, though.  I left the slats and inside of the bed unpainted. After painting so many rooms in our Hawaii home, I’m pretty good at cutting a straight line, so I just used my angled 2″ Purdy brush and made a straight line right along the top of those sides.

And I didn’t catch a pic of the debacle that was the stack of boards I had to use to get the base at the right height, so I could screw in the headboard and footboard! That was quite a feat! I ended up placing it up 4″.

Here, you can see how high it is on my toddler. Just right. 🙂

This is the best pic I could find of the headboard detail. I think it adds a nice touch.

HERE is a link for the tutorial on how to make finials from door knobs:

All done!

I had planned to sink the screws and use the wooden screw covers over them, but they were a HUGE pain o paint. Tiny little pieces of garbage!! Blah. But after getting it all put together, I decided the gold screws that I had chosen actually looked fine, so I kept them as is. 🙂

What do you think?!

Aloha,
Charlie

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  8. Charlie! how sweet is that bed! Love the picture with your little one sitting on it! Great tute, thanks for sharing at catch as catch can!
    gail

    Reply

  10. Thank you for the fantastic article. The place else could anyone get that kind of info in such a perfect means of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am at the search for such information.

    Reply

  13. I am new to building and have a question about the measurements. the 2x2s at 84 inches, are they supposed to be cut into 4 equal pieces? I am confused at how to get the four 47.5 inch 2x2s. I have never built anything and want to attempt this bed!! thank you so much

    Reply

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