One more affair tin live crossed off the ol
One more affair tin live crossed off the ol’ nursery to-make listing! Changing table? Check!
I recall before Clara was born a co-worker told me that changing tables were unnecessary since yous commonly end upward changing the child wherever is well-nigh convenient – similar on the floor or the nearest slice of article of furniture – rather than going through the formality of walking all the style to the plant nursery. This was after we had already bought & refinished Clara’sec changing tabular array/dresser so the comment stuck alongside me, thinking I’d fallen into some first-time raise booby trap.
Surprisingly enough, we used Clara’sec changing tabular array religiously. Maybe because our menage was small-scale or because it was all i level. If nosotros were at domicile she got changed on that table. And that routine stuck alongside us even when nosotros moved to our second home, which was twice equally big (just yet a one grade ranch).
Stairs might live a diaper changing game changer, though. So inward this home nosotros plan to continue more or less changing supplies downstairs for convenience. Anything to make your I-accept-a-newborn routine easier, right?
We offhandedly mentioned when we started the plant nursery that nosotros were considering using my dad’s erstwhile dresser that’second currently in our closet, which could double equally a changing table. It’s not a permanent closet solution for us (nosotros’ll eventually add together a built-in closet system), together with we kinda liked the level of our son having his grandad’s fifty-year-former dresser. But afterwards completing the built-ins nosotros realized that the 8 drawers of storage they afforded us were awesome, together with it was belike overkill to add four more than on the other side of the room – peculiarly when some assort of open, easy-access toy & game storage would be more than useful for us over in that location.
So nosotros scratched our heads for a lilliputian bit, and and so we broke downward our criteria:
- It needed a broad too flat surface to adapt our changing pad (at to the lowest degree 15″ wide)
- It needed to accept open up storage mixed in with the possibility of adding a few bins or baskets to hide diapering stuff for a fleeting catamenia of time
- It about probable needed to live wide (about lx″) to brand sense on that long empty wall, while grounding the large wheel prints that nosotros planned to hang over it. Sort of like the storage cubbies inwards the photograph below from our terminal sunroom…
It was literally looking at that photograph in a higher place (nosotros were checking to meet how closely we had hung the prints together) that nosotros had our A-HA! Why non the Expedit? It met all of our criteria in addition to wasn’t serving a permanent office in its current habitation inward our role (where we someday dream of adding an L-shaped file-storage expanse along amongst a floating desk/meeting table). And yes, this all happened correct correct as the news of the Expedit’sec demise (or reincarnation?) striking the spider web – and so it was separate of an all-signs-betoken-to-Expedit instant.
We unloaded everything (contributing more than to the disaster that is our function) and I dragged it upstairs to run into if the nursery should be its novel dwelling. And I say “drag” literally because I didn’t feel comfortable request Miss Preggers to elevator it. It was heavier than I remembered!
We lay it inwards home on the wall opposite the built-ins as well as good, it was a bit underwhelming. Granted, it was rattling rattling empty as well as even the changing pad would eventually go a colorful comprehend. But it wasn’t a compelling case for the Expedit.
We leaned the bike fine art upwardly to encounter if that helped, which it did, merely we however felt like something needed to be done to make the Expedit a picayune more than upgraded in addition to not every bit blendy alongside the wall, rug, as well as doors.
So nosotros had an thought. A hack, if you lot will. To add or so contrast, in addition to separate of nod to Clara’s white-in addition to-woods changing table, we decided to roll the exterior of the Expedit with stained woods. This would as well necktie it into my homemade bike art frames, also equally the wood-topped built-ins across the room. You know, kinda similar this…
That’s not Photoshop in a higher place (I wish I was that skillful!) – it’second the existent subsequently. I thought it would aid for you lot to encounter that before I pigeon into the How-To role of the mail. So let’s rewind to that, which started amongst me dragging the Expedit dorsum out to the garage.
Our measurements revealed that iii i 10 six″ boards would live broad plenty to embrace the Expedit, leaving virtually a one/ii″ of an overhang on each side. This was squeamish because it would hand the changing pad a scrap more than surface to sit down on (it was the exact width of the original Expedit). We bought basic whitewood because it’sec the same material nosotros used to brand our living room console table, which has held up great for the past few years, in addition to the price was right ($five for a vi foot piece). We also wanted a slightly rustic woods wait, like we achieved amongst the console tabular array.
Here are all of the pieces once they were cut to size at abode on our miter saw.
To attach the boards into large panels, I used my Kreg Jig to create bag holes too then I could bring together each set of iii side-by-side. It’sec the same technique I used for the console superlative, then you tin read more about it here. Note: I frequently brand two holes if they’re going to live hidden when using the Kreg, simply then if my commencement effort at joining doesn’t job upwardly perfectly, I tin effort once again without having to pause out the drill once more.
Here are the finished boards all joined together. It’second also later on I gave them a quick sanding to soften the edges together with any ridges between the boards. I exclusively bought 2 pieces for the bottom since no ane volition always encounter the missing center slice – so that explains why those are hanging out by themselves at the bottom of this shot.
Before staining, we decided to have wood conditioner for a spin. Its task is to “prepare” the forest for staining, cut unevenness/blotchiness, and heighten the color. This small tin was $half-dozen, so it’sec non much of a “take chances” – too richer too more than fifty-fifty results sounded skillful to us. It goes on much similar stain – yous brush or wipe it on, permit it penetrate for a few minutes (I gave it xv), as well as so wipe off the excess. You merely have to be certain to stain inside 2 hours of the application.
We used the same Minwax Dark Walnut stain that we’ve used elsewhere inwards the room for consistency (similar on the counters of the built-ins together with the cycle art frames) too only needed one coat. For demonstration purposes, I stained a slice of unconditioned fleck woods (it’sec the same exact type of wood, only a leftover slice) to see if there was a departure inwards using the conditioner. Both Sherry together with I were pretty surprised past the comparing. I definitely felt the stain soak inwards more than on the conditioned forest during application, together with the color is noticeably richer/warmer on the conditioned woods.
When the stain too my two coats of Safecoat Acrylaq were dry (that’sec our favorite poly alternative because it’sec not-toxic and locks inward any potential fumes or offgasing) I could in conclusion get down attaching these wooden panels to the Expedit. I decided to get amongst a unproblematic forest-glue-and-nails system, and so that I wouldn’t have screw heads to cover later on the fact. I prepped the Expedit surface by roughing it upward a fleck with sandpaper together with so applying a bunch of forest gum.
Then I used my boom gun to secure them inwards home alongside approximately 1.75″ brad nails (thank good for the thick frame on the Expedit).
Then I did the same with the sides for assort of a waterfall-edge consequence.
I let those dry out overnight before attempting to flip the slice over as well as attach the bottom pieces. You can meet how I just put them on either terminate inward this shot, since that center piece volition never live seen.
After letting everything dry for a distich of days, I dragged it dorsum upstairs as well as started on the side by side step – adding legs together with casters. Sherry and I thought ii of these chunky $5 casters from Home Depot would live a squeamish affect, patch about stationery legs (made from two x ii″ pine in addition to Kregged to the back together with middle) would go along it from rolling about mid-diaper-modify.
If you’re scratching your caput nigh where the casters were on the later on picture, good, they weren’t at that place. Because nosotros decided they weren’t right for this application. The acme they added made the changing pad uncomfortably high (nosotros idea nosotros’d like that added tiptop, but it was a good deal higher than the changing pad peak that nosotros were used to inwards Clara’second room) addition it would’ve meant the fine art higher up it would accept to hang even higher than the doorway tops, which nosotros idea would wait off.
But nosotros really liked the await of it, and then nosotros wanted to share the thought inward case it worked ameliorate for somebody else’second application…
It was simply a matter of unscrewing a few things to go back to the sitting-directly-on-the-flooring await (which besides has the benefit of non creating a place for dust too toys to collect). Then Sherry helped me hang the art as well as fill the shelves.
Update: There have been a few questions near the acme of the changing station. The Expedit itself is 31″ together with the forest frame added a few more than inches, together with the pad itself sits on tiptop of the dresser, and then the infant is around 34″ from the earth on the Expedit with the pad on it. Clara’s dresser amongst the pad on it was around 33″ from the ground – and so that range seems to be what nosotros prefer.
The material on the shelves is mostly placeholder items (some other bin or handbasket for diapering supplies will definitely cease upward inwards the mix). In fact they’ve already been tweaked a footling inwards the residue of the photos inward this post. But yous hopefully become the idea of how this’ll role for us.
It’sec dainty to take just about concealed storage, plus more or less open up toys as well as books that he tin can easily access. The three Sprouts dragon box was a gift from Sherry’s friend Cat during Clara’s dragon-loving days that Clara brought inward as well as said was for her blood brother because he likes green (yes, Sherry melted into a puddle). Who knew those bins were perfectly sized for an Expedit? Apparently Clara did.
We mightiness ask to become a few more than big baskets to family diapers as well as wipes more than easily, merely other than that, this changing area has shaped upwards quite nicely. Well, except for the fact that the changing pad cover is but leftover cloth that Sherry tucked around it – and so nosotros accept to buy/brand a real embrace soon.
The funniest office of this entire endeavour was when Clara brought inward a infant onesie from a to-live-washed pile inwards the guest sleeping accommodation together with said Barnacle wanted to habiliment it while we took his pic. Apparently we have an accidental tradition of dressing up non-existent-babies in the plant nursery before the existent baby arrives, since this happened in Clara’sec crib subsequently nosotros set it upward.
Oh together with for anyone wondering how the changing pad is secured inward place, it’sec the same one we used for Clara, too it has two over-sized snaps on the back that attach to snaps that get screwed into the furniture or wall from the dorsum. These are pics from making Clara’sec dresser (which you lot read more than well-nigh hither) but we were easily able to take them and screw them into the dorsum edge of the Expedit.
We’ve as well used heavy duty 3M command velcro to adhere the bike art firmly to the wall beyond the screws-into-studs/anchors hanging method that nosotros used. So the piddling guy shouldn’t able to knock it off the wall or even draw it off (not that he’ll ever live unsupervised upwardly there anyway). We did joke that it could become peed on, simply the slick poster board textile volition hopefully function inward our favor. We also accept a hilarious tiny tent-like item that was a gift for keeping the spray at bay, if you volition.
We’re actually happy amongst how this petty upgrade turned out, and nosotros’re hoping it has roughly lasting value as toy too volume storage when Barnacle gets older. I’k already picturing it stuffed with bins of legos. And the cost of our update was about $45 – the wood was $39 together with the wood conditioner was $six – since we already owned the stain as well as returned the casters (you lot tin can add together $15 to encompass those if y’all don’t take ’em).
The nursery is feeling much more complete at once that we’ve dealt amongst that formerly empty wall. And Sherry’second putting the finishing touches on her mobile project for over the crib (this is simply a photoshopped version of what she’second going for), and then she’ll live back with those details inwards the side by side few days. It’second amazing how much more than homey a room feels without 2 large blank walls staring back at you lot.
Aaaaaand I simply realized the fun role of diaper changing is pretty much over. It entirely gets uglier from here. Speaking of which, we haven’t forgotten that we involve to add a place for dingy diapers (we’ve had luck with this method for Clara, then nosotros mightiness become that road once again). How’sec that for a bill to exit off on?
Do you lot guys use changing tables, or are you lot bed/flooring/random-other-place folks? Have y’all done anything fun to an Expedit of late? It’s amazing how many hacks there are. Can yous believe Ikea’s retiring them (or at least tweaking too renaming them)? Will the novel cite stick, or will nosotros all nonetheless phone call them Expedits?
PS: Wanna encounter some other fun piece of furniture hack? Check out this cool paint design nosotros added to a thrift store desk.
Update – Wanna know where nosotros got something inwards our family or what paint colors nosotros used? Just click on this button:
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