Building a Changing Table

With the imminent arrival of our little one, I needed to get cracking and finish up some projects around the house.  High up on that ‘Honey Do’ list was to build a changing table.  Now strictly speaking, the cheapest option out there is to either use an existing surface in your home to change baby or to buy a used dresser/table and repurpose it.  DIY wood working is not very frugal.  Tools are a large initial investment, lumber prices seem to climb each year while quality declines, and there is a huge learning curve before finished projects start to look as good as the mass-produced pieces.  With that said, it is an enjoyable hobby that gives me a break from the computer (work).

A great beginner resource for wood working is Ana White.  Check out her about page for a remarkable short story of how she developed her building skills.  Anyway, back to the point, Ana has some free plans for a changing table and that is what I based my design off.

 

As with most new projects, I had to do a little tool shopping before hand to expand my arsenal.  The Kreg Pocket Hole Jig made a nice addition and the thing works like a dream.

 

I did make some changes to the dimensions of the table.  Mine is 16 1/2″ deep and 48″ wide.  I wanted to have plenty of storage for all of the accumulated baby stuff.

 

After some sanding, wood filler, and paint it is ready for action.  How is the organizing going Shae?

 

Good!  Here is the finished results.

The Tsavo Lion should keep baby calm during diaper changes.  ;-D