IKEA Sniglar Crib Hack: Convert Your Crib into a Toddler Bed with a Railing
As your little one grows, you might start to worry about them climbing out of their crib and taking a tumble. That’s why my wife and I decided to modify our IKEA Sniglar Crib, lowering it to the ground and creating a custom railing to make it easier for our toddler to get in and out safely.
We found some tutorials online, but they only showed the beginning and end steps, so we put together a detailed guide with measurements and tools we used to make our own snuggly, safe sleeping spot for our little one.
Disclaimer: It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of making any modifications to the IKEA Sniglar Crib. Parents should always prioritize the safety and comfort of their little ones and be aware of safe sleep recommendations.
Total build time: 2–3 hours
Tools needed (and what we used):
Crib items we use:
- Avocado Green Mattress (Code: GENTLENURSERY FOR 15% OFF)
- Naturepedic Organic Waterproof Baby Crib Mattress Pad
- Burt’s Bees Baby — Girls & Unisex 100% Organic Cotton Fitted Crib Sheet
Lowering the IKEA Sniglar Crib height
Measure 5" from the ground and mark on each of the legs using painter’s tape (or pencil marks).
Turn the frame on its side and use an electric Sawzall (or a hand saw) to make the cut on each of the legs.
Note: I used an old Milwaukee corded Sawzall with a wood cutting drill blade but I’ve linked a better, newer one sawzall above.
Sand the edges of the cut legs with a hand sander using an 80 Medium 5" sanding disc.
Turn the crib back on all four legs and use a leveler to ensure that all sides are leveled.
After shortening the legs, the bed frame will be close to 1 3/4" on the bottom, making it a good height for a toddler to climb in and out with ease.
Resizing the IKEA Sniglar Crib wall and turning it into a railing with an entrance
To lower one side of the wall, take off the wall for the opening and measure 11" from the inside of the side wall, then mark each of the bars all the way across.
Cut across all of the bars and remove the bottom half of the cut bars still attached to the bottom frame.
Measure down 15 7/8" from the side of the top part of your remaining wall (on the left or right side depending on where you want the opening) and add your marking to cut.
Cut the top part of your remaining wall so that there are only 13 remaining bars attached to the top frame.
Use a sander to smooth out the small edge left after the 13th bar on all corners where your baby will be rubbing against it.
Use a rubber mallet to hammer the top frame into the bottom frame. Have someone hold one side in as you hammer across to ensure the bars are secure.
Note: This is the hardest part of the process because one side kept popping out when I hammered the other bars. It will take you some time but keep at it until you know it’s in deep enough into the grooves.
Use a 1/4" drill bit to make a new drill hole to attach the new shorter wall to the original frame. Make a mark in the center of the frame on the side where the hole lined up, then drill through.
Reattach the screw back into the original hole and lock it in place using the same pieces that were originally on top.
Notes for parents:
Allow your baby to play in the crib and practice going in and out before a nap or bedtime.
On the first night, your baby may need time to get used to the new accessible setup. You can add a yoga mat, towels, or anything else on the floor to cushion around the crib until they get used to the setup.
