Construction

• The Internet has a variety of free and cheap baby crib plans available. Select one that you feel is within your skill level as a carpenter. When building your crib, be sure to follow the plans you've selected carefully. You want a bed area that is enclosed on four sides and has a sturdy base. Be sure to reinforce the bottom of the crib with extra pieces of wood if your plans don't do so, or if you're unsure about the strength of the base.
  
  

Finish

• Before putting your baby inside, sanding the crib is essential. The smoother the crib, the safer it will be, so spend a few minutes making it smooth. You don't have to put on any kind of stain or paint to make the crib look nice, but many cribs come in white or a natural wood. Children are curious, and their fingers can and will explore between the slats and find splinters, if the wood hasn't been smoothed well. For that reason, you will probably want to put a clear coat varnish on the crib as well to keep the surface finished. After varnishing, let the crib air out for several days before bringing it into the house or putting anybody inside.
  
  

Add a Canopy

• To keep light out and make a more enclosed area for baby to sleep in, a canopy is an excellent addition. If you have a design for a bed canopy, you can likely adapt it fairly well to a baby crib.
  
  Alternately, you could measure the length and width of the crib, mark it on the ceiling above the bed, and install cup hooks outside of those marks to hang bed sheets off of. You could also hang a round canopy from a single point above the bed, if
  
  

Bedding

• After setting the crib up, all it needs is some bedding. Fleece is a great material for babies, as it's soft and really warm. A simple baby blanket can be made from one or two pieces of fleece cut to around the size of an open newspaper and sewn together.
  
  If you need some bumpers for the crib, you can also put them together cheaply. Foam sheets can be found at a number of craft stores. Measure them against the crib itself, so that they fit correctly, and then cover them with a soft material.