One more thing can be crossed off the nursery to-do list: changing table? Check!
I remember before Clara was born a co-worker told me that changing tables were unnecessary since you usually end up changing the baby wherever is most convenient – the floor or the nearest piece of furniture – instead of walking to the nursery. That stuck with me, especially after we had already bought and refinished Clara’s changing table/dresser, making me wonder if I’d fallen into a first-time-parent trap.
Surprisingly, we used Clara’s changing table religiously. Maybe it was because our house was small or because everything was on one level. If we were home, she got changed on that table. That routine continued even when we moved to a larger one-level house.
Stairs changed the game for diaper logistics. In this house we plan to keep some changing supplies downstairs for convenience. Anything that makes the newborn routine easier is welcome.
When we first started the nursery we considered using my dad’s old dresser that’s currently in our closet; it could have doubled as a changing table and had sentimental value. But after completing built-ins that provided eight drawers of storage, adding four more on the opposite wall felt like overkill. We realized open, easy-access toy and game storage would be more useful there.
So we narrowed our criteria:
- It needed a wide, flat surface to accommodate our changing pad (at least 15″ wide).
- It needed open storage with the option of bins or baskets to hide diapering supplies.
- It needed to be around 60″ wide to make sense on a long empty wall and to ground the large bike prints planned above it, similar to the storage cubbies we had in our previous sunroom.
Looking at an old photo of our sunroom gave us an idea: why not use an Expedit? It met our criteria and was currently serving a temporary role in our office. The timing felt right, and it was available in our home, so we decided to try it in the nursery.
I dragged the Expedit upstairs to test it in place. It was heavier than I remembered, and initially it looked underwhelming on that empty wall. We leaned the bike art against the top to see if that helped visually, and it did, but the unit still needed something to prevent it from blending into the wall, rug, and doors.
Our solution was a simple hack: wrap the outside of the Expedit with stained wood. That added contrast, connected the unit to Clara’s white-and-wood changing table, tied into the homemade bike art frames, and coordinated with the wood-topped built-ins across the room.
We measured and found that three 1 x 6″ boards would cover the front, leaving about a 1/2″ overhang on each side for the changing pad to sit on comfortably. We used inexpensive whitewood—the same material we used for a previous console table—which offered a slightly rustic look at a reasonable price. After cutting the pieces to size on a miter saw, I joined the boards into panels using pocket holes with a Kreg Jig and gave them a light sanding to soften the edges and any ridges.
Before staining, we applied wood conditioner to reduce blotchiness and promote an even color. The conditioner soaked in for about 15 minutes before wiping off the excess, and we stained within the recommended time. We used a dark walnut stain that we’ve used elsewhere in the room so the pieces would match. A conditioned test piece showed richer, warmer color compared to unconditioned wood.
Once the stain and two coats of Safecoat Acrylaq were dry, I attached the wooden panels to the Expedit using wood glue and brad nails, avoiding visible screw heads. I roughened the Expedit surface with sandpaper, applied glue liberally, then secured the panels with a nail gun. I added the side pieces for a waterfall-edge effect and attached bottom pieces at each end since the center slice would never be seen.
After letting the glue dry, I considered adding legs and casters. We tested chunky casters but ultimately decided against them because they raised the unit too high for comfortable changing and would have forced the art above it to hang higher than desired. Instead, we kept the unit sitting directly on the floor, which also prevents dust and small toys from collecting beneath it.
We hung the art above and filled the shelves. The items on the shelves are mostly placeholders—eventually a bin or basket for diapering supplies will be added—but the setup already demonstrates functionality: concealed storage for diapers and wipes and open shelves for toys and books that the child can access as he grows. A gift dragon storage box from Clara’s earlier years fit perfectly and became a fun, personal touch.
For changing pad security, we used the same snaps we had on Clara’s pad, screwing the snaps into the back edge of the Expedit to hold the pad in place. For the bike art, heavy-duty 3M command velcro complements the screws and anchors so the prints stay firmly attached to the wall. The poster-board prints are slick and should be fairly easy to clean if necessary.
We spent roughly $45 on this update—the wood and conditioner were the primary costs—since we already owned stain and tools. The end result is a practical, attractive changing station that should transition into toy and book storage as the baby grows. The nursery now feels more complete with that formerly empty wall filled, and the room instantly feels cozier.
Update: The Expedit itself is 31″ tall and the added wood frame increased the height a few inches. With the changing pad on top, the baby’s surface is about 34″ from the ground. Clara’s previous changing surface was about 33″, so that range is what we prefer.
We still need to add a proper cover for the changing pad and a convenient container for dirty diapers, but this little upgrade has proven both attractive and functional. Have you used a changing table or do you prefer changing on the bed, floor, or elsewhere? If you’ve hacked an Expedit, what did you do to make it unique?
