Make the parts
 Start by cutting all of the plywood parts to the sizes noted in the cutting list. Round off all corners to a 25mm radius. The fastest and most consistent way to cut these radii is with a template and router with a flush-trim template bit that features an upper or top-mounted bearing.
Once done, replace the template bit with a 3mm roundover bit and round over all of the edges that will be exposed. Leave the edges that will butt against or join to other parts square.
Cut the solid-wood rail supports to length, and round over the long edges with the router and 3mm roundover bit. The rails will be secured in notches that are cut in each rail support. To cut these notches using a table saw, set the blade height to 6mm and use a sliding mitre gauge to make several crosscut passes. Then sand all of the faces and edges smooth before beginning assembly.
Click here for PDF diagrams
Click here for Cutting and Material List (word.doc)
Assemble the base
Mark the shelf locations on the inside faces of both sides. Assemble the sides and shelves on a flat surface with the front edges up and the back edges flat on the work surface. Secure the top and bottom and middle shelves with 8mm dowels. To secure each shelf, clamp it between the sides, drill an 8mm hole that corresponds to the dowel size, apply glue to the dowel and tap it in, using a scrap block to protect the workpieces. Remove the clamps after the shelves are secure; then trim and sand the dowels flush with the surface. Next, attach the bed support to the sides and shelves with dowels. Clamp the bed support to the sides and shelf assembly, making sure the side edges are flush and the bottom edges of the sides are flush with the bottom edge of the bed support. Install dowels every 250-300mm along the sides and along the top and bottom shelves.
The rails and headboard are supported by posts that fit through 19 x 32mm slots in the bed support and are fastened to the inside of the sides with machine screws. The rail supports are spaced 483mm apart on all rails and the headboard. Mark the locations of the slots on the bed support. Then use a router, a 12mm dia. flush-trim template bit and a template to cut the slots. You can also cut these slots by drilling pilot holes at each end of the slot and using a jigsaw to cut the sides and square off the slots.
Finish and assemble the rails
Use dowels to assemble the full side rail and book pocket. Because the book pocket is positioned away from the edges of the full side rail, it is important to take extra care when positioning the book pocket and determining where to drill the dowel holes.
You can finish and embellish the bed to suit any decor — use different colours of paint or stain, use stencils to paint the child's name, or even upholster the headboard and rails with fabric and batting.
Before you begin application, sand all of the parts smooth, and clean off all dust. Next, mask off the areas of the rail supports and rails that will be joined with glue.
Complete the assembly
After the finishes are dry, slide the rails into position and drill pilot holes for the machine screws that secure the rail and headboard supports. Drill one 5mm dia. hole 50mm from the bottom edge and centred across each rail support. Fasten each rail to the bed with a 50mm flathead machine screw, rounded finishing washer, flat washer and wing nut. The headboard supports each require a filler board to fill the gap between the support and the bottom shelf. Fasten the headboard supports and filler boards to the bottom shelf with two 76mm round-head machine screws.
The final step before moving the bed into the child's room is to attach the rails and headboard to the supports. Apply wood glue to the mating surfaces, clamp them together and secure them with 32mm flathead machine screws, rounded finishing washers, flat washers and locknuts. This screw length keeps the threaded screw end just below the rounded top of the locknut to prevent the screws from catching on fabric or scratching skin.
This project works well both as a toddler bed and as a bookcase. If you don't need a toddler bed, building the bookcase is easy: Just leave out the rail construction and cut the rail-support holes. When using the bookcase in a child's room anchor the top edge to the wall to prevent tipping.
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