May 8, 2025
When you're designing a nursery, you're not just picking out colors and cuddly stuffed animals—you're creating the space where your child will spend their earliest days, nights, naps, and milestones.
And while style and function matter, safety is everything.
At Shaking Quakie Woodworks, we’ve built custom cribs, changing tables, rockers, and bookshelves for families across Colorado and beyond. And one thing parents consistently ask us is, “What finishes are safe for my baby?”
It’s a great question—and an essential one. Because not all furniture is created equal, especially when it comes to what’s on the surface. In this guide, we’ll break down what makes custom nursery furniture not only beautiful and functional—but non-toxic, baby-safe, and built to last.
Before we dive into finishes and safety specs, let’s talk about why more parents are choosing custom furniture for their nurseries.
Mass-produced furniture can come with mystery materials—particleboard filled with formaldehyde, veneers made from synthetic resins, and finishes that off-gas harmful VOCs for months.
When you go custom, especially with a local workshop, you can ask:
Transparency is peace of mind.
We design nursery pieces that adapt—from convertible cribs that turn into toddler beds, to changing tables that become storage cabinets or dressers.
Custom design means fewer things to buy later—and fewer pieces headed to the landfill.
Custom furniture is designed around your nursery’s layout, your storage needs, and your personal style. That means fewer awkward corners, better use of space, and a room that feels cohesive and calm.
One of the most overlooked aspects of nursery furniture is off-gassing—the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from finishes, glues, and adhesives. These airborne chemicals can linger for months and are especially dangerous in small, enclosed spaces like nurseries.
Common VOCs include:
Newborns are especially sensitive to these pollutants due to their developing lungs and immune systems. Studies have linked VOC exposure to respiratory issues, skin irritation, and potential long-term effects on cognitive development.
That’s why we never use high-VOC products on nursery builds. It’s not worth the risk.
At Shaking Quakie, every nursery project starts with safe materials. Here’s what we use—and why.
Our go-to for cribs, changing tables, and rocking chairs. These finishes are:
We especially love these for solid hardwoods like maple, white oak, and walnut because they enhance the grain without overpowering it.
Sometimes clients want a tougher, scrubbable surface—especially for bookshelves or storage pieces.
We use water-based poly products that are:
These are great for drawer fronts or surfaces that see daily use but don’t need direct baby contact.
When color is desired, we sometimes use traditional milk paint—a nontoxic, biodegradable option that has been used for centuries. Combined with a beeswax or hardwax topcoat, it’s a safe and charming choice for vintage-inspired or playful designs.
Finishes matter, but so does form. Here’s how we build with safety in mind:
Sharp corners are a hazard, especially once your baby starts crawling and pulling up. We round over all edges and corners on cribs, tables, and seating.
We avoid using small pieces that can come loose and pose a choking risk. Drawers are soft-close. Screws are countersunk and capped. Nothing is left accessible that shouldn’t be.
For cribs, we follow (or exceed) CPSC safety standards:
We design with the future in mind too—many of our cribs convert to toddler beds or daybeds as your child grows.
Tall furniture like dressers or bookshelves are anchored to the wall or built with low center-of-gravity designs. We can also integrate anti-tip straps or hidden fasteners for extra peace of mind.
We favor domestic hardwoods that are durable, low-allergen, and sustainable. Some favorites include:
We avoid:
Everything we use can be traced—and everything we build can be trusted.
One of our clients came to us with a unique request: a crib made from walnut salvaged from their family’s old farm. We milled the wood in-house, treated it with a food-safe oil finish, and engraved the child’s name into the headboard.
Now, three years later, it’s a toddler bed. And in a few more, it’ll be a bench in the child’s bedroom. One piece. One story. Safe enough for a newborn. Strong enough for a lifetime.
That’s the beauty of going custom.
Your baby’s first space should feel safe, warm, and full of care. It should smell like wood—not chemicals. It should be built to last—not to be replaced. And it should reflect your family’s values as much as your design style.
At Shaking Quakie Woodworks, we’re proud to help families create nursery furniture that balances beauty, functionality, and complete peace of mind.
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