Wooden Cots

About

The cot is the one piece of nursery furniture that stays in the room the longest, and often the one that gets handed on afterwards. A wooden cot is chosen for that reason as much as any other. Timber takes years of use, marks in a way that looks lived in rather than damaged, and settles into a room instead of shouting at it. Solid Timber, Engineered Wood and What Sits Between A timber cot can mean several different things, and the difference shows up years later. Solid hardwood is the heaviest and the most forgiving of being dismantled and rebuilt, which matters if the cot will move house or pass to another child. Engineered wood panels keep the weight and the price down and hold a flat, even finish, which suits painted designs. Many cots combine the two, using solid timber for the frame and rails that take the load and panels elsewhere. Look at the joins rather than the marketing. Cots that bolt together with metal fixings survive repeated assembly better than those relying on glued dowels, and that is the difference between a cot that gets a second life and one that does not. Choosing a Finish That Ages Well Finish decides how the cot looks on day one and how it looks after two toddlers have chewed the top rail. A natural wood cot in oak, beech or ash shows the grain and hides small scratches, since the damage is the same colour as the timber underneath. Dark wood cots in walnut or teak tones anchor a light room and suit homes where the rest of the furniture is warm-toned, though they show dust more readily. A white and wood cot splits the difference, pairing painted panels with timber legs and rails, which is the most flexible option when you do not yet know how the room will be decorated. Whatever the finish, ask about the coating, since water-based and low-emission finishes are now standard on quality cots and worth confirming before you buy. Cots That Convert and Furniture That Matches Most wooden cots sold in Australia now convert, dropping a side to become a