How to Choose the Best Crib - a Parent's honest review
We are family of furniture enthusiasts with hundreds of years of combined experience in furniture manufacturing. Eternal students in the Art of Woodworking we use Passion Experience and Enthusiasm as our main ingredients (which you will not find on the product specification page. Silva Furniture also contains other, more noticeable ingredients like Beech wood, water-based finishes, or German hydraulic hardware.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CRIBS | BABY FURNITURE, OR LIFETIME FURNITURE
How to choose a crib. The basic questions:
Consumer Product Safety Commission places cribs in 2 main categories: Full-size and Small/Portable also called Mini cribs. You also have Bassinets which can be useful for the first few weeks. A full-size crib provides sleeping accommodations for an infant and intended to be used in the home, in a child care facility, in a family child care home, or in places of public accommodation affecting commerce. A full-size crib has interior dimensions of 28 ± 5/8 inches (71 ± 1.6 centimeters) in width x 52 3/8 ± 5/8 inches (133 ± 1.6 centimeters) in length. These margins or tolerance allow for certain design features to be implemented in certain fashion.Noteworthy: CPSC testing requirement focuses on infant period 0 - 2 years and there are a lot of flimsy cribs which may (barely) pass the minimum requirements. What happens when your child gets bigger and stronger?
Classic crib or Convertible?
Both crib styles will have the exact interior dimension and contrary to the general perception, they take more or less the same floor space in the room. Classic cribs will have symmetrical sides so they can be placed in the center of the room, or at challenging angles; this the only advantage beyond the aesthetics. Convertible cribs will likely have the backside higher, tend to be more robust and heavy. We recommend Convertible cribs because they offer much better value and longevity. For a little extra money you will have a place to sleep for your baby from infant to college days.Noteworthy: Convertible Cribs tend to be more robust and heavier, and often look nicer since they are expected to be used for a longer time.
Solid panel or Open sides?
Some "experts" recommend cribs with all 4 sides for they supposedly have ventilation benefits the baby. We think those statements are silly for all cribs provide for an unenclosed sleep area. Most cribs have some slatted sides too, ours have 3 slatted sides. If you need more air, you might want to consider buying a farm in Wyoming.Noteworthy: You'll use the crib for 3 years but if it converts, you'll use the bed (converted from crib) way longer. We like the Solid Panel headboard because it is more comfortable and functional in the bed stage. Solid panel is slightly safer for the infant stage too.
Country of Origin
Often an inconvenient subject, we will be as objective as possible. An overwhelming majority of the cribs recalled in the United States are manufactured in SE-Asia and sold by mass-merchants. Below you will find the CPSC links to learn this for yourself. This does not necessary imply that all cribs made in Asia are of poor quality, we just think that you should thoroughly scrutinize descriptions, statements and overall quality before making a purchasing decision.Noteworthy: "Made in Europe" is much better. There are different quality standards, work ethics, tradition and in general better quality control.
Mattress Support
Most mattress supports are designed to offer a safe and comfortable sleeping surface regardless on whether they are metal or wood. We recommend that you choose a crib design with an adjustable mattress system that allows you to lower it as the child grows and/or is able to stand in the crib.Noteworthy: We're heard some "experts" taking about radioactivity and electromagnetism in the mattress support or wood etc. Unless you plan to wire up the crib to some electric source, those statements are goofy.
Materials and Design
Design is a very obvious aspect which must meet your visual expectations but the kind of design we wish to discuss is the structural one. The sturdier the elements, the safer the crib will be. The more solid the wood is the less likely for the inserts or bolts to pull out and lead to accidents. The heavier the crib is the safer it will be. Keep in mind that every child will jump into their crib or attempt to climb out at least once. You may want a crib design with wide solid slats that will not break or flex.Top 5 Best Cribs in the US of A
In the past there used to be independent ratings like the Baby Bargains book. There are no independent ratings or "Top 10" type classifications for cribs at the present time. There are however a number of commission collecting sites who make outrageous claims. One of these websites states (quoted) "We consulted the CPSC and our advisory board to choose the six best cribs from over 25 contenders..." and then lists cribs from manufacturers with known and huge recalls as "best" soooo.. in the most objective fashion, we wanted to put those "best crib" statements to the test. In the past 25 years there have been nearly a million and a half cribs have been recalled in the United States along because they posed a high risk of injury to children. All these recalls are listed on Consumer Product Safety Commission's website, the federal agency tasked with monitoring the potential risk of harm caused by consumer goods. CPSC rewrote the cribs safety guidelines several times, with the most recent changes effective since 2019. As a parent myself I admit that I am unsettled by the fact that most of these brands being labeled "best" are the same who caused numerous infant incidents and have been subject to massive recalls in the past and almost the identical recalled model is now sold under a different name and pushed as "best". We invite you to discover this for yourself by typing the brand or model name into the CPSC recall portal, and HERE is the link again. Let me assure you that we are not proclaiming to know it all. We always strive to learn and improve, but over time we've learnt the meaning of the words "Trust, but verify". As a parent of three, I've also learnt that if it is cheap, if it looks cheap, and if it feels cheap, it is probably not good for my family.All Cribs are NOT created Equal
During infant stage, children spend most of their time eating and sleeping in the crib. During the (amazing) toddler and pre-k years they'll sleep in the crib an average of 10 hours plus a couple hours of mid-day nap. If you add it all up, your child will be in the nursery more than in the stroller or anywhere else, he/she will breathe, touch the the crib and later on may even try to chew everything within reach (including the crib). Yup, this is true. You might want to think "furniture" as an investment, not only an expense, an investment into your child well-being. Here's a side by side comparison of our Jackson Convertible Crib and another brand (will not name it) which is promoted on on these "expert sites" as best; an almost identical crib sold under a different name but from the same manufacturer, was recalled in 2015. Which one of these cribs looks safer to you? Which of these cribs looks like it will last a 2 year old jumping? Both of these are supposed to be convertible; does it look like both will make it thru the bed stage? If you kindergartner needs comforting, do you feel like you can sleep with her in this bed?
Jackson Convertible Crib, Edison Convertible Crib and Serena Convertible Crib are made with 100% Solid Beechwood, a hardwood essence which is superior to all common hardwoods. "Common" actually means hardwoods which are sustainably harvested and largely used in the furniture segment but there is nothing common about our standards of quality. are all 4 in 1 designs which will provide safety and comfort through Baby, Toddler and Big Kid stages and will do so in exquisite fashion.
Our furniture is finished with 100% non-toxic stains and paints. The color agent is vegetable based and a water-based clear coating or bees wax sealant is used for our finishes.
German-made hydraulic systems are used for all our dressers which provide an unparalleled furniture experience. Guaranteed for about 70 years and featuring dual-height adjustment, anti-detachment and safe-closes features, your Silva dresser can be a changing table during the infant stage or store an entire teenage wardrobe later on.
You get what you get, and you don't get upset
We also say that "you get what you pay for"
Did it ever happened to you to buy some cheap thing that was always challening to use, perhaps pinched your finger when you tried to fixed it a few days later, or the drawers were not closing or some bolt come off, but you said, "oh well, it was worth it because it was cheap" Yup, nobody ever said this.
" The bitterness of bad quality always outlasts the sweetness of a discount "
Children Safety and Children Health are paramount values instilled in our DNA and our manufacturing operation. Having a baby is a financial effort for most us but making smart purchasing decisions can save a lot of money and time and stress. Choosing better quality goods from the get-go provides not only for a better experience and peace of mind, but time and money you would be spending re-buying poor quality stuff which lasts as long as the snow in the Carolinas.
Cribs can be made of many materials, with different techniques, and finished differently too. Most manufacturers accidentally omit to list the materials or finishes in their product descriptions, or list the one that sounds best, while omitting the others: if the product description looks something like "poplar, poplar veneers and other materials" you might want to take a step back. More often than not, the "other materials represent the majority of the product and Styrofoam, Plywoods, MDF or Particle Board are more commonly used than you would think. Not to say that they are all bad, you should trust but verify.
There are softwoods and hardwoods and there is a substantial amount of glue used in making plywood but due to consumer awareness (thank you), there is also an increased number of plywood products which use water-based and non-toxic glues.
At Silva Furniture, we design and manufacture our furniture with our family and your family in mind. Health and Safety are Priceless:
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Silva Convertible Cribs are crafter from Solid Hardwood (European Beech). We use the latest technologies to transform, give shape and purpose to this beautiful natural material.
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Our mattress supports have three adjustable levels for maximum conform and convenience.
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All hardware components are placed in recessed holes and unexposed areas.
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Silva finishes are organic, water-based non-toxic containing no VOCs (volatile organic compounds), Phthalates or Formaldehyde
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All our case units, like changing dressers, tall chests and nightstands feature a German made hydraulic soft-closing feature for the drawers. These are guaranteed for about 70 years.
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All furniture is finished on the inside to increase longevity and wood tolerance to environmental conditions changes.
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All drawers feature an anti-detachment, anti-tipping feature which is trigger operated for easy release.
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These drawers used with changing dressers, nightstands and chests also feature an English dovetail joinery and a dual-height adjustment feature
To learn more about our wide selection of children’s furniture, call us today at 980-585-1460 or contact us through our convenient contact form.
Cribs and Beds | Dressers | Accessories Jackson Collection | Edison Collection | Serena Collection
FROM NATURE
For Nature's most precious Treasure
ECO-CONSCIOUS, SAFE & HEALTHY
Passion and Knowledge, Enthusiasm and Purpose, these are all essential ingredients which are not listed on the product specification page. We use these ingredients in abundance.
Family.
Born in 1991 in Transylvania (Romania), Silva Furniture continues a family tradition which spans over three generations and six decades. "Family" tradition also means that we treat all our employees, and customers like our kinfolk, and together we give purpose and shape and functionality to outstanding materials. Baby furniture is our passion and and our furniture is designed and manufactured it with our own families in mind.
Wood.
You wood be happy to learn that all Silva cribs are made of Beechwood, one of the finest hardwood essences which is sustainably harvested in accordance with all FSC guidance. We plant 5 saplings for each Beech tree harvested at maturity so that we we preserve and protect our beautiful planet.
Value.
The nursery is not just another room in the house, it's the command center for the most amazing Journey. Silva is not just furniture either; it is the first home of the most important people in your life whose small feel will leave huge prints on your heart. Sophisticated and functional, Silva is designed to add value to your family, from baby to teenage years And when your child packs heads to college, your furniture have left behind only the amazing memories, none of those hard-to-spell chemicals.