Crib Hardware Identification Reference: Bolts, Screws, Brackets & Pins

Crib hardware identification reference is not about “fixing” a crib. It is just a simple way to label and record what a piece is, what it looks like, and what it measures, so a matching part can be searched for (or ruled out) without guesswork.

When I say “hardware,” I mean the small stuff: bolts, screws, connector pins, cam locks, barrel nuts, washers, spacers, spring clips, brackets, and little metal plates that hold bigger parts together. These pieces can look almost the same at a glance, but be totally different in a way that matters.

Crib hardware identification reference: the quick “what to record” list

If you only do one thing, do this list. It makes the rest of the process much easier.

• Exact crib brand + model name (if known)
• Any numbers on labels (model number, style number, lot number)
• Where the part goes (example: “front rail to side,” “mattress support corner,” “drawer slide,” “hinge area”)
• How many are missing (and how many total should exist)
• Clear photos (front, side, and next to a ruler)
• Basic measurements (length, thickness, head style, and thread spacing if it’s a screw/bolt)

If your crib is already identified by brand and model, the best starting point is usually the brand’s parts or manual page. Here are my main hubs:

Crib Parts
Crib Instructions
Crib Replacement Parts
Baby Crib Parts

Common crib hardware pieces (and how to recognize them)

Bolts are usually thicker than screws and often have a smooth section under the head before the threads begin. The head might be Allen/hex, Phillips, Torx, or a smooth round head with a slot.

Screws are often fully threaded (or mostly threaded) and may have sharper tips. Some cribs use wood screws in non-structural spots, but many connection points use machine-thread bolts that match a nut or barrel nut.

Barrel nuts (also called cross dowels) look like small metal cylinders with a threaded hole through the side. They sit inside a larger hole in the wood, and the bolt threads into them from the side.

Cam locks are round “turn to tighten” connectors used in some furniture-style cribs. They usually pair with a cam bolt. If you see a flat round metal disk that turns with a screwdriver, that’s your clue.

Connector pins can be smooth metal pins that slide into place, sometimes with a clip or spring. These show up in some convertible designs and some older frame styles.

Brackets and plates are the flat metal shapes—L-shaped corners, slotted plates, or little stamped pieces that hold a support frame or mattress support corner in position.

Washers and spacers look “boring,” but they matter. A missing spacer can change the way a rail sits and make a bolt feel too long (or too short).

How to measure crib bolts and screws (simple and clear)

This part sounds technical, but it’s not. You are just collecting clues.

• Length: measure from under the head to the tip (not including the head).
• Head style: Allen/hex, Phillips, Torx, flat, round, pan, or button head.
• Thread type: machine-thread (even, fine ridges) vs wood screw (deeper, more aggressive ridges).
• Thread size guess: write down what it seems closest to, if you know (but it’s okay if you don’t).

If you want a neutral, non-selling “standard reference” for how fasteners are named and measured, McMaster-Carr’s fastener reference pages are a solid, practical read:

Fastener reference at McMaster-Carr

Where crib hardware info is usually hiding

• On the crib: check the inside of the headboard/footboard, underside of rails, and the mattress support frame.
• On the instruction manual: the parts diagram is often the best “name list” for each piece.
• On the label: model numbers and date codes can narrow down the right parts list.
• In the original hardware bag: sometimes a tiny printed code is on the bag, not the part.

Photo tips that make identification easier

• Use bright window light.
• Put the part on a plain background (white paper works).
• Take one photo next to a ruler.
• Take one close-up showing the head style.
• Take one photo showing the part where it belongs on the crib (even if it’s “missing,” show the hole/slot).

When the exact part cannot be matched

Sometimes the exact original part is not available anymore. In that case, the goal of this page is still useful: it helps you collect clean, clear details and understand what type of part you’re looking at, so you can recognize what is and isn’t a match.

If you are at the “nothing matches” stage, this page is the next stop in my crib parts cluster:

What to Do If You Can’t Find Crib Replacement Parts

A quick safety note I keep on every hardware-style page

Drop-side and other movable-side crib designs should not be repaired or put back into use. My hardware pages exist to help identify parts and models for reference and record-keeping, not to make recalled crib designs usable.

Related pages (useful next clicks)

Baby Crib Dimensions and Standard Sizes
How to Clean a Crib Mattress
Ban Drop-Side Cribs