How to Make a Headboard
Making your customized and upholstered head board can add personality and dimension to your bedroom. You can make it as the bedroom’s focal point by matching to your bedroom’s color scheme. Fabric covered head boards also provide a soft and comfortable headrest for reading.
Building yourself a custom-designed upholstered head board takes no more than basic carpentry skills and a little creativity. You won’t just be saving a few dollars, but you’ll give your bedroom your personal touch and style. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create your customized head board.
Required Materials
- 8-foot tape measure
- paper (taped together to get the width of the bed)
- plywood (fabric covered area)
- 30 X 4-inch plywood (legs)
- jigsaw
- sandpaper
- 1-inch thick upholstery foam
- upholstery or cotton batting
- fabric for the cover
- screw driver
- screws
- drill with drill bits
- staple gun
Steps to Make a Headboard
- Decide the size and shape of the headboard.
- Get the width of the bed then decide on the height of the headboard. Make compensations for the part of the headboard that will be covered by the box spring, mattress, and decorative pillows.
- Decide on the shape of the headboard. The top shape may be rectangular, arched, cut at the corners or serpentine. A rectangular shape is recommended for first-time builders as this shape is easiest to handle.
- Cut the wood for the headboard and the legs.
- Purchase your wood at your local home building store. You can have the wood cut down to your measurements at the store. Cut a part of the wood into 30-inch x 4-inch pieces for the legs.
- For curved headboards, trace your top pattern onto the board. Use a jigsaw to cut along the line. Lightly sand the edges with sandpaper.
- Cover the wood with foam and batting.
- Trace the dimensions of the wood frame onto the upholstery foam. Add an extra inch all around the edges. Cut the foam and spread it over the frame.
- Pull the edges over to the back of the frame and tack it. Start stapling at the top center and staple on both ways every 6 inches. Do the same at the bottom and at the sides.
- Lay the batting over the foam. Cut out the shape while giving an extra 2 inches all the way around. Staple the batting to the back of the frame as the foam was secured.
- Attach the fabric onto the board.
- Cover the headboard with a plain white sheeting to provide it with a layer of lining. Secure the sheeting with staples along the back of the board.
- Spread the fabric face-down on a flat surface. Place the headboard on top of the fabric. Cut the fabric according to the size and shape of the headboard. Add an extra 4 inches all around the edges to wrap around the back of the headboard.
- Pull over the fabric over the edge of the headboard and secure at the back. Start stapling at the top center and staple on both sides until you’ve reached a length of 12 inches. Switch to the bottom edge, making sure that the fabric is smooth. Continue stapling by section on the top and bottom edges until both sides are secure. Do the same for the sides.
- Staple lining fabric onto the back of the board to cover the fabric edges, foam, and batting.
- Attach the legs and install onto the wall.
- Cover the leg pieces with fabric lining or decorative fabric. Secure these by stapling at the back of the legs.
- Set the headboard face-down on a flat surface. Attach the legs to the board at approximately 2 inches from the side edge.
- Attach the board by drilling holes into the legs and attaching them to the frame of the bed.
