How to Build a Bed Headboard

Adding a custom headboard to your bed can update the entire look of your bedroom and make your bed appear as an attractive focal point in the room.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wood board
• Batting
• Cloth material of your choice
• Staples and staple gun

1. Measure the width of your bed. This measurement will provide the width of your headboard.

2. Decide how tall you want your headboard to be.

3. Using a table saw or circular saw, rip a piece of wood so that it matches the width of your bed and is as tall as you've decided you want your headboard to be. For instance, if your bed is a king size bed and is 8' in width and you'd like your headboard to stand 5' tall, then rip your board to be 8' in width and 5' in height.

4. Next, measure and cut your batting to cover the front of your cut board, with a few inches on all four sides to allow you to wrap the batting around to the back of the board. For the above example, cut the batting to be 8'6" by 5'6". This will allow you 3" of batting free on all four sides of the board.

5. Measure the cloth that you have chosen to cover your headboard to be the same measurements as the batting.

6. Lay the cloth material flat on the floor.

7. Place the batting over the top of the cloth

8. Place the cut board in the center of the batting/cloth, with the batting/cloth combination extending past the side of the board on all four sides.

9. Use your staple gun to staple the cloth and batting to the back of the board. Make sure you pull the cloth tight to avoid wrinkles and give a finished, professional look to the headboard.

10. 
     
    Folding over the corner of the headboard

    To make your corners look smooth and tailored, wrap the material around the board just like you would wrap a present. See the attached photo for clarification.

11. The entire circumference of the batting and cloth should now be stapled to the back of the board. Turn the board over to look at the front. This is your new headboard.

12. You can fasten your new headboard directly to the wall at the head of your bed or simply let your new headboard lean against the wall with the bed snugly in front of it.

Tips & Warnings

• Once your headboard is completed, you can also add buttons, ribbons, beading, edging or other frills to "dress up" your new headboard.
• If you get tired of the headboard, simply change the cloth covering to provide a new, updated look for your bed.