How to Build Your Own Wooden Headboard

Build your own headboard with a hardwood panel, cut any way you like to fit behind your bed. Glue strips of wood trim to the face to create patterns to suit your decor. Squares, rectangles or randomly placed trim will add a design element to your bedroom. Find everything you need to build your own wooden headboard at your local home improvement store.

Things You'll Need

• Hardwood plywood
• Saw
• Iron-on edge banding
• Iron
• Decorative wood trim
• Sandpaper
• 2 stain colors and sponges
• Polyurethane and sponge
• Wall hanger and stud finder

Instructions

1. Measure and cut a 3/4-inch hardwood plywood panel to the dimensions that will fit behind your bed. Make your headboard wider than your mattress to encompass your side tables, or build it 2 inches larger on either side. Your headboard will hang on the wall, so you do not need to build it all the way to the floor. Build it so that the bottom of the headboard rests a few inches below the top of your mattress. The beauty of making your own headboard is that you are in control of the dimensions, shape and style.

2. Apply iron-on edging around the perimeter of your cut hardwood panel according to the manufacturer's directions. The edging will give your wooden headboard a finished appearance.

3. Sand the plywood and the strips of wood trim with medium- and then light-grade sandpaper. Remove the debris completely.

4. Stain the face, edges and back of your wooden headboard. Stain the wood trim a different color from the hardwood panel for more interesting design.

5. Cut the wood trim into smaller pieces. The size of your trim pieces depends on your personal preference and your pattern. The trim can be in a random, eclectic pattern or geometric shapes.

6. Attach the trim to the face of your headboard with construction adhesive to eliminate any visible nails on your finished piece.

7. Apply a coat of polyurethane to the face, edges and back of your wooden headboard. Even though the back will be placed against the wall and is unseen, still apply polyurethane so the wood will not bow from a one-sided application.

8. Attach the headboard to the wall with wall hangers inserted into the wall studs.

Tips & Warnings

• Stain your trim pieces with a variety of colored gel stains for a headboard that will suit a child's room.

• Apply more than one coat of polyurethane to the headboard for a more pronounced sheen.

References

• Joe Woodworker: Edge Banding Guide