How to Make an Upholstered Headboard & Frame

A bed without a headboard can make a room look unfinished. But wooden and wrought iron headboards can be very expensive and take up valuable floor space in a bedroom. An upholstered headboard that hangs directly on the wall provides a comfortable spot to lean against and won't take up floor space. Constructing a headboard can be a relatively easy weekend DIY project.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood cut to headboard specifications
• Batting
• Staple gun
• Fabric
• Painted square decorative trim molding
• Painted base molding
• Hanging brackets
• Finish nails

Instructions

1. Lay batting flat on the floor or other large work surface. Lay your plywood on top of the batting. Cut the batting the same size as the plywood. Turn over wood and batting. Use craft glue to adhere batting to what will be the front of your headboard. Allow glue to dry completely.

2. Lay fabric on work surface. Lay headboard on top with batting side down. Cut fabric so that you have 6 to 8 inches of overhang around the perimeter of the plywood. Choose a fabric that is thicker and will withstand regular use. Thicker, sturdier fabrics will also give a smoother finish to the final product.

3. Pull edges of fabric over the side of the plywood and staple to secure. Pull tightly, stapling at about 1-inch intervals. Turn the headboard over often to smooth out any wrinkles or lumps. Continue around entire edge of headboard until the fabric is tight and secure.

4. Trim any excess fabric from the back of the headboard so the piece will rest flat against the wall.

5. Attach picture hanging hardware to the back of your headboard. For best results use a flush mount bracket. Install the base of the flush mount bracket into wall studs where your headboard will be attached. Attach the top of the bracket to the corresponding point on the headboard. Slide the top bracket onto the base for a secure fit.

6. Use your prepainted molding trim pieces to attach a frame directly to the wall around your headboard. The frame will give a finished look to the headboard. You could also choose to add upholstery to the frame if you don't like a painted wood frame. Upholster the frame in the same way you upholstered the main headboard.

7. Attach the square trim pieces to the wall at the corners of the headboard using finish nails. These will create the corners of your frame.

8. Measure from one square corner to the next to determine how to cut the sides of the frames. Cut frames to fit between the square corner pieces. Attach sides to the wall using finish nails. Make sure the frame sits snugly against the headboard, giving the appearance of one solid piece.

9. Fill any creases and nail holes with putty. Use paint to cover putty and any visible nail holes.

Tips & Warnings

• Add tufting by drilling holes in your plywood before upholstering. Use a long needle and buttons to attach buttons to the front of the headboard. Pull the buttons tightly to create the tufting. Secure tightly at the back of the headboard.

• Visible gaps between the frame and the headboard will make your headboard look unfinished. You can choose to construct the frame and attach it to the main portion of the headboard before hanging on the wall. A frame store can also construct a more elaborate frame to your custom specifications.

References

• Homemade Headboards
• Inspiring Ideas