How to Make a Leather Covered Headboard

Headboards are oftentimes the focal point of the bedroom, especially since the bed is just about the biggest thing in the room. If your bed is indeed the focal point, you want to make sure you have a nice-looking headboard. If your bed came without a headboard, you can quickly make one yourself. Cover the headboard with leather and you have a beautiful addition to any bedroom that is appropriate for adults and kids, male or female.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• 1 sheet of plywood
• Saw
• 3 yards of leather
• 1 package of high-loft quilt batting
• Scissors
• Staple gun/heavy-duty staples
• 6 buttons, 2 inch
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

1. Measure and cut the sheet of plywood to 4 feet by 6 feet with a circular saw to make a headboard for a double or queen-size bed.

2. Lay out your leather on a clean floor with the right side facing the floor. Center two layers of the quilt batting on top of the fabric.

3. Place the plywood on top of the quilt batting and center it.

4. Cut the leather so that you have 4 extra inches all the way around the plywood.

5. Pull the leather up in the middle of one side and attach it to the plywood with the staple gun. Work on the opposite side; pull up and attach the middle of the leather on that side, pulling the leather as tightly as possible. Repeat with the other two sides.

6. Work from the middle of each side to the corners, pulling the leather tightly and stapling it down to the plywood.

7. Fold the leather at the corners, like you would a gift, to give you sharp, neat looking corners.

8. Trim any excess leather at the back to remove bulkiness.

9. Use the measuring tape and chalk to make marks for the buttons. Measure out two rows with three buttons each. Use the staple gun to make indentations at the button marks.

10. Heat up the glue gun and attach the buttons to the headboard using the hot glue.

Tips & Warnings

• Use thinner leather, which you can find at some fabric stores, to create your covered headboard.

• Instead of leather you can use a faux leather or vinyl and give your headboard that leather look, but at a fraction of the cost of leather.

• Attach the headboard to the wall using flush mounts.

References

• Googobits: How to Make Your Own Headboard to Revive Your Tired Bedroom
• Remodelaholic: Headboard Tutorial

Resources

• Be Jane: Headboard