×

How to Build a Slanted Head Board

Jonah Morrissey

A slanted headboard can create an accent within a bedroom. You can make your own from plywood as a weekend do-it-yourself project. The advantage to making your own is that you will have an end product that is completely customized to your needs. Select furniture-grade plywood for your headboard. This will allow you to paint or stain it to match the furniture and woodwork in the room. The headboard can be mounted with standard headboard brackets.

  1. Measure the width of the bed using a tape measure. Add 6 inches to the width to get the width dimension for the headboard.

  2. Measure and mark the width dimension for the headboard onto the plywood panel on the 96-inch edges.

  3. Cut the plywood panel to the width dimension to create the headboard.

  4. Place the headboard on a work surface. Measure down from the top of each side 6 to 12 inches and mark the measurement with a pencil. These are points "a" and "b."

  5. Measure and mark the center of the width along the top edge of the headboard. This is point "c."

  6. Draw a line from point "c" to point "a" using a straight edge. Draw a line from point "c" to point "b." This will create a headboard that slants down from the center to each side.

  7. Cut along each line to cut out the slants from the top edge and sides of the headboard using a circular saw.

  8. Sand all the edges and surfaces of the headboard using fine-grit sandpaper until it is completely smooth.

  9. Apply a coat of wood finish using a paintbrush. Allow the headboard to dry at least 72 hours before installation.