Handmade Wood Headboards

There are many variations on a handmade wood headboard.

One of the biggest impediments to many people who are thinking about making a handmade headboard for their bed is that they assume a headboard will be complicated and must attach to the bed. In fact, you can make attractive wood headboards that attach simply to the wall above the bed, just like a picture frame -- you could even use a picture frame if you wanted. This type of headboard leaves room for a variety of designs and is easily moved or changed if needed.

Things You'll Need

• Large artist's canvas frame
• Plywood, 1/2-inch
• Saw
• Hammer
• Nails, 1-inch
• Bamboo reeds, 1/2-inch diameter
• Carpenter's glue
• Molding
• Paint/varnish
• Paintbrush
• Drill
• Wood screws, 1-inch

Instructions

1. Source a large artist's canvas frame, sans the canvas, that is the size you want your bed headboard to be. If you can't find one, use 1-by-2-inch lumber to make a simple right-angled frame, secured at the corners with wood screws.

2. Lay the frame over the plywood and trace the outline of the frame and then cut the plywood to the size of the frame with the saw. Attach the plywood to the frame with 1-inch nails around the perimeter. You can use any number of materials, from paneling to fabric or even paint to decorate the plywood for the headboard. An Asian-feel bamboo headboard is a good example.

3. Lay the frame, plywood face upward, flat on a work surface. Position the bamboo reeds across the frame, either horizontally or vertically, depending on the look you want. There should be very little space between the reeds and they should be on the same plane. Trim the ends of the reeds, so they don't extend over the edge of the plywood, and then glue the reeds in place with carpenter's glue.

4. Measure the length and height of the frame and then cut two pieces of molding to the length and two pieces to the height. Miter the ends of these pieces to 45-degrees and then shape the molding into a second frame, mitered ends forming the corners. Glue the frame together at the corners and let dry. If you want to paint or varnish the molding, do so now as well as the bamboo, if desired.

5. Position the molding frame over the top of the bamboo, obscuring the ends of the reeds. Screw the molding frame to the plywood and canvas frame with the 1-inch screws. Drive the screws in at an angle, about 45 degrees, from the back of the plywood and canvas frame into the molding frame so that the screws remain invisible.

Tips & Warnings

• When you hang the headboard above the bed find the wall studs for the hanging hooks.

References

• Sunset Magazine; Simple Headboards