Making your own bed headboard is simple.
If your bed didn't come with a headboard, or came with one you're not crash-hot on, you can make your own bed headboard in under an hour. Floating headboards are easy to construct and hang on the wall like a picture frame, giving you a new headboard to be proud of. The advantage of making a do-it-yourself headboard is that you can choose the design you like, or even match it to your duvet cover or another decor theme in your bedroom. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Purchase an artist's canvas frame the size of the headboard you want. Artist's canvas frames come strung with or without canvas; you want one without canvas, just the frame.
2. Place the frame onto the plywood and trace around it. Cut out the plywood on the traced lines then nail it to the frame with 1-inch nails every 5 inches around the edges.
3. Lay out the foam batting and place the frame and plywood on top, with the plywood side down.
4. Stretch the foam over the sides and onto the back of the frame and staple it in place. Alternate stapling on each side of the frame so that you get an even pull on the foam batting. When you get to the corners, pull the batting out away from the corner, then fold it crisply down at a 45-degree angle on one side of the frame, then tuck and staple the remaining fabric on the underside of the frame; essentially making "hospital corners" on the frame.
5. Iron the fabric you chose for the headboard, then lay it right-side down on the work surface. Place the frame, plywood and batting on top, with the batting side on the back of the fabric.
6. Pull the sides of the fabric over the back of the frame and attach with staples like you did the batting. If your fabric has a pattern or design, ensure it is straight on the front before stapling. When you get to the corners, make "hospital corners" with the fabric like you did with the batting. Cut off excess fabric and batting with the scissors.
7. Locate the wall studs on the wall over the bed where you want to hang the headboard and mark them. Mark the height you want the headboard to hang at also.
8. Cut a length of 1-by-2 lumber about an inch shorter than the inside width of the back of the headboard for a hanging cleat.
9. Position the cleat on the wall where you made the hanging height mark. Use the level to ensure the cleat is straight. Drive two drywall screws through the cleat into each of the positions where the wall studs are.
10. Hang the headboard on the cleat, then drive screws through the top edge of the frame into the wall cleat to attach it securely above the bed.
Tags: back frame, batting with, foam batting, frame plywood, hospital corners
