Here is a step-by-step on how to make a headboard. Go to your local home store and fabric/craft store to pick out the following products:
1 large piece of plywood cut (at the store) in the size that works best for your bed. From the fabric store pick out a batting that will be just the right amount of padding that you want to create. I suggest medium. If there is too much padding there will be ridges around the outside showing the thickness through the fabric. Too thin will not give the desired "fluffy" look. After stapling the batting to the plywood with a staple gun, add in a thin batting for a more even look. staple to the plywood on top of the thicker batting.
After the batting(s) have been added and stapled to the plywood, add your favorite shade of fabric as the fabric that will be the final display for the headboard. This fabric should preferably have some texture, durability and not stretch when pulled and stapled on the plywood.
Above is after the batting, and fabric have been stapled to the plywood.
Choose a trim style that suits your taste. Along with that thick trim, pick a smaller strip that will go around the outer edges to completely conceal the plywood in the back. Measure the distance around your headboard so you have enough trim!
Pick out your favorite paint! This is the fun part! Be creative. I just chose a neutral taupe tone and added bronze for accents ( Martha Stewart Metallic Paint- Gravel and Vintage Gold)
Don't be too picky about how you paint the trim. I painted inconsistently to get a more aged look. So don't fill in everything! Once the gravel gray color was added I whisked on the vintage gold paint for accents and the aged look.
Measure the desired angle that your trim must connect at and use a skill saw to create the angle.
The above picture shows the smaller piece of trim on the outer corner and the angle achieved. The picture on the right shows the corners connected before caulking.
Connect the trim to the headboard using finishing nails. Finishing nails help connect the trim to the headboard without being able to see the nails!
Once connected with finishing nails, take a small amount of caulk to all divots created by the finishing nails and the corners of trim connected that have space. Caulk until an even seamless look is achieved. Let dry (if needed) then top with the same painting technique as used previously.
To make the headboard stand upright, use the leftover wood from the plywood backboard as legs (this is why it is important to have a sturdy plywood, so that the headboard can stand up without breaking).
Measure the desired height from the floor to the bed and screw in the legs using shorter screws that only screw into the plywood and no deeper. Use multiple screws in all areas to keep sturdy.
There you have it! Your brand new headboard that in the end only cost me a little over $100, but worth so much more for the time and effort! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thanks for reading!
