DIY for Even the Simplest Simpleton

I reupholstered my headboard with new fabric a few years ago, but seeing how easy it would be to replicate its shape from scratch, I wouldn't buy the original piece again. In fact, I plan on making a headboard for our guest room, once the Milwaukee weather warms up and I'm allowed to use the jigsaw again. 

Never. Saw. Inside. Dust = cleaning nightmare.

CasaSugar, one of my favorite home decor resource sites, posted these simple steps to creating your own headboard. With just one stop to Home Depot, a visit to your local fabric store (such as Jo-Ann or Hancock) and the use of your own/borrowed-from-your-cute-handy-neighbor's tools, you could be showing off a new headboard in a matter of hours.

Photo via CasaSugar.com

Text from CasaSugar.com:

The supplies you'll need:

• Piece of 1/2-inch plywood cut to the width of your bed frame and desired height (54"w for full, 60"w queen, 34"h). $17
• 1/2-inch foam to cover surface area of one side of the plywood (i.e. 54" x 34", etc). $2.50
• 3 yards of 54" batting. A queen-size bag will do. $11
• Staple gun and staples. Borrowed
• 2-3 yards of fabric. (I bought 3 yds. and have some to spare, so 2 yds. will probably do.) $24
• French Natural Nailhead Trim — available at Joann's Fabrics, eBay seller nails-to-you ($8.50), DIY Upholstery Supply ($15). $8.50
• Hammer or rubber mallet. Owned

Total Cost: $63!

Now, onto the steps . . .

1. Head to Home Depot and have them cut your piece of plywood to size. They'll do it for free. If you want to screw your headboard directly into your bed, rather than hang it from the wall, you may want to have them cut you legs from the scrap plywood.
2. Lay your plywood on the floor. Lay the foam on top of the plywood and staple it down, just in the four corners. If it's not a perfect shape, you may need to cut smaller pieces from the roll of foam and arrange them to fit.
3. Unroll your batting and stretch it out flat across the floor. If it's already folded in two layers, leave it like that, you'll want two layers. Center the plywood, foam side down, on top of the batting, making sure there's room to fold the batting onto the backside of the plywood.
4. Begin stapling the batting to the back side of the plywood, pulling it tautly as you go. When you reach the corners, fold them nicely like you would a present. Continue all the way around.
5. Make sure your fabric is ironed or steamed if it has wrinkles.
6. Lay your fabric on the floor, front side down. Lay the plywood down on top of it, foam/batting side down, with at least two or three inches of fabric around the edges of the plywood all the way around. Cut off excess fabric if needed.
7. Begin stapling your fabric to the backside of the plywood, pulling it tautly as you go. When you reach the corners, be extra careful to fold them neatly like a present.
8. Next up: the nailhead trim! The nailhead trim is basically a strip of nailhead that you only have to nail in every fifth nail. This saves a lot of time and makes lining up the nails a cinch. Decide what pattern you're going to go with ahead of time. I chose two rows of trim, but you could easily go with one, or even get more complicated. I wrapped my hammer in a sock so it wouldn't scratch the nailhead, but a rubber mallet will also work.
9. Start at the bottom and begin nailing in the trim, checking to make sure it's a straight line as you go. When you get the corners, you may have to snip off some of the trim, and hammer in real nailheads depending on the length and width you're going for. Repeat as necessary until you've completed the trim.
10. Fini! If you're going to hang your headboard, I'd recommend screwing in two heavy duty D-ring picture hangers into the back of the headboard, and hanging them from a screw or hook on your wall. If you want to attach the headboard to your bed, you can screw plywood legs to the headboard and them bolt them to your bed frame.