How to make an upholstered headboard

This little step-by-step description may seem really simple. That's because it is! I didn't have a pattern or any other kind of guild to go by. Just measure how wide the bed frame is and how you want your headboard to be. Then away you go!


It helps if you (or a good friend) have a workshop or some woodworking tools handy. I could have done this with just my simple battery operated hand tools (if they weren't already in El Paso), but Bob's fully stocked workshop made it that much easier!


First, we picked up a piece of 3/4" plywood from Lowe's. If you don't have a saw to cut it down, the folks at the hardware store can usually make simple cuts for you. Just ask.


Then we got a wee bit fancy, just because Bob has so many fun tools to play with. We routered the edges to round them off and added a 1/2" strip of wood along the top to account for the floorboard and raise the headboard a bit away from the wall once it's attached to the bed. We also drilled holes for the bolts that will attach the headboard to the frame.





Once I got the cut plywood back home, I had to seam the fabric together. The headboard was 60" wide, but the fabric was only 56" wide. If the fabric did not have a directional print, I could have just turned it sideways and used a 60"+ length. But the toile would have looked silly sideways. It took a little patience to get the pattern to line up at the seam, but it is worth it to take your time and get it lined up as close as possible (especially if you're as much of a perfectionist as I am!).

To give the headboard that puffy, upholstered look, I used 3 different quilt battings layered on top of each other and wrapped about to the back of the wood. If you wanted to spend a bit more, you could get some foam. But the batting worked just fine. Wrap it over the edges and staple it to the back to hold it in place. Because the headboard will be up against a wall, the backside does not have to be pretty. Just make sure that the edges are smooth and not too puckered from pulling it over the wood.

Once the batting is tacked in place, do the same with the fabric. I started by tacking the top in place and stretching it down the front to the bottom. Again, the bottom part will be hidden by the mattress and box spring, so it doesn't have to be pretty. Just fold the fabric under itself before you tack it down so it won't fray. Then wrap the sides around and staple it to the back.

Now grab a bunch of upholstery tacks and mark off the pattern that you want. I did offset lines at 10" spacing to give it a good, puffy look. Be sure to buy more tacks than you will actually need, as they are prone to bending when you try to hammer them in. Also, I'd suggest using a rubber mallet if you have one (if not, place some extra fabric over the tacks before hammering so they don't get scuffed).

For the last step, use bolts, washers and nuts to attach the headboard to the bed frame. I used 1/4" bolts that were 1 1/4" long. The washers help protect the plywood from strain.

Push the bed back against the wall (making sure the bolts don't touch the wall) and you are finished!