a hand-built headboard

Headboards are popular right now but not always affordable. Here are two simple designs that you can personalize with just the right paint or fabric to satisfy your heart's desire.

Sizes:
Measure your bed to decide how wide you want your headboard to be: 140 or 160 cm (55 or 63 in), to match your mattress size, or slightly wider, such as 150 or 160 cm (59 or 63 in) for a bed that is 140 cm wide. The height can vary: 100, 110, 120 cm (39, 43, 47 in), etc.
Once you have decided on the size of your headboard, you will need some wood posts, battens and wood boards (from a construction site, thick floorboards) or some fiberboard of the appropriate size, as well as wood screws, wood glue, a saw, a sander and supplies for the finish.

headboard plan

rustic wood design
Saw the boards to the correct width. Saw the (6x6 or 10x10 cm) posts to serve as uprights. Cut a narrow batten (2x2 or 3x3 cm). Lay the boards down next to each other and glue the narrow sides together. Then screw a batten along the ends, as pictured, for a sturdy assembly. You should use two screws for each board. The surface you work on will be the back of the headboard. Make three holes in each batten, perpendicular to the screws, to fasten the boards to the upright posts. Finish by screwing the battens securely to the upright posts. Once the glue has dried, sand the surfaces and edges well. Now is the time to choose the finish of your dreams: wax, paint...

upholstered design
Screw the fiberboard to the upright posts (6x6 or 10x10 cm) with wood screws. For your comfort, you should prepare a hole to countersink the head of each screw. Staple upholstery batting to the fiberboard. Then assemble the side and top boards using narrow battens and small nails. Cover with fabric all over, stapling it carefully. Linen is very modern-looking, but raw silk, woven vinyl or raffia are great choices, too. This is a clever design because the flat top of the headboard can be used to hold bedside reading, photo frames, and so on.

To ensure that the headboard rests firmly against the wall, despite the baseboard, you can carve the bottom of the upright posts with a wood chisel. Cut the wood as needed for the height of the baseboard. The weight of the headboard makes it very sturdy.

January 2007 [furniture-instructions]
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