How to Make a Headboard With Nailhead Trim

Spray one side of the plywood and one side of the foam with spray adhesive. Leave for the time recommended by the adhesive manufacturer, then lay the foam over the plywood, adhesive sides together, and press so that the foam bonds evenly to the plywood.

Lay out a length of batting on a work surface and center the headboard on top, foam-side down. Pull the edges of the batting over to the back of the headboard and staple it down, pulling the batting taut so it is evenly stretched over the front of the headboard. Trim off excess with scissors.

Lay your upholstery fabric right-side down on the work surface and place the headboard down on top. Pin the fabric at the back of the headboard, then turn it over to check the fabric position. If it is plain fabric, you don’t need to pin first, but patterns should be checked for positioning before stapling down.

Staple the fabric at the back of the headboard like you did with the batting, then remove the pins and turn the headboard over so the fabric side is up.

Position the nailhead trim around the border of the headboard, or in the pattern you desired. Nailhead trim is generally a string of faux nailheads connected every five or six nailheads with an actual nail that gets hammered in. The trim comes on a roll and can be cut to size.

Hammer the nails in the nailhead trim into the headboard with a rubber mallet once you are satisfied with their position on the headboard.