Homemade King Headboard

Basic Wooden King Headboard

• Use many ready-made objects as headboards; hang an antique wooden door or turn a bookcase sideways to create a king-size headboard, or design a custom king headboard from hardwood or plywood panels. Standard king-size mattresses are 76 inches wide; make your king headboard at least this wide. Determine the height based on personal preference, but begin measuring a few inches below the top rim of the mattress—you need not waste material by extending it to the floor.

  Once you have your king headboard dimensions, have a sheet of plywood cut to size at your local lumber yard. For a headboard you would like to stain or paint, cover the raw edges of the wood board. If you plan to stain the headboard, select a hardwood plywood such as cherry, oak or maple, all of which stain beautifully. If you plan to paint the wood headboard, select paint-grade plywood, which you can purchase at a cheaper rate.

  Select decorative wood trim and have it cut to size, then attach it to the perimeter with wood screws or construction adhesive. Iron on edging to create a more streamlined look.

Decorating a King Headboard

• Options other than painting or staining your homemade king headboard include covering it with tiles or fabric.

  Select mirror tiles, ceramic tiles, slate tiles or decorative metal tiles from the home improvement store, then attach them to your basic wooden headboard. Construction adhesive will hold the tiles in place; abut the ceramic and slate tiles if you don’t wish to grout.

  Upholster the basic wood headboard to create a softer look for your bedroom; simply cover the face of the wood with batting and then fabric that you can staple to the back of the headboard. If you prefer a padded surface, add the 1- to 2-inch padding to the face of the wood before you cover it with batting and fabric. Cut the padding with an electric knife if possible.

  Hang your king headboard with wall hangers inserted into at least one wall stud—preferably two. Look for a selection of wall hangers at your local hardware store.