How to Make an Upholstered Footboard

An upholstered footboard is the perfect complement to an upholstered headboard. The footboard is often overlooked in a bedroom when decorating or designing, but it can add an expensive, professional-looking touch to your bedroom. Since a footboard usually comes attached to the bed frame, it is essential that you make sure that the screw holes are not covered while upholstering. Covering the headboard and the footboard is a quick way to update an old or well-worn bed frame.

Screwdriver
Measuring tape
Batting
Spray adhesive
Scissors
Fabric
Staple gun
Staples
Ribbon
Hot glue gun
Glue sticks

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the footboard from the bed frame. Either the frame is screwed into the footboard, or the frame hooks onto pieces in the posts of the footboard.
- 2
  Place on a work surface the side of the footboard that faces the mattress.
- 3
  Measure the height and width of the footboard. Add 2 inches, or the thickness of the footboard.
- 4
  Measure the batting to the dimensions of the footboard. Cut two pieces to this size.
- 5
  Spray the entire surface of the footboard with spray adhesive. Lay a piece of the batting on the footboard and press lightly into place, making sure that the batting is centered on the headboard. Flip the footboard and repeat on the other side.
- 6
  Measure the height of the footboard, double it, then add 4 inches. Measure the width of the footboard and add 2 inches. Measure the fabric to these dimensions and cut with scissors.
- 7
  Place the fabric on the work surface with the print side down.
- 8
  Place the footboard on the fabric, allowing 1 inch of extra fabric at the bottom and 1 extra inch on the left and right sides.
- 9
  Fold the excess fabric over the edge of the footboard and secure with staples every 2 inches. Repeat for all the edges of the footboard, except for the top edge.
- 10
  Flip the footboard over, pulling the fabric over the top and around when you flip it. Secure the excess fabric along the sides and bottom with staples spaced 2 inches apart, between the staples already there.
- 11
  Heat the glue gun. Measure the sides of the footboard where the staples are. Cut two pieces of ribbon 1 inch longer than this measurement.
- 12
  Apply a generous bead of glue along one edge of the footboard, starting at the bottom. Apply about 6 inches at a time. Fold over the tail of the ribbon 1/2 an inch to keep it from fraying and press into the glue.
- 13
  Continue applying glue and pressing the ribbon lightly until 2 inches from the top edge. Fold under the tail of the ribbon 1/2 an inch and press into the glue. Repeat on the other side to hide the staples.
- 14
  Reassemble the bed with the upholstered footboard.

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