How to Repair a Sagging Headboard & Footboard

Remove the mattress and box springs to expose the bed frame.

Examine the places where the rails connect to the headboard and footboard to determine the cause of the sagging. Wiggle the bolts with your fingers to see how loose they are. Tighten the bolts with a wrench in all four corners of the bed frame to see if that eliminates the sagging. If not, you'll have to replace the brackets on the rails.

Unscrew all the bolts from the headboard and footboard and detach the rails. Use a wrench to loosen the nuts, if needed.

Remove the bolts that hold the brackets on the end of the rails by loosening the nuts with a wrench. Repeat with the brackets on all four corners of the bed rails.

Align the replacement bracket with the bolt holes on the rail. Screw the bolt into place and tighten the nut with your fingers only. Repeat with the other replacement brackets, but just tighten the nuts with your fingers. You can tighten them with a wrench once they are all in place so it doesn't throw off the bed frame alignment.

Align the brackets on each side of the bed rail with the headboard bolt holes. Insert the headboard bolts, then tighten the nuts securely with a wrench. Wiggle the headboard slightly to ensure the brackets are fitting tightly against the headboard and footboard. Tighten as needed.

Insert footboard bolts through the brackets and into the footboard. Tighten the nuts, then wiggle the footboard to test the stability. When the bed frame no longer has a sagging headboard and footboard, replace the box springs and mattress.