Homemade Twin Headboards

Headboard Purposes

• The headboard serves three primary purposes: to enhance the visual appeal of the bed, to protect the wall from unsightly wear when individuals sit up in bed with their backs or pillows propped up against the wall, and to add additional weight to keep a bed anchored in a specific position.

Headboard Hardware

• When making your own headboards, you need to consider how the bed rails or frame will be attached to the headboards. Bed rails and professionally made twin bed frames have hook-style hardware, or bed rail fasteners, that connect the headboard to the bed frame. Headboard hardware is available at major home improvement stores and online from specialty hardware retailers.

Twin Headboard Styles

• There are two basic types of twin headboards: the traditional headboard, which is movable with the bed, and the decorative headboard, which attaches to the wall. Decorative headboards are the easiest option for a children's room. The bed is attached to the wall through or under a decorative element. Set the headboard hardware to a wooden board and secure to the wall, before placing the bed.

Cartoon-Style Headboards

• Give the kids a cartoon feel to the room by creating an oversized decorative headboard. Cut plywood or foam board to imitate a headboard as it would be illustrated in a cartoon, including the two side posts and post caps. Think about how cartoon furniture is larger than normal proportion and angles are slanted instead of being squared. Paint the headboards in your choice of primary colors. Trim all edges with a thick black line to imitate the outlines on cartoon drawings.

Padded Headboards

• Cut thin plywood, foam board or a heavy cardboard to the desired size and shape. Use glue to attach a layer of padding; this can be new foam, quilt batting or an old blanket. Cut the padding to shape after it is glued on. Cover with your choice of fabric; make sure you provide an additional two or three inches of fabric on all sides of the board. Fold the edges of the fabric to the back of the board and glue in place.

Life-Size Cutouts

• For a truly custom decorative headboard, create a life-size cutout of each child. Have your children pose for photos. Have a local digital printing service produce a poster-size or larger image of each child. Use spray adhesive to attach each poster image to foam board. When the adhesive is dry, use a sharp crafting knife to cut out the child's image. Secure the cutouts to the wall with a double-stick adhesive product; make sure the product you use allows you to peel the cutouts off the wall without damaging the wall paint.