How to Redo a Headboard to Look Rustic

Redo a Wood Headboard by Stripping

• 1

  Acquire stripping materials from a home improvement center. Some items you will need include goggles, chemical-safe gloves, paint or varnish remover, paintbrushes, metal brush, scraper and metal container.

• 2

  Detach your headboard from your bed and move it to a well-vented area such as the garage. Carefully follow the directions on the stripping can to remove as much paint and varnish from your headboard as you can. Don’t worry about getting into every single crack and cranny during this process because the advantage of decorating with a rustic theme is that there is plenty of room for imperfection.

• 3

  Apply a penetrating oil finish to the headboard. This will give it a nice, natural appearance.

Redo a Wood Headboard by Stenciling

• 4

  Refinish the headboard as above or leave it as is, depending on your personal preference. Some stencils show up better on unfinished wood rather than on painted or varnished surfaces.

• 5

  Purchase stencils that lend themselves to cabin or mountain decor such as moose, deer, bears, pine boughs, fir trees or vines and berries.

• 6

  Create a rough sketch of your headboard and the stencils you want to apply before doing so to have an idea of what your headboard will look like beforehand.

• 7

  Prepare your headboard and apply stencils as per instructions included with your stencil kit.

Create a Rustic Metal Headboard

• 8

  Gather long twigs and pinecones from outdoors. Don’t use pine boughs from outdoors because they will dry and the needles will fall onto your pillows. If you don’t have access to outdoor twigs and pinecones, purchase them from a hobby store.

• 9

  Locate and buy artificial fir or pine boughs from a craft store along with some green or brown bendable wire. Additional items to buy include fall-colored leaves, nuts and berries or even a small bird or two.

• 10

  Attach long twigs and boughs around the outer frame of your headboard, using the bendable wire. If your headboard has slats, use them to attach twigs in an up and down design.

• 11

  Attach birds, nuts, leaves or any other items to the twigs and boughs using wire or a glue gun. Leave the bottom section of your headboard unadorned so that your pillows won’t interfere with smaller items.