How to Make a Headboard with Bifold Panel Doors

Remove the hinges and other hardware from the bifold doors. Discard the hardware or save it for another project.

Hold one panel of the bifold doors against the wall above the bed to determine if you want to place the doors vertically or horizontally. A horizontal orientation means one door panel will span the entire width of the bed to create a solid headboard. A vertical orientation gives the headboard more height, but you'll have to use at least two of the door panels to cover the bed's width.

Cut the door panels as necessary to obtain the desired size for the headboard. If you want to position the panels vertically, cut off the bottom panel portion for a shorter headboard. If you plan to position the panels horizontally, mark any extra width that you need to cut off so the headboard doesn't overhang the edges of the bed by more than a few inches.

Attach the door panels with metal brackets along their back if you want to use more than one panel. Screw the metal brackets to both panels with panels butted against one another.

Cut a piece of lumber that is thicker than the bifold door to create a cap along the headboard's top edge. If, for example, the door panels are 1 inch thick, then use a 2-by-2-inch or 2-by-3-inch thick piece of lumber placed flat on top of the door panel or panels to create the headboard's cap.

Position the cut piece of lumber on top of the door panel or panels. Drill through the lumber and into the panel or panels to make pilot holes. Screw the pieces together using the pilot holes.

Cut a piece of crown molding the same width as the headboard. Use finishing nails and a hammer to attach the cut crown molding to the bifold door just under the cap to cover the joint and to add a decorative finish.

Fill in nail and screw holes with wood putty by using a putty knife. Fill in other blemishes or holes already were in the door. After the wood putty dries, sand it smooth.

Sand the entire headboard with fine-grit sandpaper to get a smooth finish. Apply primer and paint to the headboard, or apply a coat of polyurethane to let the door's wood grain show through. If you apply primer and paint, let the primer dry completely before you paint the headboard.

Find the wall studs in the wall above the head of the bed by using a stud finder. Mark the wall studs' locations on the wall. Hold the headboard against the wall above the head of the bed. Drill pilot holes in the headboard at the wall studs' locations. Insert screws in the pilot holes, and drill the screws through the headboard and into the wall and wall studs.