How to Make Headboards With Pre-Made Bookcases

Measure the space behind your bed to determine what size pre-made bookcase you should purchase. Place a measuring tape on the ground behind the bed and pull it up against the wall to determine how tall the piece should be. Pull the measuring tape across the wall behind the bed to determine how wide the bookcase should be; the bookcase should be equal to or wider than the width of the bed.

Position the bookcase in front of the wall where the bed will sit.

Locate a stud behind the bookcase. Hold a stud finder against the wall and move it back and forth to locate the stud -- an electronic stud finder will beep and light up when the stud is located and the magnet on a magnetic stud finder will move to the center of the instrument when the stud is located. The stud should be located in the center of the bookshelf. Make a pencil mark on the wall, just above the bookshelf, to indicate the location of the stud.

Secure expansion anchors into the wall if there isn't a stud in the center of the bookcase. Position the L bracket on the top of the center of the bookcase and the wall. Make pencil marks in the holes on the part of the bracket that sits against the wall. Remove the bracket and drill holes in each of the pencil marks on the wall. Hammer a plastic expansion anchor into each of the drilled holes. Proceed to Step 6 after securing the anchors into the wall.

Hold an L bracket against the wall on top of the pencil marks. Use a pencil to make marks through each of the openings on the back of the bracket on the wall.

Remove the bracket from the wall and drill holes through each of the pencil marks.

Place the bracket back on the wall so that the openings are positioned over the drilled holes. Use a 3-inch socket wrench to drive the 3-inch lag screws through the holes on the L bracket and into the wall.

Drill 1-inch wood screws through the L bracket and the bookcase. Push the bookcase against the wall. Position the screws over the holes in the part of the L bracket that sits on top of the bookcase and drill them into place.

Push the head of the bed against the bookcase so that it is centered on the bookcase.