Make your own padded headboard by covering plywood panels with batting and fabric. Our twin-bed headboard is made from three separate panels, 13" wide by 36" tall, to fit a 39" wide twin bed. Determine the height and width of your headboard, taking into account the size of the bed and the scale of your room. Headboards vary widely in height, with some as much as 4' and others less than 3'. Materials:
Three 13" x 36" plywood panels
Three pieces of upholstery foam a bit wider than the panels
Three 19" x 42" pieces of fabric and polyester batting
Spray adhesive
Keyhole brackets
Router
Drill
Staple gun
Needle, about 3" long
Quilting thread
Nine shank buttons
Nine small screws
Screwdriver
Pencil
- Attach keyhole brackets to the back of each plywood panel (figure A), routing out the wood behind the keyholes beforehand to create a recessed hole for the screw head. Keyhole brackets permit the headboard to be mounted flush against the wall.
- Attach a piece of upholsterer's foam to the front of each panel with spray adhesive.
- Arrange a piece of fabric, layered with batting, face down on the work surface. Center the plywood panel on the batting, foam side down.
- Pull the fabric and batting to the back of the panel, and staple in place. Begin by stapling at the middle of one side, then pull the opposite side taut and staple it (figure B). Repeat on the two ends. Continue pulling opposite sides taut and stapling in place.
- Three button tufts are added to the front of each fabric panel. Mark the placement of the buttons on the back of the panel, spacing them 9" apart along the center of the panel. Drill a hole through the wood at each mark.
- Install a small screw about 1/2" from each hole, to be used for attaching the button. Thread a long needle with quilting thread, and insert it into the hole. Run it through the layers of foam, batting and fabric to the front of the panel ( figure C). Leave 4" or 5" of thread hanging out the back of the panel.
- Run the needle through the hole of a shank button, cut the thread near the needle, and knot the ends of the thread next to the buttonhole. Pull the two threads at the back of the panel to tighten the button to the fabric. Twist each thread around the screw in opposite directions (figure D), and tie the ends in a knot. Cut off the excess thread on the front.
- When all the buttons have been attached, mount the panels on the wall to form a headboard.
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