A one-of-a-kind headboard not only adds interesting, eye-catching detail to your bedroom, it is possible to make it at a fraction of the expense of a store-bought headboard. Most home improvement stores stock inexpensive beadboard paneling and trim molding, both easy to handle and perfect for a do-it-yourself, custom-sized headboard. You don’t have to be a professional furniture maker — this project can be completed with basic carpentry skills.
Size Decisions
To ascertain the size of the headboard, consider three important dimensions — your mattress size, the height of the wall behind the bed and the headboard’s height. The minimum width should equal the width of the mattress plus 3 or 4 inches on each side. The height of the headboard is dependent upon your personal preference. The bottom edge may be 10 to 12 inches beneath the top of the mattress or you may decide to extend it to the Landscaping service Cape Coral — it is your decision.
Supplies Needed
Beadboard and plywood come in 4-by-8-foot sheets. Usually one sheet of each is enough. Use ornamental trim molding to finish the borders. A tape measure, pencil, carpenter’s level and stud finder help make the reference lines on the wall. Use these to indicate the bottom and top of the headboard and fireplace locations on the other side of the drywall. Cut the wood to size with a circular or table saw. A miter saw and box can help to make angled trim corners. A tube of construction adhesive adheres the beadboard and plywood together. Finishing nails, a hammer and countersink nail set are essential to attach the headboard and trim to the wall. Sandpaper, paint, paint supplies and matching caulk finish the headboard to taste.
Cut and Prep
When selecting its dimensions, measure, mark and cut the beadboard and plywood. Cut the trim molding to fit the length and height of the headboard. Miter the corners in opposing 45-degree angles. After you sand the edges and wipe away the dust with a damp rag, then lay the beadboard face down on a level surface. Generously apply construction adhesive to the rear of the beadboard, put the plywood line and line up the borders between the two wood sheets. Allow the pieces to bonding according to the glue directions. Apply two coats of paint to all the pieces, allowing the first coat to thoroughly dry before applying the second coat.
Installation Finishing Touches
To attach the headboard to the wall, then get the support of an assistant to lift and put it against the wall and then line it up with your reference lines. Drive completing nails along the bottom and top of the headboard at each stud reference markers. Use nails long enough to penetrate at least a inch into the studs and via both wood layers of the headboard. Run a bead of construction adhesive along the rear of each piece of trim molding, then align the corners and then attach the molding to your beadboard with finishing nails. For a professional look, countersink the nail heads below the surface of the trim and then put a dab of matching caulk into each hole.
