Making a headboard is one of the most rewarding DIY jobs going. It usually takes a weekend, the tools are already in your shed, and the difference it makes to your bedroom is huge. The short answer to how you make a headboard: cut a sheet of 18 mm MDF or plywood to the width of your bed (or slightly wider), turn it into a timber, upholstered or panelled headboard, and fix it firmly to the bed frame or the wall. Aim for around 50 to 60 cm of visible height above your mattress.
Below I take you through every type, give you the sizes and materials, and show you exactly where DIYers usually go wrong. Because it is nearly always the same thing: a sheet that is too thin and starts to bow, or a wall fixing that cannot take the weight.
Which type of headboard suits you?
There are roughly four ways to make your own headboard. They differ a lot in difficulty, cost and look.
| Type | Look | Difficulty | Cost (guide price) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upholstered / buttoned | Soft, smart, classic | Medium | €80 – €250+ |
| Timber headboard (scaffold boards/pallet) | Rugged, warm, rustic | Low to medium | €0 – €120 |
| Wallpaper / paint / panelling | Purely visual, no board | Low | €20 – €80 |
| Slatted acoustic panels | Modern, clean, sound absorbing | Low to medium | €60 – €200 |
The cost ranges are a guide and depend heavily on the width of your bed and the quality of the fabric or timber. Further down I explain where the money goes for each type.
Sizing: how wide and how high?
Before you start cutting, you need to settle two dimensions: the width and the height.
Width. Make your headboard the same width as your mattress, or a few centimetres wider. Slightly wider often looks calmer and more expensive. The standard mattress widths are:
- 90 cm (single, the best seller)
- 120 and 140 cm (small double)
- 160 cm (queen size)
- 180 and 200 cm (double)
The standard mattress length is 200 cm, with 210 and 220 cm as longer options (source: droommatras.nl, matrasfactory.nl). Always measure your own mattress or bed frame before you order, because divan beds and separate frames sometimes differ.
Height. Two things matter here: how much headboard you want to see above the mattress, and the total height of the board. For a comfortable, balanced look, 50 to 60 cm visible above your mattress works best. The full range you come across in practice runs from roughly 35 to 70 cm above the mattress (source: idmarket.be, vente-unique.nl). If you want to sit up and read comfortably, do not go below about 10 to 15 cm above the mattress, or it is no real use to you.
Watch out when you do the maths: if you clamp the headboard behind the bed or screw it to the frame, the bottom section disappears behind the mattress. Add that part (often 20 to 30 cm) to the visible height to get the total board height.
Which board and which thickness?
For an upholstered or panelled headboard you need a board as your base. Go for 18 mm MDF or plywood. That is the standard thickness that is strong enough not to bow across the full width of a double bed (source: sleiderink.nl, opmaatzagen.nl).
Plywood costs a bit more but is stronger and copes better with moisture. MDF is cheaper, dead straight and nice and smooth to upholster. On a wide bed (160 cm and up) do not go below 18 mm, and make sure you support or fix the headboard in at least two places. Most DIY stores and online cutting services will cut the board to size for free or a small fee, which saves you a lot of faffing about at home.
Type 1: Making an upholstered headboard (step by step)
This is the classic: a soft, fabric covered board, with buttons if you fancy it. It looks expensive, but you make it for a fraction of the shop price.
Materials:
- 18 mm MDF or plywood board, cut to size
- Foam, 3 to 5 cm thick (5 to 8 cm for buttoning)
- Fibrefill / polyester wadding
- Upholstery fabric, cut generously
- Spray adhesive
- Staple gun with staples (fine wire staples for delicate fabric)
- Optional: covered buttons, thin cord or strong twine, a long buttoning needle or drill bit
Step 1: Foam to size. Cut the foam to exactly the same size as the board. For a normal, taut headboard, 3 to 5 cm of foam is plenty. If you want buttoning or a plumper effect, go for 5 to 8 cm (source: schuimwinkel.nl, schuimrubbergigant.nl). Spray the board with adhesive and press the foam onto it.
Step 2: Wadding over the top. Cut the fibrefill slightly larger than the board so it falls over the edges and softens the sharp corner of the foam. Pull it taut and tack it down lightly at the back with spray adhesive. For a taut finish use 100 or 150 gram fibrefill, for a plumper headboard 200 or 300 gram (source: schuimrubber.nl).
Step 3: Staple the fabric taut. Lay the fabric face down on the table, place the board on top with the foam side down, and pull the fabric over the edge to the back. Staple from the middle of each side towards the corners, one staple on one side and then one on the opposite side, so the tension stays even. Keep the pile or grain running the same way everywhere, that prevents colour differences (source: studiozodiac.nl).
Step 4: Fold the corners neatly. Fold the corners like a gift parcel: fold the fabric tightly inwards first, then lay the fold flat and staple it. Take your time, because the corners decide whether it looks sharp or amateurish.
Step 5 (optional): Buttoning. Set out your button pattern (a diamond grid, for example). Drill a hole through the foam and the board at every button position. Pull a thread through the hole from the back, thread on the covered button at the front, and pull the thread tight until the button sinks deep into the foam. Secure the thread at the back (source: schuimrubbergigant.nl, stripedpanda.nl). That is how you get those familiar folds and pleats.
Choosing fabric: watch the Martindale rating
Velvet, linen and standard upholstery fabric are the most popular choices. Do not just look at the colour, look at the durability too. That is expressed as the Martindale rating: the number of rubs a test fabric can take before it wears through (source: furnea.nl, decostoffen.com).
- Up to around 15,000 rubs: light use
- 15,000 to 25,000 rubs: fine for normal domestic use, including a headboard
- 25,000+ rubs: heavy use
- 50,000+ rubs: pets, tightly woven and usually easy to clean
For a headboard, which you mostly lean against, 15,000 to 25,000 Martindale gives you plenty of margin. Synthetic fibres such as polyester generally score highest and are easier to keep clean. Do bear in mind that Martindale only measures abrasion, not stain resistance or colour fastness.
Type 2: Timber headboard (scaffold boards or pallets)
Fancy something rugged and warm? Then scaffold boards or a pallet are your friend. This is also the cheapest type, especially if you pick up a pallet for free.
From a pallet:
- Prise off any loose boards with a crowbar and rearrange them to the height and width you want.
- Sand the timber properly. Pallets are rough and full of splinters, so start with coarse paper and work your way to fine.
- Fix the boards to two vertical battens on the back, so you end up with one solid piece.
- Finish it off: leave it bare, oil it, or paint or whitewash it (source: westwing.nl).
From individual scaffold boards:
Measure the width of your bed and cut the boards to size. Sand the sharp edges smooth. Screw the boards onto two or three vertical battens at the back, either tight against each other from top to bottom or with a small gap for a more playful effect. New scaffold board is cheap; old, weathered board costs a bit more but has that characterful look straight away.
Finishing. Bare timber greys over time. If you want to keep the colour, treat it with a clear wood oil or a matt clear lacquer. For a lighter, Scandinavian look use whitewash (diluted white stain or paint). You can always finish untreated timber later.
A variation on this is a headboard made of vertical or horizontal slats: thin battens mounted on a frame. Cleaner and more modern than rough scaffold board, but the same principle.
Type 3: Wallpaper, paint or panelling
Sometimes you do not want a board at all. A headboard can be purely visual: a painted shape, a strip of wallpaper or panelling behind your bed. This is the easiest and cheapest option, and ideal in a rented place or if you like changing things around.
- Paint: paint a rectangle or an arch in a contrasting colour behind your bed. Mask the edges with decorator’s tape for crisp lines.
- Wallpaper: a strip of wallpaper the width of your bed, with a moulded frame around it if you like, gives you an instant headboard effect (source: westwing.nl).
- Panelling: timber or MDF panelling on the wall looks smart and lasts for years.
Big advantage: no worries about bowing or heavy fixings. Downside: there is nothing soft to lean against.
Type 4: Slatted and acoustic panels
Slatted panels (also called reeded or acoustic panels) are well on their way to becoming the new classic. You mount ready made panels on the wall or onto a board, and you get a clean, modern and even sound absorbing headboard (source: wallpaneldiscounter.nl).
How to go about it: work out the layout, cut the panels to height, and fix them with grab adhesive or screws to the wall, or first to a board that you then hang. Use a spirit level, because with vertical reeding a crooked fixing shows up immediately. You can lay them in patterns (herringbone, geometric) for your own twist.
Fixing: the bit that goes wrong
This is the most important section of this article. By far the most common mistake is people fixing their lovely homemade headboard too lightly, after which it works loose or hangs crooked within a few months. An upholstered headboard for a double bed easily weighs 10 to 20 kg, and you lean against it with your full weight.
You have two options.
To the bed frame. The simplest and most solid method. Screw two vertical support battens to the back of your headboard and bolt those to the bed frame or the base. The bed then carries the weight and nothing is pulling on the wall. Ideal if your bed does not have to stay in exactly the same spot.
To the wall. Looks floating and tidy, but this is where you need to pay attention. Use a French cleat: a batten sawn through at an angle, with one half screwed to the wall (bevel facing up) and the other half to the headboard, so they hook into each other. That spreads the weight across the full width and keeps the headboard removable. A keyhole plate or hanging rail works on the same idea.
The right wall plug for your wall type is crucial (source: gamma.nl, hornbach.nl):
| Wall type | Plug | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Brick / sand lime brick | Universal plug or standard hammer fixing | Drill into the brick, not the mortar joint |
| Aerated concrete (aircrete) | Dedicated aerated concrete plug | Porous material, an ordinary plug will not hold |
| Plasterboard / hollow wall | Cavity fixing or plasterboard plug, or screw into the stud behind | Find the studs with a detector |
| Concrete | Concrete screw or nylon plug with a good screw | Drill on hammer setting |
Rule of thumb: the screw has to be at least as long as the plug plus the thickness of whatever you are hanging. On a plasterboard wall, the safest route is to screw your cleat into the timber or metal studs behind the board, rather than relying on cavity fixings alone. If you are drilling into plasterboard where there is no stud, use at least two solid cavity fixings and spread the weight.
Tools and materials list
What you need depends on the type, but this is the basic kit:
- Tape measure and pencil
- Jigsaw or circular saw (or have it cut to size)
- Sandpaper / sander
- Cordless drill driver with bits
- Spirit level
- Staple gun (upholstered)
- Spray adhesive (upholstered)
- Scissors or a craft knife (foam and fabric)
- Plugs and screws to suit your wall
- Optional: buttoning needle and buttons
Cost per type: what will it set you back?
The biggest costs are the board, the foam and the fabric (or the timber). Below is a realistic range. The exact price depends on the width of your bed and the materials you choose.
- Pallet / free timber: €0 to €30 (mostly sandpaper and finish)
- New scaffold board: €40 to €120
- Slatted panels: €60 to €200
- Wallpaper / paint: €20 to €80
- Upholstered in a simple fabric: €80 to €150
- Upholstered in velvet with buttoning:
Top end of the price range given in the article for each type; the lower end runs from € 0 for a free pallet. €150 to €250+
For comparison: a ready made upholstered headboard in the shops quickly costs two to three times as much. Making it yourself pays off nicely, certainly for the upholstered version.
Finishing and upkeep
Keep an upholstered headboard clean by vacuuming it regularly with the upholstery brush. Blot marks (do not rub) with a slightly damp cloth and a little upholstery shampoo if needed. Always test on an inconspicuous spot first. If in doubt, go for a removable cover or a fabric that cleans easily.
Timber stays good with a bit of soapy water and the odd top up of oil or lacquer. Bare timber that has greyed can be sanded back and treated again. Panels you simply wipe with a slightly damp cloth, following the direction of the grooves.
Common mistakes
- A board that is too thin. Below 18 mm, a wide headboard will bow. Use 18 mm MDF or plywood and support it in several places.
- A wall fixing that is too weak. The classic. Wrong plug for the wall type, or cavity fixings in plasterboard without hitting a stud. Use a French cleat and the right plug.
- The wrong foam thickness. Below 3 cm feels hard and looks flat. For buttoning you need 5 to 8 cm, otherwise the buttons never look right.
- Fabric not pulled tight enough. Wrinkles and bumps give away an amateur. Pull the fabric evenly taut, work from the middle to the corners, and give the corner folds extra care.
- Ignoring the pile direction. With velvet and striped fabric, the wrong pile direction gives you visible colour differences. Keep it running the same way everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
How wide should a headboard be?
The same width as your mattress, or a few centimetres wider. So for a 180 cm double bed you make the headboard 180 to about 190 cm wide. Always measure your own mattress or frame.
How high should a headboard be?
For a balanced look, 50 to 60 cm visible above the mattress. At least 10 to 15 cm for it to be any use when you sit up. Do not forget to add the part that disappears behind the mattress (source: idmarket.be).
Which board do I use for an upholstered headboard?
18 mm MDF or plywood. MDF is cheap and smooth, plywood is stronger and more moisture resistant. Anything thinner than 18 mm will bow on a wide bed (source: sleiderink.nl).
How thick should the foam be?
3 to 5 cm for a taut, comfortable headboard. For buttoning, 5 to 8 cm, so the folds get a chance to look right (source: schuimwinkel.nl, schuimrubbergigant.nl).
Can I hang a headboard on a plasterboard wall?
Yes, but take care. Ideally screw your cleat into the timber or metal studs behind the plasterboard. If that is not possible, use several solid cavity fixings and spread the weight across the width (source: gamma.nl).
How much does it cost to make your own headboard?
From next to nothing (a pallet) to around €250 for an upholstered one in decent velvet with buttoning. Still a lot cheaper than shop bought models.
Get started
Making a headboard is exactly the kind of project you get years of pleasure from: a weekend of work, anything from a few euros to a few hundred, and a bedroom that instantly looks finished. Pick your type, measure your bed properly, and above all watch the two things that separate a botch job from a showpiece: an 18 mm board and a fixing that really can take the weight.
Would you rather start with a proper plan and materials list, so you get the right sizes and joints first time? Then have a look at Fred’s DIY Plans. You will find clear plans there for building your headboard and a matching bed over a weekend. Good luck, and enjoy your new headboard.