Charissa took on a big project and she rocked it! The results are wonderful and her directions make us feel like even we could pull it off... Jump below for all the details:
TOOLS & SUPPLIES:
1/2" Plywood
1x4" Lumber
Foam (at least 2" thick)
Polyester Batting Upholstery
Fabric
Upholstery Thread
Upholstery Needle
Button Kit and Buttons
Scissors
Spray Adhesive
Wood screws
Bolts
Staple Gun and 1/2" Staples
Tape measure
Drill Hammer
Optional but helpful: Rubber Mallet Electric Knife
STEPS:
Step 1: Take Measurements Width: Measure the width of your bed frame. The headboard should be about 1" or 2" larger in width than your mattress. Height: This is up to you. If you are planning on leaning against it while in bed make sure it is tall enough. Measure from the top of the mattress to the height you want the headboard to be. The legs should be about 2" above the floor and within 5" of the top of the headboard.
Step 2: Buy Your Supplies: You can buy plywood in large sheets. Have the hardware store cut it to size. (Most stores will do this for free.) The sheet probably won't lay exactly flat, but it isn't a big deal. Buy your 1x4's and have them cut as well. You may know of a better source for foam but I bought mine at JoAnn fabrics for 50% off. I had to buy two pieces because their foam only comes in one width and this accounted for about half the money spent on the project. When buying your batting and fabric, make sure you have enough to wrap around the front and secure to the back. (I wouldn't recommend a patterned fabric for your first try.)
Step 3: Put It All Together:
1. Find a clean, well-ventilated work area.
2. Determine how many buttons you will use and where you want them to go. (Just a heads up the tufting was by far the most time consuming part.) Mark the board and drill small holes. (Just small enough for the upholstery needle to pass through, this will help keep the buttons lined up.)
3. Lay the plywood down and spray one side with adhesive and adhere the foam. Cut off any excess foam so that it is exactly flush with the plywood. There should be no overlap. (This is where that electric knife comes in handy.)
4. Spray the foam with adhesive and hold one side of the batting while your friend holds the other side and pull taut. Place on top of foam. Make sure there is no puckering because it will show through the fabric.
5. Flip the plywood, foam and batting over and lay it flat on the ground. Wrap the batting around to the backside and staple in place.
6. Lay fabric on the floor wrong side facing up. Place plywood, batting side down, on top of fabric. Wrap fabric around to the back of the headboard, pull tightly and start stapling, working from the middle of each side outward. Trim any excess with scissors.
7. Use the button covering kit to cover your buttons. (Look online for tutorials.) This part is a pain. The smaller the button, the more difficult it is to cover them. (A rubber mallet will be helpful. I ruined my button maker with a hammer.)
8. Double thread your upholstery needle with upholstery thread and poke through one of your pre-drilled holes from the back to the front. Don't pull all the way through! Make sure to leave some thread hanging out of the back. Slide the button onto the thread and poke the needle back through the same hole. Push the button on the front of your headboard into the foam while your friend tightly secures the thread on the back with a bunch of staples. You will need a hammer to bang in the staples, so that the thread will stay secure. (There is probably a better way to secure the thread but this is how I did it.)
9. Continue along and tuft each of your holes, smoothing the fabric as you go.
10. Measure and attach 1x4's to the back of the headboard with screws. Place the headboard against the bed frame and bolt 1x4's (one on each side) to pre-existing holes in the bed frame.
11. Step back and admire your work.
RESOURCES:
If you have a Joann Fabrics in the area, this is the place to buy most of your supplies. I was able to get my fabric, foam, and batting for 50% off. Most of the other supplies can be bought with one of their 40% off coupons.
Give Charissa a THUMBS UP if you find this project helpful....
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Great job, it looks fabulous! I will have to try this for sure.
On a side note, your dog is SO pretty!
i paid $600 for my tufted headboard and yours looks way nicer.
Wow this is awesome!
That dog is a super model, nice headboard too- need to get cracking on mine- thanks
LOVE the sheets! where are they from?
Love your Mal - or is he just a big husky?
Wow, I love the whole look! You did such a great job! Also, as an aside, where did you get the duvet cover and sheets?
Lovely headboard & husky! Where did you get the bedding from?
Really stunning job. Nice work.
lovely! and only 6 hours work, cool!
LOVE this!! I've been contemplating buying a padded headboard from C&B for $400, but its not tufted like this one, and I like tufts! I dunno if I am up for the DIY challenge though, I am not very good with wood and power tools... hrmm.
and what type of fabric did you use for the headboard??
So pretty. Well done.
I bet if you used a regular button on the back behind the plywood you could secure your strings with a good tight knot. Plus it would be easy to repair and tighten if one came loose.
~k
Gori Girl: Shadow is a Siberian Husky. Maybe the picture makes him look large? He is relatively small for a sibe, only 50 lbs.
The duvet set is called Sanctuary by Pure Green. I bought it at Linens N Things awhile ago on sale for around $30. You get what you pay for though. The quality isn't great.
I used a suede home decor fabric from JoAnn's.
I've been rethinking the headboard process. Instead of using 1x4's to mount it to the bedframe, flush mounts on the wall would probably be better.
I've been thinking about selling a few of these on Etsy...do you think anyone would buy one? What do you think would be a reasonable price? Not sure how shipping would work though.
Don't forget to check out my blog. I will be posting other projects/tutorials as I complete them. Right now I'm in the process of refinishing a side table.
iheart-orange.blogspot.com
Forget the headboard. That husky is BEAUTIFUL!
This is very cool and professional-looking. I did this years ago but I cheated on the tufts, and they didn't look as nice as yours. Here's another mounting idea, though. Cut a 45-degree angle along the length of two 2x4s. (I was lucky to have a FIL with a wood shop.) Bolt one 2x4 to the headboard with angle facing down and inward toward headboard. Bolt the other 2x4 to the wall with angle facing up and inward toward wall. Set headboard onto wall mount.
Charissa:
Headboards on etsy sounds good. For pricing, consider that similar headboards are selling on Urban Outfitters for $325 plus $35 shipping and handling. Personally, I'm still waiting for them to come down in price.
Beautiful dog!!
I find it kinda freaky that you and I have very similar color schemes for the bedroom, along with very similar how-tos for the headboard.
Good work :)
It looks great! Clarissa did a great job, but she's right about there being a better way to do the buttons.
I would suggest that anyone embarking on this project take the time to consult an upholstery "how-to" book first (Singer Upholstery Basics is good). It's too involved to explain here, but for one thing, you shouldn't pull the fabric taught before attaching the buttons. When done correctly, you get a very attractive pleating effect between the buttons that adds a lot of depth to the piece; you can also learn how to secure the buttons correctly.
Sorry! Charissa, not Clarissa.
Not to give away my secret... but an even easier way to accomplish the same project is to use pegboard. Available at hardware stores, it's a lot less expensive than plywood, has the holes already drilled in a uniform pattern, and weighs a lot less. You may need to use two sheets of pegboard over the 1 x 4 frame if you can't find a sheet large enough for your bed. For those of you afraid of tackling a project too cumbersome, this may help alleviate your anxieties as it eliminates the drilling of holes in plywood.
Go for it! What a beautiful end result!
the husky makes the pic!
LIZ_B
What a great idea! This is a project I've wanted to try but was afraid I would mess up the pattern. The pegboard really takes the fear out of the project.
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing!! I have done exactly the same project myself
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_tdNwO66oILw/SWEk1ENcQmI/AAAAAAAACEo/tyhJVoS4GvM/s912/IMG_7767.JPG
and
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_tdNwO66oILw/SWEk15Il57I/AAAAAAAACEw/XAriQWzAkFg/s912/IMG_7775.JPG
The most difficult part I found was when poking the needle from the front, through the fabric/batting, then through the drilled hole. My measured spots from the front and the measure holes on the board never quite lined up right and I had to poke several times to find the pre-drilled hole... It's quite a pain :( Did you have the same problem? How did you solve it? TIA!
icymimosa I did have the same problem. I was smoothing the fabric as I went along because I didn't want a bunch of wrinkling. If you don't smooth it, it's easier to poke the needle back through. Or you can poke a needle through the other side and try to guide it through. But regardless it is a pain.
Great DIY project!!! I've been longing for one of these tufted headboards for awhile but wasn't comfortable paying $300 for one I wasn't completely in love with.
Selling on etsy would be a great idea, but shipping might be a bummer due to packaging and everything. I do think its worth looking into though! You could also set it up so the customer sends you their fabric of choice and you make a customized headboard for them!
Oh also for the legs you could use two 2x6's that end flush with the top of the board and two 2x6's going across the top and bottom between them to make it more of a frame shape. That way you can staple the fabric around the leg to the inside of the frame and the headboard can be flush with the wall (plus you won't see wood legs from the side). I think also using the 2x6's will make it more sturdy if you end up using Pegboard instead of Plywood.
That is beautiful! For securing upholstery thread I used another button (instead of staples) on the back side.
LOVE this! Thanks for the inspiration. I think I will flush mount mine to the wall. Gorgeous dog - great photo all around!
This looks gorgeous and I think the peg board variation is brilliant.
if you use the pegboard as a backing, you could get a more tech/industrial look by replacing buttons with small bolts with domed heads, and nuts to hold them. shanks just have to be long enough to go through all the layers, and you would use an awl or large needle from the back to place the bolts. put a tiny washer on each side of the peg board to protect against wear. hold the washers with glue until the bolts go in. probably wise to lay out the tuft pattern in advance on the back of the peg board, and to make some provision so that the nuts and shanks don't scratch the wall behind. also might be a bit hard to lean against, but with black micro-suede and silver bolt heads, it could be a great look.
I am planning on making a tufted headboard also, and was considering using wire (such as floral wire) to attach the buttons instead of thread. I'm thinking it might be easier to pull tightly and secure to the back?
I have the same duvet cover in seafoam. The label stated that it was made exclusively for Linens N Things - so I suppose you can't find it anymore. I purchased mine during their Going out of Business sale around Christmas. (Finding a queen/king size required visiting around 5 different stores from here to Chattanooga.) I was a little concerned about the quality of the duvet cover - it is sheet thin - but I was not able to find anything else anywhere in Atlanta with a large scale organic graphic print. (Nothing came close!)
I'm very happy with mine! The only thing that would be better is if it came in a yellow-green version. :)
(Note: I did consider Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel – one of their websites had a leaf/bird print duvet, but they have been out of stock for quite some time.)
heatherose: You can buy upholstery wire instead of thread. I hear it is hard on the fingers though.
i have a shower curtain from crate and barrel that i bought years ago in a grey ground with a large white print... looks very similar to the bedspread.
it's by marimekko and the pattern is still available:
http://www.marimekko.fi/ENG/interior/fabric/verhoilukankaat/collection/kukkula_verhoilukangas_912.htm
i love how your pup matches the bedding!
I found a cute upholstered headboard at Target. It is only $200. For the time and trouble it would save me I'm thinking I'll skip the DIY project. But first, do any other ATers have headboards from Target? What do you think of the quality?
http://www.target.com/Blanc-de-Headboard/dp/B000RZNEFG/sr=1-6/qid=1236110406/ref=sr_1_6/190-4806931-3337509?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3Aupholstered%20headboard&page=1
Thanks Charissa, I found your instructions really easy to follow and I love my new DIY tufted headboard! You can see the results <a ref="http://www.mabelandviolet.com/blog/how-to-diy-a-tufted-headboard/">here</a>
That last link didn't work so here it is again...
http://www.mabelandviolet.com/blog/how-to-diy-a-tufted-headboard/
I have two Target headboards. One is ultrasuede and the other is leather. The ultrasuede one is fantastic. Durable, cat proof, and looks way more expensive than what it was. There is color transfer if you get a darker colored one, but it washes out of your sheets easily.
The leather one is okay enough...but do not get it if you have cats like I do. My kitty likes to jump up on it and the leather isn't the highest quality so it's trashed with little claw poke marks all over it. I wouldn't get it again had I known this. I just would have gotten another ultrasuede one.
Wait for the free shipping promotions which Target offers periodically and then google for a 10% coupon. You'll get a smoking deal.
LOVE the DIY one! Great job!
Hi everyone !
I love this headboard, so elegant. Love the dog too !
I've just finished my first DIY upholstered heaboard myself, and also it's far less pretty than this one, I'm quite proud of it. You can check it out if you want : http://nocesdecoton.canalblog.com/archives/2009/09/17/15103854.html
I'll try to do a tufted one as soon as I have a new house !
Thanks for sharing all these projects with us ! I keep tuned everyday from France !
I made a tufted ottoman years ago and had an upholstery shop make my cloth covered buttons for me with their industrial strength button-setter device. It was very cheap (dollars if I remember correctly) because I supplied the fabric and buttons (from a kit bought at Joann's). They finished all of them for me while I waited: approx. 5 minutes. They were great and never popped open (I used very thick home dec fabric)!
This is lovely. Does anyone have an estimate on how much fabric I would need for a project like this? My bed is a queen and I'm working on deciding how tall I want the headboard to be.. I want to lean against it when I read but don't need it much taller than that.
If your not on etsy I would love to pay you to make me one....I can not find the size or color I want and I am so not a diy person...I wish...my email is remigirl25@yahoo.com Thx
For my first-time tufting, I went "big time".
In my bathroom, I tufted a wall panel 48" wide x l06" high. To be able to do this alone, I used 2" finishing nails to anchor the thread. Using two strands of embroidery thread, I ran the upholstery needle through the drilled hole to the front, ran it through the button hook then ran the thread back through. I made a loose loop around the nail, pulling the thread to make the the nail fit flat against the backside of the hole, then pulled and tightened again. By using the nail, I could really tug to get a tight tuft, and the thread didn't loosen up until I could tie my knot. Worked like a charm.
To get a deeper tuft, before adding the batting, I used a piece of copper pipe that was more narrow than the size of the button, sharpened one end then cut right through the foam using a twisting motion.
Charissa,
Thank you for posting this "How to". I just completed my tufted headboard this past week and I can't believe how well it turned out. I used your steps as well as some of the advice from the blog comments. I now have friends asking me to make them headboards.
Charissa, are you selling the above headboard on Etsy? If so, I am very interested in buying it because I cannot find one that I like when I shop around. The white tufted headboard you have created is exactly what I am looking for, but I am just not very crafty. Please let me know if you would be interested in selling one to me, thanks! :)
This is fabulous! I made a tufted headboard and the only thing I did differently was attaching the buttons. Instead of drilling holes in the wood, I used a screw. I put a washer on the screw and drilled it in the front through the fabric, batting and foam and into the wood. Make sure the screw is long enough to go through the material and 1/2" into the wood. Then I hand-sewed the buttons onto the fabric around the screw. I got the idea from Hand-Made Modern by Todd Oldham.
I made this too and it turned out great! I tweaked it a bit to attach it to a cheap pine Ikea bed frame that I'm going to paint to match the fabric.
Anyway, for people in Los Angeles (especially on the east side), I've got a few tips to save money and time. Basically, go to the Fashion District downtown! I got my foam at some small store by Michael Levine's for $20. The same amount of foam at Joanne fabric (no coupon) was over $100 (I returned it). There are also a bazillion fabric stores around there, many of them specializing in upholstery fabric.
As for the buttons: I bought some of the aluminum DIY buttons and took them to an upholsterer as recommended above. Specifically, I took them to Pepe's (next to Sunset Bazaar on Sunset). He looked at my aluminum buttons, said they wouldn't hold the fabric and made me buttons with steel (?-- something more sturdy) and only charged me 50 cents per button (cheaper than the aluminum buttons with no fabric on them)! It took him a few days and he was a little hard to track down, but totally worth it.
Finally, with regard to doing the actual tufting. After trying to find the hole that I'd drilled on the second pass (hope you know what I mean) for about 20 minutes, I was ready to take a hostage. Then I thought of something [that I considered] brilliant--I took my level (which has a nice groove in it to rest the upholstery needle in) and made sure everything was level and guided the needle through the hole on the first pass. Came out the other side, added the button, repositioned my level, and fed the needle through again. I would say I had instant success with 11 of my 14 buttons. The other three I had to play around with a little more, but each never took more than two minutes! Also, something I didn't think about the first time: make sure to double, triple, or quadruple up on the upholstery thread. In other words, thread the needle with several pieces of thread at once (or one really long one looped through several times).
Hope this helps!
LaurisaRachelle and miechelle1
you can contact me through my blog
http://orange-sugar.blogspot.com/
or my etsy shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/orangesugar
I have not made headboards for sale as of yet and would have to determine pricing and shipping costs. But I am willing to figure it out if you are interested.
I really love your headboard. You have inspired me to make one for my guest bedroom. Can you tell me what size bed you made this for? and how far apart you spaced your buttons? I like the look of your tufting.
My headboard is a queen size but it can easily be made for any size bed. Just look around online to get a feel for what the measurements should be for whatever size bed you need it for. My buttons are about 7 1/2" apart from center to center.
This is a great article. I was watching Candice Olsen on hgtv have one made at a furniture store. Can't imagine how much that would cost. Lots of great info in the comments as well. I am going to have to give this a try.
Sometimes the foam can be a little pricey - even with a 50% of coupon at JoAnn's. Depending on how big the upholstered headboard is going to be, you might be able to use discounted (or recycled) foam mattress toppers instead of buying new foam.
Im trying to figure out how much fabric to purchase. I have a queen size bed. I plan for it to go half way up the wall. A little help here?:) i have made side boardsvand am planning on making a mini version of this for the foot of the bed.
I got a gang of awesome and handy friends together to make this project, and it was a huge success. We made the following modifications that made the process go by faster and smoothly:
1. Instead of plywood, I bought some MDF, which is lighter and cheaper.
2. I wanted to use flush mounts to mount the board directly to the wall, so we drilled those holes in the board first, then held the board up to where it would be mounted so we could mark where to drill into the wall so the flush mounts would line up. This was key. I have no idea what I will do when we move.
3. Tufting was frustrating since the thread kept breaking, and the needle we had wasn't long enough. We ended up just using the staple gun for the tufting, and then glueing the buttons down with a glue gun. Lazy, but very effective.
The whole thing cost me about $150 which includes hiring a cab to carry everything back to my place. The project took 3 hours, including mounting it to the wall. I love it!