Before & After: From Salvaged Wood to Stylish Reclaimed Headboard

Written by

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published Jan 19, 2014
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Post Image
(Image credit: Johnny Hugel)

When Johnny’s mattress was delivered to him, he couldn’t help but notice an almost dismantled shipping crate that another customer’s bench has been shipped in. When he asked the delivery men what they were going to do with it and they said they’d throw it away, he knew he had the opportunity to salvage this wood for a home project!

(Image credit: Johnny Hugel)

From Johnny:

Getting a Sunday a month to work on the project made it slow going, especially trying to work outside through this unpredictable winter, but the base of their crate provided the perfect frame for our headboard, and the solid 2x2s of cedar and hardwoods that devoured a number of my drillbits in the process of assembling my puzzle. The cost was minimal, a handful of decking screws, some rough sandpaper, a fine foam sanding block, a pair of 3″ casters, and a 1/4 can of Minwax Polycrylic. The weight of the finished product is staggering, as was the number of splinters I managed to accumulate by the time I was done. It’s been three months since we placed the order for our mattress online, but I think we both agree that this project is done right on time.

See more photos of this project on Johnny’s blog.

Thank you Johnny!