Turn a door into a one-of-a-kind fabric-covered headboard with this step-by-step process.
Tools and Materials
- 36-inch by 80-inch hollow-core door
- 2 sawhorses, padded and stabilized with sandbags
- Ruler and pencil
- Table or circular saw
- Wood glue
- Drill with 1/2-inch drill bit
- Button hole diagram
- Twin size (or larger) roll of batting
- Heavy-duty staple gun and staples
- 2 1/2 yards fabric, at least 54 inches wide
- 4 size 60 (1 1/2-inch) covered button kits (8 buttons total)
- Waxed twine
- 6-inch upholstery or doll needle
- 5-foot Z bar/clip
- Wood screws
- Wall-mounting screws (appropriate for wall material)
Headboard How-To
1. Place hollow-core door on a set of sawhorses. Mark and cut 15 inches off bottom end of door to create a 36- by 65-inch rectangle. Remove bracer bar from leftover piece and insert into hollow cut end of door, using wood glue to secure permanently.
2. Mark and drill holes for buttons through door with a 1/2-inch drill bit (see diagram for hole locations).
3. Cut a 67 1/2-inch by 38 1/2-inch piece of batting. Cut 1 1/4-inch squares from each corner. Place batting on top of door. Wrap batting around and staple in place on edges of door.
4. Cut an 83-inch by 54-inch piece of fabric. Spread out fabric, right side down, on a flat surface. Center door, batting side down, on top of fabric.
5. Starting in the center of one side, wrap fabric around to back of door, and staple in place. On the opposite side of door, directly across from the first staple, pull fabric taut over the back of the door and staple in place. Repeat for the two remaining sides of the door, making the fabric taut in the center from four directions. Continue stapling from the center points outward, about every 3 inches. At each corner, fold one side neatly under the other and staple in place.
6. Cut eight 2 1/2-inch circles from scraps of fabric. Follow covered button kit instructions to make eight fabric-covered buttons.
7. From the back of the headboard, push the "eye" end of the upholstery or doll needle through one of the half-inch holes, and through the batting and fabric to the front of the headboard. Thread button onto a 16-inch piece of waxed twine, matching up the ends. Thread both ends of the waxed twine through the eye of the needle. Pull needle back through the headboard, pulling ends of waxed twine through hole.
8. Remove needle from waxed twine. Pull twine taut so button sinks neatly into fabric and batting. Pull ends of twine down firmly onto back of door and staple in place with two staples. Bring waxed twine back up toward hole, and staple again with two staples to firmly secure.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 to attach seven more buttons to headboard. 10. Mount bottom half of Z bar to wall; screw other half of Z bar to top edge of headboard. Place two halves of Z bar together to hang.
Resources
Z bar (or clip) is available from New York Metal. All other hardware and tools are available at The Home Depot. Prym Dritz button kits, waxed twine, and upholstery/doll needles are available from craft stores.
