Easy Build Wood Headboard (All Mattress Sizes)

ana white headboard
Difficulty
Beginner Projects
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Easy DIY planked wood headboard build - no special tools required!  This beautiful headboard gives that wood texture to your bedroom - without costing a fortune or being a huge project.  You can use inexpensive pine boards or furring strips.  Free step by step plans by ANA-WHITE.com

 

Photos submitted by Cynthia and Nicole.

Simplicity and the beauty of soild wood come together in this headboard to transform a room. This project can be completed in just a few hours. Available in all standard bed sizes.

Easy to build, all you need is a saw and nails - you can even use a hammer and nails!  

easy to build wood headboard

Most builders are spending about $50 making this beauty.  Be sure to check out brag posts.  

Free plans follow!

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Easy Build Wood Headboard (All Mattress Sizes)

Dimensions
queen wood headboard
57 1/4" x 65 1/2" dimensions for queen size as shown

Preparation

Shopping List

Twin Lumber Shopping List

  • 2 – 1×2 – 8′ Length
  • 7 – 1×3 – 8′ Length
  • 3 – 1×4 – 10′ Length
  • 1 – 1×6 – 10′ Length
  • 1 – 2×4 – 8′ or Stud Length

Full Shopping List

  • 2 – 1×2 – 8′ Length
  • 7 – 1×3 – 8′ Length
  • 4 - 1×4 – 10′ Length
  • 1 – 1×4 – 6′ Length
  • 3 – 1×6 – 5′ Length
  • 1 – 2×4 – 8′ or Stud Length

Queen Lumber Shopping List

  • 2 – 1×2 – 8′ Length
  • 7 – 1×3 – 8′ Length
  • 4 - 1×4 – 10′ Length
  • 1 – 1×4 – 6′ Length
  • 3 – 1×6 – 5′ Length
  • 1 – 2×4 – 8′ or Stud Length

Standard King Shopping List

  • 2 – 1×2 – 8′ Length 
  • 7 – 1×3 – 8′ Length 
  • 9 - 1×4 – 8′ Length 
  • 3 - 1×6 – 8′ Length 
  • 1 – 2×4 – 8′ or Stud Length 

 California King Lumber for California King 

  • 2 – 1×2 – 8′ Length 
  • 7 – 1×3 – 8′ Length 
  • 5 - 1×4 – 12′ Length 
  • 4 - 1×6 – 6′ Length 
  • 1 – 2×4 – 8′ or Stud Length
Common Materials
1 1/4 inch finish nails
2 inch finish nails
120 grit sandpaper
Cut List

Cut List for Twin

  • 6 - 1×3 @ 55″ (Fronts and backs of Legs)
  • 2 – 1×2 @ 55″ (Inside of Legs)
  • 5 – 1×4 @ 39″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 3 – 1×6 @ 39″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 4 – 1×4 @ 37″ (Panel Trim, Front and Back)
  • 1 – 1×3 @ 43 1/2″ (Top Trim)
  • 1 – 2×4 @ 44 1/2″ (Top of Headboard)

 

Cut List for Full

  • 6 - 1×3 @ 55″ (Fronts and backs of Legs)
  • 2 – 1×2 @ 55″ (Inside of Legs)
  • 5 – 1×4 @ 54″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 3 – 1×6 @ 54″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 4 – 1×4 @ 52″ (Panel Trim, Front and Back)
  • 1 – 1×3 @ 58 1/2″ (Top Trim)
  • 1 – 2×4 @ 59 1/2″ (Top of Headboard)

 

Cut List for Queen

  • 6 - 1×3 @ 55″ (Fronts and backs of Legs)
  • 2 – 1×2 @ 55″ (Inside of Legs)
  • 5 – 1×4 @ 60″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 3 – 1×6 @ 60″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 4 – 1×4 @ 58″ (Panel Trim, Front and Back)
  • 1 – 1×3 @ 64 1/2″ (Top Trim)
  • 1 – 2×4 @ 65 1/2″ (Top of Headboard)

Cut List for Standard King 

  • 6 – 1×3 @ 55″ (Fronts and backs of Legs) 
  • 2 – 1×2 @ 55″ (Inside of Legs) 
  • 5 – 1×4 @ 76″ (Panel Pieces) 
  • 3 – 1×6 @ 76″ (Panel Pieces) 
  • 4 – 1×4 @ 74″ (Panel Trim, Front and Back) 
  • 1 – 1×3 @ 80 1/2″ (Top Trim) (measure before cutting) 
  • 1 – 2×4 @ 81 1/2″ (Top of Headboard) (measure before cutting) 

Cut List for California King 

  • 6 – 1×3 @ 55″ (Fronts and backs of Legs) 
  • 2 – 1×2 @ 55″ (Inside of Legs) 
  • 5 – 1×4 @ 72″ (Panel Pieces) 
  • 3 – 1×6 @ 72″ (Panel Pieces)
  • 4 – 1×4 @ 70″ (Panel Trim, Front and Back) 
  • 1 – 1×3 @ 76 1/2″ (Top Trim) (measure to fit) 
  • 1 – 2×4 @ 77 1/2″ (Top of Headboard) (measure to fit)
Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Circular Saw
Brad Nailer
Power Sander
General Instructions

Work on a clean level surface. Use necessary safety precautions. Measure and cut your boards to fit your piece – measurements given are for a perfect build, and you may find your headboard off a tiny bit. So on the trim and top pieces, measure to fit, using the given cut list as a approximate measurement. Use glue and check for square after each step.

Standard King Dimensions

king dimensions

 

Dimensions for Full

full size dimensions

Instructions

Step 1

Legs. Begin building the legs by fastening the 1×2 middle piece to the 1×3 front leg piece, as shown above. To hide your nail holes, fasten for the 1×2 board into the back side of the 1×3 board. Keep outside edges flush.

Step 2

Panel Pieces. Starting on the top, fasten the panel pieces as shown above. The red pieces are 1×4 boards, the blue are 1×6 boards. Use 1 1/4″ nails and glue. Check for square. Hide your nail holes as you did in step 1.

Step 3

Back of Legs. Use 2″ nails and glue to fasten the back of the legs in place. Fasten to the panel pieces and the middle leg piece. Keep outside edges flush.

Step 4

Trim Pieces. Start by fastening the front trim pieces by using 1 1/4″ nails and nailing through the back into the back edge of the front trim. This will hide your nail holes. Then fasten the back trim in place using 2″ nails and glue.

Step 5

Step 6

Top Trim. As shown above, measure and cut your top trim piece. The distance will be the overall width of the headboard at this step. Keeping the top trim flush with the outer leg and the front of the headboard, use 2″ nails and glue to fasten in place.

Step 7

Top of Headboard. Cut the top of the headboard piece 1″ longer than the trim piece from step 6. Mark 1/2″ in from all sides. Center on top of the headboard and fasten in place with glue and 2″ nails.

Step 8

Finishing. Fill any visible nail holes with wood filler and sand and finish as desired. A bed frame can be attached by drilling holes in the fronts of the legs, and using bolts and nuts inserted in the slots open in the insides of the legs.

Comments

cdewan

Wed, 11/04/2020 - 14:22

"Measure and cut your boards to fit your piece – measurements given are for a perfect build, and you may find your headboard off a tiny bit. So on the trim and top pieces, measure to fit."

HAHA, I wish I had read that BEFORE I cut all the wood from the cut list! My top pieces all wound up being 1/4" too short, ugh! A $25 mistake. But now with new boards the thing looks great. Thanks!

andimat

Sat, 09/18/2021 - 12:58

I’m a rookie and looking to make this plan in a full. I have no idea how to convert the measurements. Can anyone help? I made this and a queen and love it and now I’m making version of it for one of my children in a fall but I don’t know how many inches to subtract off the width. Any help would be appreciated!