DIY Simple Tufted Headboard
January 18, 2010
Greetings all, how was your weekend ? It was rainy and wet here in Northern California, but I say that’s perfect weather for watching football and a good DIY project.
You’ve seen tufted headboards in boutique hotels, everywhere in interior decor, in designer bedrooms, and lately even in Betty Draper’s bedroom. Fabric covered headboards are a great way to add an elegant touch to a bedroom with all kinds of different fabrics. Last weekend I decided to tackle a simple tufted headboard for my teenage daughter’s bedroom. We didn’t want anything too fancy or formal, just some soft curves, a few buttons, and a little tufting for some subtle sophistication.
It took about five hours from start to finish, with the tufting taking up most of the time, but I’m really liking the final headboard in her room, especially how tall it is !
Sneak peek:
There are plenty of tutorials to be found online for fabric covered headboards, and for tufting, including my own how-to from this bench project, but here’s the step by step on how I created this this casual look for a fabric covered headboard.
How to Make a Simple Tufted Headboard
Supplies: 1/2 inch plywood, cut at the home improvement store to your bed’s specifications for width and height; 2 inch foam to cover plywood; batting; 1.5 inch finish nails; ‘D’ ring hooks; button cover kits; embroidery or upholstery thread; decorator needles.
Tools: Jigsaw (if your design is not square); drill and drill bit; staple gun and staples; sawhorses (if available, for convenience).
Step One (optional): If you want to add curvature to your headboard, create a template and mark it on your plywood. I used simple paper, then marked it with a pen.
Cut out your design with a jig saw.
Step Two: Mark your holes where you want your buttons to go. I spaced mine ten inches apart. For more drama, mark for buttons spaced closer together.
Use a drill and drill bit (between 7/32 to 5/16) to drill holes where indicated. Make sure you have a clean hole all the way through on both sides.
Step Three: Cut your foam to the size of your plywood. I chose to use 2” foam squares since it was more cost effective than paying for 2” foam by the yard. You can use 1” foam too, but I wanted a really thick headboard so I went with 2” thickness.
Result using 2 inch thick foam instead of 1 inch:
Here are my new sawhorses that hub bought me for Christmas. Isn’t that romantic ? How did I ever ever ever live without them ?
If using squares like I did, I think it helps to turn your foam flat side out to guarantee a smoother edge around the sides.
Thicker foam and the flat side out gave me a very smooth edge.
Step Four: Use your batting to secure your foam to your plywood with a staple gun. I didn’t use any spray adhesive to secure the foam to the wood. In my opinion, it’s not necessary if you use good batting.
Step Five: Attach your fabric to your headboard using a staple gun. For this smaller degree of curvature, I was able to get away without sewing a slipcover with seams. For these specific cutouts, start in the middle of the curve, secure with single staple, then slowly work your way out. Then secure your fabric on all four sides.
Use the natural corners to pinch fabric and create and attractive edge by overlapping the fabric. Secure with staples.
The gray/blue fabric I used is an upholstery grade fabric called ‘Bedouin’ in Blue Smoke from Calico Corners.
Step Six – Tufting: Use button cover kits to create fabric covered buttons. Thread your decorator needle with embroidery or upholstery thread.
I do not recommend these metal ones for thick fabric – they just don’t work. I found that out too late. I’ve used the plastic ones from Joann’s before, and they work much better.
These ones are better:
![tufting supplies_thumb[5]](http://c497280.r80.cf2.rackcdn.com/2009/05/tufting-supplies_thumb5.jpg "tufting supplies_thumb[5]")
Because the metal button cover kits were too flimsy for my upholstery fabric, I had to hand stitch my fabric to each of the buttons – bummer. That little setback added an entire hour to this project.
Push your threaded needle up through the pre-drilled hole, leaving plenty of thread underneath. Then attach your button to your thread. I recommend running your thread through the button twice to get a really secure button.
Push your needle back down through your fabric and foam and pull needle out on other side of pre-drilled hole. Pull your thread taught, then twist it around a finish nail to hold it in place against the plywood. Staple thread to plywood, and criss cross across several times and staple again. Sorry no photo, I forgot !
Repeat for all buttons and holes in headboard.
Locate the wall studs on your wall, then determine placement of ‘D’ ring hooks. Drive nails into studs, secure ‘D’ ring hooks to back of headboard, then hang on wall.
Stand back and enjoy your handiwork !
Update: I ended up lowering the headboard on the wall just a a few inches:
Be sure to check out the entire feminine bedroom space, plus the project breakdown, including the silver leaf lamp and how to upholster a rush seat chair.
Tags: tufted headboard, tufting
Are you kidding me? Kate, you blow my mind. I am looking forward to coffee with you on Thursday. My bags will be packed, because I’m going home with you and moving in. That’s that.
(Will you make my headboard like that? Or I’ll just take that one, your daughter can sleep on the couch.)
Beautiful! So well done…question: If you were looking at the headboard from the side, where does hang in relation to the mattress? Does it hit just below the mattress, below the box spring, just above the mattress? Just wondering how it looks from the side view? Thanks so much for all your awesome tutorials and inspiration!
This is beautiful!! Your daughter is very lucky to have such a great room.
I just informed my husband as he walked through the room that he will probably be making one of these for our bedroom soon! He’s my DIYer. The day I stumbled on your blog, you had made the guest bedroom headboard, and I loved it. Seeing your latest creation has added to my desire for one. I move much slower than you, but your blog has definitely had an impact on me and therefore on my home. Instead of being just clean and uncluttered, I have been adding little touches of personality and beauty here and there. I hope to improve and do more as time goes on. Thanks for your tutorials and inspiration, as well as your fun, interesting, and witty writing!
Looks beautiful!
Wow that’s great! I told hubby that I wanted an upholstered bed and headboard. He said we could upholster the waterbed frame that we have now and add an upholstered headboard. What do you think? Have you ever upholstered a bed??
Yay! When I made one of these I think I read 867,000 tutorials. I love reading all that I can before I start a project. Seeing the different ways people make the headboard gave me so many great ideas and kept me from making mistakes. Thanks so much for this, I’ll be linking.
Great tut. This can be such an overwhelming task for any DIY’er. Definitely on the “to do” list.
thank you so much for all your great posts! Thanks to you I can actually create a look without spending all my money!! Love this post and have linked it to my blog, go check out what I made!! Thanks again Centsational Girl! ;)
This is great! I’ve been looking for an affordable upholstered head board and have so far been unsuccessful. Thank You for this post – I’ll be trying it out as soon as the weather warms!!
Oops ! I don’t have a staple gun and jig saw but I have a good option to bookmark this post, when I will have all these DIY hand tools , I will reopen the post to do this project by myself, a great do it yourself project , love it.
I can’t wait to try this. I have been wanting one of these for my master for so long. Lots of ideas just not much dough! I am going to do it!
I was searching around the net for do-it-yourself headboard tutorials and yours is by far the best finished product I have seen. You spent a little more on materials than most of the others, but it paid off. Well done!
This is just so great! It is exactly what I was searching for the last few hours….something with clear and specific pictures. Thank you!
So nice! Look forward to trying this out. thank you!
[...] out this headboard Jenny made after following this tutorial [...]
[...] my DIY simple tufted headboard from back in January. Fabric is ‘Bedouin’ in Blue Smoke by Calico Corners. Full [...]
I LOVE this!! We’re redoing my SIL’s bedroom for her 16th birthday and I will be making her one of these next time I’m in town :)
Thank you so much for this tutorial!!! After a few months of wanting to try a DIY project, I finally tried this and it came out perfect! Your step by step pictures helped greatly! Check out my finished product: http://jennygilson.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-first-diy-project.html. I love my new headboard!
I love the moulding on this. I have been wanting to make an upholstered headboard, but none of them seemed like my style until I found this one. I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for the tutorial!
Amazing! Of course, I don’t have any tools. I’d love to find someone to make one for me. The ones I’ve seen for sale that I just adore seem to cost between $1,000 – $2000!
[...] cutting thick pieces of wood in a straight line. The jigsaw is my new best friend, great for making upholstered headboards or other projects with [...]
LOVE your blog and I just made this headboard two weeks ago. I’m so in love with it so thank you for sharing!
[...] We upgraded my stepdaughter’s bedroom in shades of turquoise and white, added silver leaf to her lamp, and a new DIY tufted headboard. [...]
Okay, I think I’m finally going to do it. I’ve been wanting to make one of these for awhile now but keep chickening out. But after I read this post, I feel like I can actually do it. Thank you!
Wow, you did a really great job. It looks really luxurious. I’ve been wanting to buy a jig saw for a while. I tried to do the tufting on a headboard that had canvas stretchers as the frame but it just doesn’t have the same effect.
http://typearamblings.blogspot.com/2011/05/diy-headboard.html
I am very interested in making this. Is there anyway you can give me the dimensions for a double bed? Thank you!
Yes! I agree with Lauren. Dimensions would be great for a double bed! Also, where do you buy the foam? and how many yards of fabric do you need for the double bed?
Thank you!
Can you post how many yards of fabric you used for the headboard?
Hi, I love your tutorial! I was wondering about the height of this headboard, because it looks like the exact same size I want for mine. Thanks!!
If I can’t hang the headboard how would you recommend using this headboard tutorial. I love the look of the tufted headboard and I can totally make it, but I’m not sure I’m able to hang anything that big/heavy in my apartment. Should I just make it big enough to sit on the floor?
[...] sale. Pretty much everything, including the foam we used on the headboard, was 50% off. We used this tutorial as our basic plan and just added legs to the back of the headboard and attached it to our metal bed [...]
Hello Dear!
Just wanted to drop a line and let you know that I used this tutorial to make my own headboard!!! It took me 7 hours but I did it for less than $100. I call that a win. Plus it’s gorgeous! Thanks a bunch for posting this! Here’s a link if you want to see the finished product! :)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=628766816139&l=7cbd2a0143
Wow, I love this!! My husband and I are trying to make a headboard. I’ll definitely show him this. Thanks for sharing!!
P.S.Where did you get that bed spread??!!! I LOVE it!!
I’ll try different fabric for that.. Thanks for the tutorial!
love it really!
Thank you so much for the tutorial. We got so brave this week that my son and I created two headboards! now just finishing off accessories. So tremendously helpful. If you need help with that Nikon, please give me a shout…I would be happy to help. {Giovanna}
How many yards of fabric did you need? What are the dimensions of the headboard?
What can you do if the fabric you want is not wide enough? The fabric I want to use is 55″ wide but for a double bed the width of the headboard should be 57″ plus you need overhang.
Hey Moriah, I chose fabric that I could stretch across the headboard instead of top to bottom and that’s how you can make one bigger than a twin since most fabric we have acces to on the bolt is no wider than 54″. Cut your plywood first then allow 4-5 inches extra on all sides to play with. My headboard is about 1/2 inch wider than the mattress as I recall.
Kate
Thanks! I realized after I woke up this morning “Well, duh! stretch it across the headboard!”
I’m going to (attempt) making this once I finally decide on fabric and design.
Love your blog!
Thanks for the great tutorial. This is the first time I’ve seen one where it was mentioned about the different covered button kits for heavy fabric. And I LOVE the look of the 2-inch padding. Again, first time reading that and it makes it look so much more professional. I’m bookmarking this. :)
What was the brand name of the plastic button covers you used? Tried to find it on the Joann’s website but nothing came up. Love the result!
I’m in the final stages of making this, following your instructions pretty much to a T (but a different shape. My problem: I bought the longest needle I could find & I still can’t figure out how to push it through to the other side???
Also, how did you ensure you spaced them correctly once you started sewing? I have the holes perfectly measured and drilled on my wood, but I’m worried that they will not be as precise after i haphazardly push a needle through 2 inches of foam (somehow)
Help! I’m trying to finish this by my party on Friday!
Hi Melissa, all I can say is go slow and take your time, and when you push the needle up through the fabric push it straight so it doesn’t come up at an angle. If you’ve measured and drilled the button holes precisely you can’t go wrong.
Kate
Hi Beth, I forget the brand but they have a blue package and they’re the button cover kids sold at Joanns.
Kate
Thanks for the quick response! My problem now is that I can’t feed the needle back through into the little wood hole… should I make the wood hole much bigger to make it easier? I’m so close! haha
okay, this is a diy project that I really want and need to do. And I think I can actually do it too! yippee. I love that you lowered your headboard and re-posted a photo. I had the same thought about it needing to be lower. So great. Thanks for the DIY project help!
Help! I’m so confused. What happens to the excess fabric after you sew it on the button? it just says sew it on the button, then sew it on the board. What’s the step between? I’m new to this stuff. Thanks in advance!
Hi Amy, you simply trim away the excess, probably should have said that!
Kate