Upholstered Headboard Design Help

[Howard Rosenberg]

Hi all -

I'd like to make an upholstered headboard for our king bed.

The idea of a "slim-ish" box with upholstery foam stapled over it doesn't fase me but any insight into above-bed proportions and below-bed design and methods of connecting it to the wall would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Howard

[ken brueggestrass]

I've done a number of upholstered window cornices and head boards so I'd like to think I can help. I hate when I get answers like this but your design is only limited to your imagination. On window cornices, I usually make the face 4"wider than the window, including all case work, to allow for a 2” reveil on both sides. For head boards, it's more flush with the width of your mattress. My wife will tell you that if you use an extremely fluffy comforter, the heard board should be wider so it looks wide enough when the bed is made. Height is up to you but I'll show you why 4' from the ground up is the max.

For attaching, I've always secured carriage bolts through the bed frame into the head board. Check the end of your frame, there should be a plate welded to your frame that runs perpendicular to the floor and has all kinds of hole combinations. Using a 4' tall piece of sheet good limits your height but should fall within a traditional height. I also cut away the center piece of the sheet at the bottom to give it some 'legs' but it's also helpful when retrieving that remote control/sock/pillow that falls behind the bed.

If you'd prefer to hang it on the wall, it becomes more like a cornice. Height width, whatever. I use 1x6 lumber or ply scraps lying around to make a return, running perpendicular to the face of your head board. The returns are glue and screwed to both sides and the top. I faster a metal L bracket to the wall and set your box on them, with the top return hanging on the brackets. I use a screw gun with an extension to run screws through the bracket and into the top return.

Man, this was long. I hope I stayed on track for you. I've done angels, curves, square, you name it. It has more to do with your ability to upholster than anything else.

[Wes Bischel]

Howard,
I have been considering a new headboard recently, and thought using a french cleat set-up would be sufficient. Unlike a commercial setting where the installation needs to resist removal, at home, ease of removal would be a bonus.
I have not thought of any downsides to a french cleat, so maybe someone can chime-in if I'm missing anything. (There are pros and cons of mounting to the wall versus the bed frame though)

FWIW,

Wes

[Joe Diggs]

About using a French cleat...seems like it would work great if the headbord is a like a picture canvas (open frame), but when I made mine I used 3/4" ply. I was able to flush mount it to the wall using somthing similar to this:

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1089

[David Tzeutschler]

Thanks for a great thread and great ideas. I have been considering making a headboard like in the attached phot; just wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to achieve this look-- that is, a broad, flat surface framed by what looks like a separate surface - it almost looks like a groove between the main field of upholstery and the outer frame around the sides and top.
Would you upholster the frame pieces (ie 1X2 or 1X3) separately from the main field, then fasten to the main piece of ply or would there be a way to achieve this groove/frame look with one solid piece of ply and somehow grooving the ply (router?) and tucking in the upholstery? Also, anyone have a good source for a fabric similar to this photo? (online or locally like JoAnne's etc?)
Thanks for any input and help!
dave
St Paul, MN

[Danny Thompson]

French Cleat. I have two hung this way. Secure and adjustable (left-to-right).