The frame is plywood.
The big warehouse building supply stores will cut these for you which
removes the need to have a truck to transport a 4x8 ft board home. I could get
a 3 ft wide section into the back of a car (with some of it hanging out, but
driveable) so I had the store make some of the cuts for me.
Plywood comes in multiple grades. I chose a mid-grade. It’s
possible to cut the pieces for supporting the frame from the remainder of the
4x8 plywood, but I choose to purchase lumber. Again, not the premium grade, but
I looked for pieces that were not warped.
Here’s what you need:
- 1 – 3 ft x 6 ft plywood
- 2 – 1 x 6, 6 ft long
- 2 – 2 x 2, 6 ft long
- 2 – 1 x 4, 5 ft long
- 2 – casters with a 1.5” faceplate. I used swivel hooded ball casters.
- 1.25” wood screws
- Wood glue
- Fabric 45” wide by 2.5 yards, this will provide a little extra for covering buttons
- 3’ x 6’ piece of foam (available in most fabric stores)
- 2 pkgs quilting batting – for additional padding and to wrap along the edges.
- Coverable buttons – I used eight 1.5 inch diameter buttons.
- Spray adhesive (or an all-purpose glue)
- Very heavy upholstery thread
- Washers or pegs to anchor the buttons.
- Bolts and nuts for attaching the headboard to the bedframe.
Tools:
- Measuring tape
- Drill
- Screw driver attachment for drill or screwdriver.
- Staple gun
- Very long upholstery needle to attach buttons. (12” worked well. I had trouble with the smaller size)
1. Mark locations for the holes for upholstered buttons in
the mid section of the 3x6 plywood. I opted for 3 rows in a diamond patter, 8
holes total. You can see the black marker markings in the photo. I centered the
middle row (2 holes) vertically, separating them by 18 inches or 9 inches from
the center.
2. Position the 1x4’s centered along the top and bottom edges. This provides support and makes the whole thing rigid.
3. Attach the 1x4’s using wood glue and wood screws.
4. Drill holes (I used a 3/8 inch bit) as marked.
5. Construct the legs.
5.1 Use wood glue and screws to attach a 2x2 to each of the 1x6’s, positioning the 2x2 along the edge.
5.2 Attach the wheels using wood screws.
6. Mark mounting holes in the 1x6 supports. The location of
these will depend on your bed frame. You’ll want the casters to rest on the
floor and roll. Measure by placing the support (legs) behind the bed and
marking the holes using a pen or pencil through the holes in the frame. Determine
how far from the edge by measuring the bedframe between the holes in the
bedframe headboard mount and assuming the edges of the 1x6 will be 5 ft 10
inches apart.
7. Drill the mounting holes as marked.
8. Upholster the headboard:
8.1 Attach the foam to the front of
the headboard using spray adhesive or all-purpose glue.
8.2 Wrap the top and side edges of
the headboard generously with quilt batting. Use glue or staple to hold in
place temporarily. The fabric will hold this down tightly.
8.3 Layer quilt batting over the
foam to completely covering it.
8.4 Cut fabric to fit, leaving a
generous amount to pull behind around the edges.
8.5 Start in the center: staple on
top and then pull tightly at the bottom and staple taut. Staple on one side and
the pull tightly and staple taut on the opposite side.
Staple about 2” from the top and pull tightly at the bottom,
opposite and staple taut.
Continue working your way around, moving from the centers
and toward the corners alternating the horizontal and the vertical edges.
9. Attach the support legs to the headboard using wood glue
and wood screws 1” from each edge. These will cover the edges of the fabric.
10. Use the scrap fabric to upholster the buttons, following
the manufacturers instructions.
11. Attach the upholstered buttons.
11.1 Stand
the headboard up and brace it or lean it on something so you can walk around
it.
11.2 Double the upholstery thread
and thread the very long upholstery needle.
11.3 Working from the back of the
headboard, pass the needle through the hole in the board through to the front,
trying to stay a straight as possible. Pass the needle through the loop on the
back of the button and then through the headboard again coming out the hole at
the back. I tried with a 5” needle and missed the hole so frequently that I
went back out in search of a longer one. The 12” was awesome. It is not
necessary to come back and forth as you would when sewing on a button. If your
thread is not heavy enough, use 4 or more strands at once.
11.4 On the back of the headboard,
tie the two ends together and tie them around a washer or a wooden peg to keep
the button from popping out.
Repeat for all your buttons.
12. Use heavy bolts to attach the headboard to the bedframe.
Make your bed. Sit back. read a book. Enjoy!
