Gypsy’s and Headboards

When it’s 100 degrees outside, what’s a DIY girl to do?

Head to the basement and build a headboard, of course! And the gypsy’s? Yeah, cable is the devil. I totally got sucked into My Big American Gypsy Wedding. Dumb. But addicting My names is Erin. And I watched dumb TV while DIYing my headboard.

On with the project!

To go with our super new bed (more on that later) we needed to DIY a new headboard. We wanted to soften up the room a bit and do an upholstered version. Here is my supply list:

• plywood – cut by the guys and Home Depot to our dimensions
• 2 inch foam
• spray adhesive
• cerated knife
• batting
• fabric
• stable gun
• hangman hanging cleats

This project took very little time at all. And it would’ve taken less time if I wasn’t enthralled by the gypsy show.

Step 1 – Gathering the supplies.

As I mentioned I had the nice guys at Home Depot cut my plywood (I used 1/2 inch) to my dimensions. We are making a headboard to cover 84 inches by 40 inches. I got my 2 inch foam from Joann fabrics (using a 50% off coupon). I had batting left over from another project and used that. And for our fabric we used a painters drop cloth from Home Depot, similar to the ones I used for our living room curtains.

How to cut and adhere the foam to the board

Step 2 – Cut your foam and secure it to board

I used a serrated bread knife to cut my foam to fill the plywood backing. You can score the foam using a pen and a ruler to ensure that you have straight lines. I recommend using very light pressure and cutting from one end to the other in one long steady motion. Don’t try to “saw” the foam with a back and forth motion, as this will create uneven cuts and a lot of foamy mess. Long, smooth cuts will make a nice clean cut.

I then sprayed my Krylon spray adhesive to the board and the foam creating a nice stickiness and then carefully positioned the foam to the edges of the board. If you get a little crooked you can pull it up and reposition it.

Step 3 – Cover with batting

Sorry – no pictures of this step. I smoothed the batting over the foam and around the edges of the board. I used my handy little staple gun to secure it to the back side of the board. Easy peasie.

At this point I stopped to take a break from the tough labor of the project – JOKING. But I did stop to touch base with my supervisors (and the tv show).

And my supervisor

Step 4 – Cover with fabric

After washing and drying my dropcloth, I smoothed it over the batting covered foam and board. I took an iron to the top to get all the little creases and bumps out of the fabric. I lifted the board up on the long side and pulled the fabric around and secured it with some staples. I would move around the front of the board to ensure that it was smooth and straight as I stapled along the back. Then I flipped the board and did the other side and pulled the fabric nice and tight over the board.

To do the corners I grabbed the loose fabric and made a crease so that it would give me a nice clean corner, and pull the fabric to the back and stapled. See below.

Making clean corners

And we are almost done.

Almost done!

I used the hangman cleat system to hang the headboard on the wall behind the bed. These cleats each hold up to 200 lbs. So I think we are secure.

Attaching the cleats to the headboard

Attaching the cleat to the wall behind the wall – comes with a lovely little level

And here’s a close up of the cleat – they literally just slide onto each other from the top.

Lining up the cleats

And we have a hanging headboard!

Now that it’s up in the room, I think we’ve decided that it needs something. We may not quite be finished with this DIY project. It may require some fabric trim, or even some nailhead trim. I really like this one from my fellow Denverite, Freckles Chic.

Headboard from Freckles Chic