Wondering how to upholster a metal headboard? You are going to love this easy & inexpensive DIY tutorial!
I am so pleased with the upgrades going on in the master bedroom. From the ampersand string art to the no sew curtains, to the grid gallery wall and curtains on the closets, this room is really taking shape.
One of the last big things that I wanted to update was the headboard. This bed is in great shape & has nothing wrong with it, but the headboard is really out of style. It has curvy metal and, while really pretty, is less my style than it was when I originally bought it (in 2008.)
Of course, everyone with a pinterest account is upholstering their headboards. So, I figured that I could easily modify this one for an upholstered look.
Now, let me just say, almost every "cheap and easy" project that I attempt ends up WAY more expensive, time consuming, and troublesome than I anticipated. Not this one. It was easy, peasy, chicken squeezey. So, if you're considering it - go for it!
Here's what you need:
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Pegboard cut to the size of your headboard
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Foam mattress topper (for a queen headboard we used a full topper & had room to spare)
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2 yards of fabric
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Staple gun & staples
Here's what we did:
Lay the peg board down on the foam. Cut the foam to the size of your board plus a 1 inch border around the edge.
Lay it on top of your fabric, bad side up. Pull it TIGHT over the edge and staple. We do a center staple & one on each side, then fill in.
Repeat on the opposite side. Trim excess fabric.
Repeat on the two remaining sides.
I scotch guarded the entire thing after a lady at Joann's fabric approached me, asked me what I was planning to use the fabric for, and told me what a terrible idea it was to use white. I replied "YOLO!" but really wasn't too worried. We don't have too much trouble with dirtiness and I like white and sometimes what you like takes precedence over practicality. But I already owned scotch guard and decided to give it a coat just to help a little.
To hang it- we stuck zip ties through the holes in the pegboard & tied it to the existing headboard. We should have inserted the ties before stapling, but didn't think it through. Sean was able to bend the plastic ties and stick them through the holes without too much trouble.
Ta-da! A totally updated headboard!
As for why we used pegboard and not particle board:
1. It was cheaper at Lowes
2. So we could attach it to the existing headboard without any hardware
3. I originally planned on tufting it. However, I thought this fabric looked better untufted! The peg holes make it easy to line up & attach your tufts!
We love this project and it was SO EASY! I can't get over it!
Have you had any projects turn out super easy lately??
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Hello, I'm Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I've transformed three homes and now I'm dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let's turn your house into a home together!
Runt says
What a great idea! I love how you didn't really have to alter your actual headboard at all. Clever and it came out great!
CharlestonCrafted says
Thanks! It was a good way to use what we had already, which really made it inexpensive and easy!
Claire says
Hi there,
Wanting to transform my iron bedframe using this method, do the cable ties secure the board properly or would it be slightly loose?
Many thanks,
C, UK
CharlestonCrafted says
Hi Claire! The great thing about these ties is you pull them as tight as you want. We used a lot of ties and pulled them as tight as we could (pull as tight as you can then when you're done a all go back and give each one an extra tug before trimming!) and it is very tight and does not wiggle. Good luck!
Dida says
OMG!!! Absolutely Genius!!! I am going to try this.
Sean says
I'm so glad! Hope it turns out well for you! Let us know if you have any questions.
Judee says
Love it! I want to try it. My daughter wants me to cover the posts as well. Any ideas how I can do this??? Thanks.
Morgan says
What posts do you mean? On the side? You could use a wider board, but just make sure that it is very secure.
Ray Palagy says
built mine this past weekend...came out great! I used an old Latex mattress topper that I chopped into the shape of the pegboard and covered with batting and then fabric. We did a King size bed so we had to use 2 pegboards which I held together overlapping with tie wraps as well to get the perfect length.
Morgan says
Yay I am so glad that it turned out!
Kimberly Jones says
What a well done up grade and fantastic tutorial. Mr Cheapskate sees no reason to get a new bed," We've only had this one 10 years. We only sleep in there, no one sees it. What's it matter?" Will very soon schedule a day off work, send him fishing and do some magic, thanks to you!
Sean says
Thanks! I hope it turns out well for you 🙂
Evelyn Thomas says
So Kimberly Jones, it's been over 2 years1 how did your headboard upholstery go?
Maryssa says
I love this idea I have been looking for something like this for my daughters bed. One question any ideas on the foot board?
Morgan says
Our bed did not have a headboard, but I can imagine that you could use the same technique. Good luck!
Evelyn Thomas says
Maybe you could use one piece of pegboard each to front and back of footboard, then cover, for the aesthetics.