How to make a headboard out of foam board

I’ve been wanting a headboard pretty much ever since we moved in. I think our bed looks looked so sad and college-dormy and naked as just a mattress pushed into the corner. In a moment of brilliance (driven by lack of supplies and laziness), I decided to make a headboard out of foam board!

how to make a headboard out of foamboard

And pretty much ever since we moved in I’ve been inspired to create a headboard by numerous blog describing how easy it is (as seen here and here). I was a little scared by the purchase and cutting and dealing with some kind of large board. And even more concerned about how I would attach that large board to our fragile plaster walls. Luckily, one day I chanced upon a blog post about making pelmet boxes for the windows out of foam board. I decided to do this, so I bought some foam board and fabric and batting the last day I had a car.

headboard1

However, as summer suddenly became almost over, the headboard overtook other house projects in priority. Being stuck at home with no car, I had to make do with the supplies I had, so I made the headboard out of foam board, which was brilliant because it solved both the problems of dealing with and hanging heavy board! Hooray!

Here’s how I did it:

I gathered my supplies: batting, fabric, two sheets of foam board, tape, and a stapler.

headboard out of foam board

First, I taped those foam boards together to make one long board. If you wanted to make the headboard taller, just tape two more boards on top.

headboard out of foam board

Then I spread out my batting and folded it over a few times to make it thicker. I put my foam board on top, and stapled the batting around the back edges. Next, I spread out my freshly ironed fabric and put my batting-covered board on top of that.

headboard out of foam board

I pulled the edge of the fabric tight around the foam board and stapled that sucker down.

headboard out of foam board

I attached two D-ring hangers to the back of the foam board with a super glue that was actually called Amazing Goop and forgot to take a picture. After the hangers dried on, I measured and marked the wall and hung my headboard behind the bed.

headboard out of foam board

I pushed the bed back against the wall, 

headboard out of foam board

made the bed,

headboard out of foam board

and voila! We’re not poor college students any more, but real grown-ups with furniture! Even Phil admitted it looked much better. 

headboard out of foam board

Don’t you agree? If any of you make your own headboard out of foam board, please share pictures!

Shared at these linky parties.

Comments

  1. It looks great. I really love the color.


  2. Looks great…


  3. Anonymous says:

    I do agree! It looks just like a real bed. :]


  4. I love it, you did a great job!


  5. That looks totally do-able!


  6. So clever to use foam board. I may try this in the guest room.


  7. Anonymous says:

    Nice job!


  8. That looks great and is perfect with your bedding 🙂 I really like your bedding too, by the way! I’d just like to come to your house and hang out there for awhile! You have such an eye for creating beautiful things! Thanks for sharing these ideas at Drab to Fab last week! This week’s party is on! Come on back and share more of your great ideas (old or new) 🙂

    http://www.amynjesse.com/2012/04/drab-to-fab-link-up-11-features.html

    Amy @ Sugar and Spice

    Hope you have a great weekend. Happy Easter, friend!


  9. Rondell says:

    That is fantastic! I’m certainly going to try this!


  10. Great job! Would love this to be linked to my party What to do Weekends. it’s a great weekend project, don’t you think? It turned out wonderful. Linda following on facebook, Pinterest and Google+

    http://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/05/what-to-do-weekends-21.html


    • Thanks for stopping by! Definitely a super quick weekend project. I’ll come on over to your party!


  11. this is probably the best headboard diy ive seen, so easy and cheap!


  12. love it !


  13. I love this idea…I really want to do this but i would like to include a poster of mario or sonic in the headboard but with the quality of your project, any ideas? thanks for sharing!!!


  14. This is a great project, creating your own headboard. I love the color that you use, thank you for sharing your wonderful idea.


  15. Love it! How long did this take you to assemble? Did you use command strips for the D rings to hold to the wall or what did the D rings attach to? Are you talking about foam board like from Staples or office supply places that normally are used for a presentation board or are you talking about foam board from the electrical section of Home Depot type stores?

    Very cool post. Thx. The other headboard diys look so hard, or heavy, or using spray glues that for all we know are carcinogenic!


    • Thank you!

      I’d say it probably took 1 hour to make this. I used super glue to attach the D rings to the back of the foam board. It was just foam board from any office supply place (or I think I’ve even seen it at Target and the Dollar Tree).


  16. Foamcore is what it is called at art and office supply stores and it comes in different thicknesses. I am using pre-cut, 13.5x48x1″ styrofoam for mine. Glueing foam onto it, wrapping with cotton batting, then the fabric. Not sure about the mounting, but all of the materials are lightweight except the fabric. I bought 2 packages of Command 16 lb strips. I will figure that out soon and report back.


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  1. […] real bed we’ve ever owned. Previously, we’ve just had a mattress on a frame and the DIY foam board headboard. But the headboard didn’t really survive our cross-country move, and I kind of felt like […]