For the last couple of weeks, I have been working on a DIY upholstered channel headboard for our master bedroom makeover. It was one of those projects that just didn’t seem to go right at every step. But, I finally got it all figured out, completed, and ready to share here on the blog. (post contains affiliate links, see disclosure)
I was inspired by this beautiful bed from McGee & Co. It is very out of my price range, so I browsed online for an affordable option. However, I still couldn’t find any I really liked. They weren’t linen, seemed a little too boxy, and weren’t the height I was wanting. I really like tall headboards because they fill up the wall nicely and I don’t have to put any artwork or photos above the bed.
DIY NO SEW UPHOLSTERED CHANNEL HEADBOARD
SUPPLIES
- (10) 7.5″ x 6′ fence boards
- linen fabric, I used a linen duvet cover from H&M
- (2) rolls of 1-inch foam, I used these
- quilt batting or extra blankets
- muslin or extra fabric
- fabric scissors
- staple gun, I used this electric one
- staples
- D-rings
STEPS
The supplies and measurements are all custom to my project and a king size headboard. I used fence boards because I could get the height and width I wanted without spending a lot of money. Plus, they are lightweight. You can also use plywood, but the fence boards are already cut and ready to go. I completed this project with curbside pick up or delivery (covid-19), so a lot of materials were based out of necessity instead of convenience.
First, I cut off the “dog ears” on two of the fence boards, these will be the end pieces. Then, cut all others to measure 48 inches and cut off the dog ear ends. There will be (2) boards at 6 feet and (8) boards at 4 feet. To make it easy, I laid out each size board and cut my fabric around it. No measuring, just cut around it.
During these COVID times, it has been hard to just go to the store for supplies like batting or muslin, so I used what I had around the house. We have lots of sherpa blankets, that are soft and easy to manage. I also used some extra fabric, curtains, I previously took down from our master bedroom a few months ago.
Each fence board is wrapped in foam, two layers of the blanket, one of extra fabric, and then lastly the linen. I used the electric staple gun to staple it all to the back of the fence boards. This staple gun was the best purchase and made the project move along much faster. In the corners, I folded them like a present and stapled, careful not to have any boxy corners.
ATTACHING TO THE WALL
Originally I used scrap wood to attach all of the boards together and planned on using the end pieces as the legs. I had also attached two D-rings to help hold against the wall. Joe helped me turn the headboard upright and as we were standing there, it slowly started to lean to the left. The weight of it all was too much, so I took it apart again.
Then, I attached D-rings to each board and hung them on the wall individually. This way, I was able to control it better and it is less weight. Plus, I can easily remove a board if a corner needs to fixed, or if the fabric needs to be cleaned.
I still have one more small detail to add to this DIY upholstered channel headboard before the master bedroom makeover is complete and I can’t wait to share! And if you aren’t up for the DIY, I shared a few other headboard options below and in this post.
See more of our completed master bedroom!
UPDATE
I ended up purchasing the matching linen bed skirt. The bed skirt matches the linen duvet cover that I used as my fabric for the headboard. Now it looks like a completed bed and much better than the white bed skirt I had before.
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