How to Make a Bedhead? | Build It Yourself In An Afternoon

A bedhead is simply the headboard behind your bed, and you can build one in an afternoon using plywood, foam, fabric, and a staple gun.

Making your own bedhead costs a fraction of buying one and lets you match your exact room style. Whether you want a tall upholstered statement piece or a simple timber panel, the process follows the same core steps: measure, cut, pad, wrap, and mount. Here is the practical route that works for any bed frame.

What Is A Bedhead, And Why Build One?

A bedhead is a headboard — a padded, upholstered, timber, or panel-backed piece placed behind the bed, either freestanding between bed and wall or wall-mounted and attached to the frame. Building your own gives you full control over the size, shape, and fabric, and it is one of the most satisfying weekend woodworking projects around.

Before you buy a single sheet of plywood, decide on the final placement. Will it rest against the wall behind the bed, or will you attach it directly to the frame? That choice determines the mounting hardware you need and how much structural support the board requires.

What Materials And Tools Do You Need?

Everything on this list is available at any hardware store, and most of it you may already own. The core shopping list for a standard upholstered bedhead includes:

• Board: plywood, MDF, or chipboard cut to your bed width and chosen height
• Padding: foam or wadding, plus adhesive to secure it
• Covering: upholstery fabric or vinyl
• Fasteners: staple gun with staples, plus screws or brackets for mounting
• Tools: tape measure, pencil, jigsaw or saw, sandpaper, and safety glasses

Safety first: cutting wood and operating a staple gun and saw all carry risk. Safety glasses are not optional — one trusted assembly guide lists them among the required tools, and a stray staple or sawdust speck is not worth a trip to the emergency room.

For sizing, one trusted source suggests a bedhead roughly 1.3 m high and 1.4 m wide as “generally a good size” for a standard bed. Measure your mattress width and decide the height you want before cutting — undersizing the board leaves the finished piece looking unbalanced, and you cannot un-cut plywood.

Step-By-Step: Build Your Own Bedhead

The build itself follows a clean sequence from board to wall. Work through these steps in order, and you will have a professional-looking bedhead by evening.

1. Measure And Cut The Board

Measure the bed width and mark your chosen shape on plywood, MDF, or chipboard. A plain rectangle is easiest for beginners, but decorative curves or an angled top add a custom touch if you are comfortable with a jigsaw. Cut the board, then sand the rough edges and wipe away the sawdust so the fabric sits cleanly.

2. Add The Padding

Secure foam, padding, or wadding to the front face using adhesive. A single layer of medium-density foam gives a pleasant softness; two layers are better for a deep, luxurious feel. Let the adhesive set fully before moving on.

3. Wrap The Fabric

Lay the upholstery fabric or vinyl over the padded board and pull it tight. The wrap needs to overlap the board by a comfortable margin — one trusted guide recommends buying enough fabric and wadding to overlap by at least 10 cm on all sides, while another suggests about 50 mm overhang for vinyl. A generous allowance makes the stapling and corner finishing far easier.

4. Staple The Back

Fold the fabric over the back edge and staple it securely to the reverse side, working from the center of each edge outward so the tension stays even. Fold the corners neatly like wrapping a gift, and staple them down firmly. If you want tufted buttons or decorative trim, add those details now before mounting.

5. Mount The Bedhead

The final step depends on your setup. A freestanding bedhead simply rests between the bed and the wall. For a wall-mounted version, find the wall studs first — one trusted guide explicitly advises locating studs before installing connectors or brackets, and skipping this step risks an insecure installation. For frame attachment, use purpose-made brackets or mounting blocks that align with the bolts on your bed base; hardware compatibility varies by design, so check the alignment before drilling.

How Do You Secure A Bedhead To The Wall Safely?

Wall-mounted bedheads must anchor into wall studs or appropriate anchors, never just drywall. Use a stud finder to locate the framing, mark the bracket positions, and drive screws directly into the wood. If your studs do not line up with the bracket holes, use heavy-duty wall anchors rated for the combined weight of the board and fabric — but studs are always the stronger choice.

For bed frames, the mounting blocks or brackets on the headboard must align with the bolts on the bed base. If they do not match, adjust the bracket position or use a universal mounting kit before committing to the drill.

If you are considering a store-bought option after this build, our picks for the best bed heads with storage cover models that combine a headboard with shelves and compartments.