This headboard was featured in Southern Lady Magazine May/June 2010
 
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You can view these instructions for How to Make a Tufted Headboard here on Snapguide or by continuing to scrolling down on this page.
 
Materials needed:
  • 3/8" plywood cut to size (see chart below)
  • 4" thick foam cut to size (see chart below)
  • 3M Insulation 78 Spray Adhesive
  • Cover-Your-Own-Buttons - we used 1-1/8" diameter but 7/8" diameter works nicely too
  • Drill with 1/4" or larger drill bit
  • Staple gun and staples
  • Tufting needle (8-10" long with large eye)
  • Tufting twine (fishing line or dental floss can be substituted)
  • Burlap or fabric to cover front (King - 3 yds, Queen - 2-3/4 yds, Full - 2-1/2 yds, Twin - 2 yds)
  • Lining fabric to cover back (King - 3 yds, Queen - 2-3/4 yds, Full - 2-1/2 yds, Twin - 2 yds)
  • 1" x 4" x 4 foot strip of lumber
 

Find your bed size on the chart below to determine the size of your plywood and the button placement.  Using 3/8" plywood, cut to size. 
 
 
Using the chart above, mark the holes for buttons.  Using at least a 1/4" drill bit, drill the holes
   
Cut your 4" foam the same size as the plywood  Spray foam adhesive on the one side of the foam and one side of the plywood. Carefully lay the plywood squarely on top of the foam, adhesive sides together.  Put pressure on the plywood until the adhesive has set.  After adhesive is dry, position the plywood with the foam face down on the wrong side of the fabric.  Allow about 12-15"" of fabric around all edges.  Make sure the fabric and plywood are aligned and squared up.
   
Pull fabric tight and staple in the middle of all four sides.  Continue stapling all the way around working from the middle of the sides out to the corners.  Staple every 3-4" stopping about 15" from each corner.
   
Neatly square up the corners Staple in place
   
Sort of like wrapping a gift! Cover your button with the fabric of your choice.  Take about 30" of tufting twine and fold in half as shown 
   
Slide the two ends of tufting twine through the eyelet on the back of the button Tie the knot as shown
   
  Mark the twine on each button 2" away from button as shown.
   
Hold the headboard upright.  On the back side of the headboard, take the tufting needle and insert it through the drilled hole in the plywood with the eye if the needle leading the way.  Push the eye of the needle through the foam and fabric so that the eye of the needle sticks through to the front of the headboard an inch or two so that the twine is easily threaded through the eye. On the front side of the headboard, thread the tufting twine through the eye of the needle as shown (it helps to have two people for this part of the job).
   
Go back to the back side of the headboard and pull the needle back out, pulling the twine all the way through to the back of the headboard.  Continue until all buttons are threaded through the headboard. Lay the headboard down on a flat surface with the plywood side up.  Pull the tufting twine tightly until you see the mark on the twine.  Using the staple gun, staple the twine in place as shown.
   
Zigzag the twine and staple as shown Tie a knot in the twine and trim close as shown.
   
Continue stapling and tying all the buttons Next cut a piece of lining about 1-2" bigger than the headboard on all sides. Turn under the raw edges and staple the lining all the way around the back of the headboard to cover the raw wood.
   
Take a 1" x 4" strip of lumber and cut down the middle on a 45 degree angle as shown above.  Cut the length about 1/2 to 3/4 the width of the headboard. Measure 6" down from the top of the headboard and screw the downward slant of the French cleat to the back of the board using 1-1/4" screws.  Pre-drill the holes first.
Screw one or two small spacer boards near the bottom edge of the headboard to prevent rocking. At the desired height, screw the upward slant of the French cleat to the wall, making sure you hit a stud.  Hang the headboard, stand back and admire!