NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
This headboard is genuinely tall, which is what gives it its presence — and also why wall-anchoring the top isn't optional. The plan calls it out twice for a reason: an unanchored tall headboard is a forward-tipping hazard the moment weight leans against it, so the top rail gets lag-bolted into wall studs before it's considered finished, not as an afterthought.
The center panel is plywood, not a solid glued-up slab, which keeps the piece from warping at this height and width — solid wood this large would move with humidity in ways that crack a frame. Drill the leg pocket holes facing upward before you attach anything else; trying to add them after the frame is assembled means reaching into a mostly-closed box. The baseboard moulding used as trim needs extra length beyond the finished measurement to account for miter waste — buy more than the cut list states.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine or fir, 2x4, 8 ft (or stud length) | 5 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 10 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 4 ft | 1 each |
| Plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheetCenter panel — full sheet keeps this piece from warping the way a solid glued-up slab would at this height. | 1 each |
| Baseboard moulding, 5-1/4"Buy extra beyond the finished measurement — mitered corners waste real length. | 24 ft |
| Header moulding | 6 ft |
| Lag screwsAnchors the top rail to wall studs — not optional at this height. | 4 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" | 1 box |
| Finish nails | 1 box |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| LegsPine or fir | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 72 1/2" |
| Top headerPine or fir | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 56" |
| Front panel trimPine or fir | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 56" |
| Center panel trimPineMeasure and cut to fit — 1x4 width varies board to board. | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 41" |
| Center panelPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 48" × 56" |
| Top capPine or fir | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 67" |
Buy 8 boards at 8 ft.
6 boards
1 board
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
IMPORTANT: because of this headboard's height, the top must be secured to wall studs to prevent forward tipping — plan the wall anchor point now, before you build. Attach the legs to the top 2x4, and while you're at it, drill 1-1/2" pocket holes facing upward for attaching the top cap in a later step — much easier to drill now than once the frame is assembled.
Attach the two 1x4 front trim pieces, keeping everything flush to the front face.
Measure and cut the center 1x4 trim piece to fit — 1x4 stock varies in actual width board to board, so cutting to your own measurement beats trusting the plan's number.
Cut the plywood center panel to fit and attach it to the legs and header. Also attach it to the front 1x4 trim boards with 1-1/4" screws — pocket hole screws work fine here even though the joint isn't a pocket hole, saving a trip for a different screw type.
Attach moulding inside the 1x4 frames, mitering the corners for a clean finish.
Attach crown or header moulding to the top of the headboard. Finally — and this bears repeating — secure the top to wall studs with the lag screws before this headboard goes into use. Its height makes an unanchored top a real tipping hazard.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.