Rustic Headboard
This Old House Magazine|March/April 2019

Tom Silva and Kevin O’Connor turn a sheet of plywood and some rough-sawn boards into a unique piece of bedroom furniture

Thomas Baker 
Rustic Headboard

WHILE THE MATTRESS IS THE KEY TO A BED’S COMFORT, the headboard is what defines its style. Case in point: this handsome planked headboard, which evokes the warmth and historical character of a stable in an old barn.

This is an easy, straightforward project to build. Working together, TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O’Connor managed to complete it in just a few hours, using materials readily available at many home centers. The base is a sheet of 1⁄2-inch birch plywood backed by 2×4s, and the rough-sawn boards covering the plywood are stained, kiln-dried poplar from Weaber Lumber (weaberlumber.com). Conveniently packed in boxes, these weathered wallboards are free of the bugs, fungi, and peeling paint that you might find in boards actually salvaged from abandoned barns. Because the poplar pieces don’t line up perfectly edge to edge, Tom painted the plywood black to make any gaps look like shadows.

On the following pages, Tom and Kevin take you step-by-step through the entire building process. If you like what you see, consider giving it a shot. You may soon find yourself dozing off beneath your own handmade headboard.

STEP-BY-STEP

Rustic headboard

1] Paint and cut the back Roll flat black paint on one side of the plywood panel. When dry, trim it to rough size with a track saw (shown) or a circular saw and guide. The headboard’s final size is up to you, but the back’s rough width has to be about 10 inches wider than its final width.

This story is from the March/April 2019 edition of This Old House Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March/April 2019 edition of This Old House Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINEView All
Mobile kitchen island
This Old House Magazine

Mobile kitchen island

TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a rolling kitchen cart with a butcher-block top

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2023
Bathtub tray
This Old House Magazine

Bathtub tray

TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O'Connor construct a slatted zebrawood caddy to hold grooming essentials, a book, and even a glass of wine, for those who like a long soak

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2023
Navigating the rise in mortgage rates
This Old House Magazine

Navigating the rise in mortgage rates

Looking to buy—or refinance—and feeling frustrated by lenders’ sky-high interest rates? Here’s how to get the best deal

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
Graceful grasses
This Old House Magazine

Graceful grasses

With dramatic foliage and distinctive plumes, ornamental grasses come in sizes to suit virtually any garden

time-read
7 mins  |
Fall 2023
A better asphalt driveway
This Old House Magazine

A better asphalt driveway

It's long-lasting and recyclable, and it weathers extreme temperatures. You can repair small cracks and divots in asphalt, too. Here's what you need to know to get-and maintain-a great-looking asphalt driveway

time-read
10+ mins  |
Fall 2023
Modernizing a mid-century house
This Old House Magazine

Modernizing a mid-century house

A family turns to TOH to renovate a 1960 house that had been awkwardly expanded over time. Their goal: to create a contemporary, energy-efficient, open-plan home that is fully accessible for a son with mobility issues

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
Making a house her own
This Old House Magazine

Making a house her own

Renovating in stages over nearly two decades, a homeowner transforms a once forlorn bungalow into a cozy, very personal space

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2023
A little house that lives large
This Old House Magazine

A little house that lives large

A reimagined interior and second-story addition double the living area inside a narrow shotgun house, while respecting its historical roots

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne
This Old House Magazine

Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne

Classic meets modern in this primary-suite retreat

time-read
1 min  |
Fall 2023
Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work
This Old House Magazine

Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work

Grabbing a few feet from the adjacent dining room yields major layout improvements

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall 2023