How to Make a Wood Headboard with Light

We’ve done some switcheroos in the past couple of months with rooms and so I needed a headboard for Landon’s twin bed. I also didn’t want a nightstand since we have the floating shelves for books so I thought it would be cool to build a headboard with a light attached.

How to make your own headboard:

Materials:

* 2 – 2X4 – we cut ours to 5 ft 7 inches for each side = $7.24

* 3 -- 1 X 6 X 12 pine shiplap board – we cut ours to 39 inches across which will give you 3 pieces on each board = 9 total pieces, we ended up using 8 = $20.94

* 1 – 1 X 4 X 12 common board to trim it out – we cut two 39.5” pieces for each side and a 46” piece for the top = $8.33

* nail gun – this is a great basic one + you will need a small compressor to go with it. 

* #14 X 3/4” screws to attach the headboard to metal frame = $1.33

Step by step how to make a headboard:

1. lay the 2X4’s on the ground and then place the cut shiplap so that it comes halfway across each stud. We used quarters (see below)  to leave a tiny space between the shiplap. Be sure to leave room on the top for your 1X4  trim piece.

2. Once you’ve double checked that your trim pieces will fit on the top and sides, go ahead and nail the shiplap boards to the 2X4 studs on each side.

3. Then, attach the trim pieces to the sides and top with the nail gun.

3.  Yay! Now you can paint it or stain it. I did a mixture of Minwax classic gray stain with a little provincial – and just did one coat.

4. Now, for the light!  I got the Aged Zinc Ethan Wall Sconce at World Market for $24 back at their Friends & Family sale in the fall. It looks like it is out of stock right now, but here is another option on Amazon. Just be sure it has a cord, unless you are handy with re-wiring.

I just drilled a couple of holes close to each other until it was big enough for the switch to fit through.

The on-off switch that is already on the cord is so handy but it didn’t come down far enough, so I remembered an extension cord I stashed away when we got rid of our Christmas tree

that had an on/off switch so we plugged it into that and then screwed in a little mug hood to hold it in place. Now he can turn it on and off easily. You can also buy extension cords with on/off switches.

Here is what it looks like from the side:

5. How to attach a headboard to a metal frame:

We used some wide machine screws (#14 3/4 inch) to attach it to the 2X4 studs on the top and bottom and that’s it! You can make it for under $60 with the coolest light ever and that saves you thousands compared to this similar one! ;) 

Good luck!! You can do it.