How to Make a Seagrass Headboard
Add a touch of earthy, organic texture to your bedroom with a do-it-yourself seagrass headboard. With minimal woodworking skills, your headboard can be completed over a weekend. The covering can be made from seagrass fabric or a seagrass rug, depending on the look you want. Seagrass rugs have a nubbier, more defined texture.
Step 1
Locate and purchase a seagrass area rug that is slightly larger than the desired size of your headboard. Seagrass rugs are available at a variety of retailers, from discount home stores to upscale design stores. For a more flexible material, look for seagrass fabric, which might also cost less.
Step 2
Measure and cut a 1/2-inch-thick plywood panel that is 3 inches smaller in both width and length than the seagrass area rug. For example, if you purchased a 5-foot-by-7-foot rug, cut the plywood panel 57 inches by 81 inches. A 5-foot-by-7-foot rug makes a headboard suitable for a king-size bed.
Step 3
Lightly sand both sides of the plywood panel. Wipe both sides of the panel with a damp cloth to remove all sanding debris.
Step 4
Stain or prime and paint one side of the plywood panel to coordinate with the colors in the seagrass rug. You can omit this step if your seagrass rug is tightly woven with no separations between the strips.
Step 5
Coat both sides of the plywood with a polyurethane coating, one at a time. Allow the polyurethane to dry completely on one side of the panel before flipping it over to coat the opposite side. Let the polyurethane dry according to the manufacturer's directions.
Step 6
Place the seagrass rug face down on a flat surface. Center the plywood panel on top of the backside of the rug.
Step 7
Wrap the top edge of the rug over the edge of the plywood panel. Beginning in the center, staple the edge of the seagrass rug to the backside of the plywood with a heavy-duty staple gun. Space staples an inch apart from the center to each corner. Repeat this step around the right, left and bottom edges of the plywood panel. The corner sections of the seagrass rug will be standing straight up.
Step 8
Press one corner section of the seagrass rug flat against the plywood. Carefully slice the rug diagonally from the corner to the tip end with a utility knife. Fold the sliced sections on top of each other and staple in place. Repeat this step for each corner. If using fabric, fold the corner over and staple it flat to the plywood.
Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.
References
Resources
Tips
- Hang the seagrass headboard with at least two wall hangers, using D rings or French cleats. Make sure to place one of the hangers into a wall stud.
- A borderless rug might be easier to work with or you can try removing the trim around the edge of the rug.
- Add a thin layer of foam underneath the rug or fabric to make the headboard softer.
- Cut the top of the plywood in an arched shape if desired.
Writer Bio
Katherine Kally is a freelance writer specializing in eco-friendly home-improvement projects, practical craft ideas and cost-effective decorating solutions. Kally's work has been featured on sites across the Web. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of South Carolina and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Photo Credits
- Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
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