Door Headboard Update

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Using an Old Door to Make a Headboard

 This is an update on my original headboard made from an old door.  Yep, I actually tackled this door and made it into a headboard.

This is how the headboard has look for the last year.

Painting Door Headboard

I painted over the dark colors with Kilz primer.

I then painted it with a coat of Glidden Crisp White Linen.

Trim Height of Legs

Ever since I originally built it I felt like it was too tall. After building it and dragging it into the house to see that it was a little too tall, I was not inclined to drag it back out to trim it up. Last week, after I painted it I decided I wanted to distress it. Since I had to bring it outside to distress it, I thought I would go ahead and cut a little off of the legs. If you look closely you can still see the number “1” for the apartment number where the door came from. (notice the saw is unplugged while I arranged the saw and the headboard. You can NOT be too careful doing this kind of work.)

The door would not lay correctly on the driveway so I propped it up with some scraps.

I cut off 1 1/2 inches off each leg.

This is what it looked like before I distressed it. I decided to distress it so that it would look more like my nightstand.

Distressing Furniture

Notice the matching knobs I picked up last week with all that hardware.

Now, I’ve told ya’ll before I’m not good at distressing. You know I should really call it di-“stressing”, because I stress over it so much. I know it sort of looks like it has the measles, but I’ve sort of gotten used to it.

I sanded it with my orbital sander and I used the leaf blower to blow off most of the dust. After which, I wiped it down really well.

Adding Embellishments

A friend tried to get me to make a new headboard from those really cute doors I got at a yard sale last Spring. She thought the door headboard was not very soft or feminine. I totally agree with her, BUT it’s been 100 degrees outside. Too hot to build a headboard.

So to soften the headboard a little I added some wooden appliques simply gluing them with the fabulous Gorilla Glue.

I glazed them so that they would show up a little more. I apologize for the grainy pictures. You would think with three windows I would get a lot of natural light. I have a lot of trees shading the yard/house, so there is light, but not sunlight per se. So now the secret is out! I decided to put my bed in front of the window. The first night I slept in my new room, there was a huge lightning storm. I was re-thinking THAT decision! But because it opens up the room so much, I’ll brave the storms.

This is how it looks now, in my “new” bedroom.

Another Update:

See the latest Floating Farmhouse Shelf (I painted my bedroom, the prettiest blue)

other updates on the bedroom:  painting a ceiling fan tutorialhow to update old wood trimpainting knotty pine

Want to see more door projects?