Repurposed door headboard

The ugliest door in the world becomes a great repurposed door headboard. 

I asked begged for this heavy duty door from a friend of mine. I saw it, and didn’t have means to get it home. It was on the second floor, and was going to be a challenge to get down the stairs and into the truck. So the friend actually dropped it off to me. 🙂

Reclaimed Door

This door was on an apartment building, that someone apparently felt it was an unsafe  neighborhood.

Ready the Door by Removing Hardware

This is what it looked like after I removed that ugly black kick plate.

There were locks and braces located up and down the side of the door. I removed over 75 screws and  all this hardware.

Add Trim to Repurposed Door Headboard

This was a 5 panel door, which was too big for my bed. Carefully, I used the table saw to cut off one of the panels.

Then I  added a 1×4 on the top of the door with crown molding attached to it. I admit, it’s still pretty ugly during this phase.

Secure Legs to Door To Make it a Headboard

Finally, I attached legs.

It’s hard to see in this picture, but I put a 1×4 across the bottom of the door to hide all of the ugliness of the hardware holes. Even though this ugliness would have been hidden by the bed, I just couldn’t leave it as it was. Sometimes, you just have to go the extra mile.

I wanted it to be two toned, so I started with this white and sort of a pinkish rose color. Hindsight, I should have left it white in the first place. What do you think?

Yep, I even test drove it for a few days in the bedroom.

I decided I wanted something a little darker. Please excuse that UGLY tongue and groove paneling. This wall was in need of some heavy duty drywall work YEARS ago, and we husband decided that the tongue and groove was the way to go. I didn’t like it then, and really hate it now. It will be getting a re-do next spring. (hopefully) This headboard was one of the very first things I repurposed. In the spring when I re-do that wall, I will probably end up repainting the headboard. That’s the best thing about all this stuff we do, new paint makes all the difference in the world.

Edited to add:  I still intend to update my bedroom, but I think it’s going to be later this summer. Edited again July 27, 2010. It’s done! I did it! This is how my headboard looks now in my new bedroom:    I think it looks less like a door now that I have cut the legs down a little and added the appliques.

gail    

One more edit!!

I painted the bedroom a pretty blue/gray! I keep changing out comforters and quilts, but I haven’t changed the headboard in years –yet!

gail