Headboard Bench (full size spindle or spool bed)

How to make a headboard bench from an antique spindle bed. You can make a fantastic project with patience and know-how, even if you’re a beginner.

This is the first bench my friend Cathy and I ever started. Note that I said “started”. It is NOT the first bench we finished! We got this far, and we got stumped as to how to make it sturdy enough. Now, mind you, we are not carpenters or woodworkers. So, we thought it best to “think on it,” and we put it aside for about a month. Meanwhile, we made another bench from a twin bed.

After we finished the twin bed bench, we felt we had more of an idea of what we needed to do. See “Adding height to a bench” below.

Constructing a Spindle Bed Bench

We added planks for the seat and supported the underneath side with some 2×4’s. We also put a little “skirt” on the front of it.

A Peek at the Underside of a Headboard Bench

Fancy tools are not necessary if you’re a beginner. The photo above shows that “L” brackets were added to hold the 2×4’s in place.

How to Attach the Armrest

This closeup photo shows how the armrest attaches to the back of the spindle bed bench.

A pilot hole was drilled through the back upright spindle into the butt end of the armrest spindle. A wood screw holds the two sections together.

Adding Height to a Bench

After making the initial construction, we decided the bench sat too low. We constructed a basic box and stacked it onto the 1x and the original footboard (sides.)

Batch Painting Headboard Benches

It’s easy to batch paint when using the same color for your projects. Behind the spindle bed bench, you can see our Maple Headboard Bench.

White Spindle Bed Headboard Bench

In this shot, you can see that we also used “L” brackets to help support the 2×4’s

Some people who make these benches out of full-sized beds cut the footboard in half. However, we feel that makes the bench too deep in the seat. We typically make ours about 18 inches deep.

We’ve made several benches since this one.

Over the years, I’ve changed how I make headboard benches. See my favorite Mission Style Headboard Bench with Storage-The Complete Tutorial

gail

See other fun benches here