Summer 2018:
Like most terrible decision in my life these day, this project started with the S.O. showing me things on Pintrest while I was under the influence and pliable. Before I even thought about the words, they started coming from my mouth. “I can make that bett…”, stopping myself before the ‘er’ got past my lips. It was too late. I was already screwed. The wheels were turning and 70 ideas for a new headboard were already half baked and brewing behind her eyes. And because I’m and amazing and wonderful partner *Extremely embellished, I knew I had to follow through.
So the next few weekends came and went. I was way too busy to get this project done but someone wasn’t about to let me off the hook. And then a long weekend was upon us and, as always happens with extra days off, my dreams of relaxing and doing as little as possible were dashed. It was time to make the new headboard….
As I write this I am completely aware that this isn’t an actual account of the events but it’s the way I will tell the story until the end of time to get a rise out of my lady. What’s the point of having one if you can’t get her flustered now and then anyway. To be honest, I enjoyed doing this for her and it really improved the look of our bedroom. The headboard we had previously was literally a piece of scrap OSB that someone had stapled a piece of fabric over. It well past was time for an update.
I framed out the new headboard with 2×4 pine, adding a couple extra studs up the middle to give the 1/2 inch plywood sheathing on the front some extra support. the sides were covered with 1x premium pine to give a nice clear surface that didn’t require a lot of extra work to make paint-ready. I also added outlets to the sides to accommodate our ever growing charger collection and a light in the top, wired to two 3-way switches on the sides, to make up for the lack of overhead lighting in the room. Why did home builders in the 70’s and 80’s ever decide that switched outlets needed to be a thing? I’m sure the answer to this question will be found right after the discover the meaning of life.
That big HGTV pop really came with the composite flooring. It was secured with construction adhesive and some strategically placed brads around the edges where they would be hidden by the pine trim. Mounting the headboard was accomplished using a long french cleat recessed across the back of the headboard and secured to 4 of the studs in the wall, good shake, and the obligatory “that’s not going anywhere”. It looked clean and modern compared to what we were working with in there before. All that was lacking was a fresh coat of paint on the trim. That, however, is not something I do. Painting is my least favorite part of any project. Quite frankly, I’d rather walk barefoot on broken glass. So being the great pseudo-wife that she is, my lovely S.O. took care of that part of the project.
Don’t I look so proud of myself? It’s because I was. Not because of what I built, but because this thing was heavy! In hindsight, there are some things I would do different on a second go at this. First, I would have built the frame out of 3/4 inch ply instead of 2×4. Over the last couple years there has been some minor twisting in the frame. It’s not unacceptable, just could have been done better. Second, I would have used a different trim for the top. Probably some crown molding, I think it would have looked more “finished”. Overall I was happy with the outcome and, more importantly, so was the customer. Little did I know at the time this was only the beginning the bed project.
To be continued…
– Josh, The Ornery Maker.
