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Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • •
Time
10h00

Use paint and driftwood to completely change the look of an old rattan headboard.
This project offers some challenge but if you can hold saw and drill plus have an experimental mind this is just for you. Rattan headboards are so eighties and nineties abandoned to the thrift stores. Easy to use chalk paint and beautiful pieces of driftwood can change the look to match latest eclectic and bohemian trend.

Posted by Sannu Vaarala Published See Sannu Vaarala's 7 projects »
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  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 1
    Step 1

    Clean the rattan headboard properly. If the paint is peeling off sand gently. Otherwise no sanding is needed.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 2
    Step 2

    Paint 1-2 layers with grey chalk paint. Point is to choose color that matches with the driftwood. Let dry. Then wax with transparent wax. Let dry.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 3
    Step 3

    Collect a bucket of driftwood choosing curly branches. Saw off a bit from all ends to make the wood look clean and finished.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 4
    Step 4

    Then to the part that makes this project a bit challenging. You should attach the branches with mortise-and-tenon joint. Because it is difficult to find small enough tenons I have come up with the solution to use barbecue skewers. 3 mm drill and barbecue skewer should match.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 5
    Step 5

    This is the basic technique. Choose two points where you want to attach the piece to the headboard. Drill holes to those points. Put a barbecue skewer through the hole and press the place to the headboard so you know where to drill. Drill same two holes to the headboard. Hole should be about 1 cm deep. Put glue to the skewers, go through the branch and press to the headboard. Let dry and cut off the extras from the barbecue skewers.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 6
    Step 6

    Place all branches the similar way. It looks more natural when the branches go under each other and various directions. Be sure though, that the branches you attach won't prevent putting the headboard near the wall or stick you to your face when sleeping.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 7
    Step 7

    Then the finishing touch, garden twine. Wind garden twine around the rattan knots. Use glue if needed to keep twine in it's place.

  • How to make a bed headboard. Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover - Step 8
    Step 8

    Now you are finished and you can attach the headboard to a bed. If it looks like some branches are headed to wrong direction you can still saw off small bits to make it work better.

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