Eclectic Rattan Headboard Makeover

Use paint and driftwood to completely change the look of an old rattan headboard.

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/eclectic-rattan-headboard-makeover • Posted by Sannu Vaarala

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.

You will need

rattan Headboard grey Chalk Paint Driftwood barbecue Skewers wood Glue Brush Japanese style Saw Sandpaper Garden Twine natural color Scissors transparent Wax Power Drill 3mm Drill Cloth to apply wax Safety Glasses Protective Gloves

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

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.

Instructions

1. 

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

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.

3. 

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.