DIY Headboard Bench (super easy repurpose!)

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Hi Friends!! I’m sharing my very first ever DIY Headboard Bench with y’all today.
This was a fun little project that anyone can do.

Here is what my little DIY Headboard Bench looked like when I found it.

DIY Headboard Bench - BEFORE - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

and what it looks like now….

DIY Headboard Bench - BEFORE AND AFTER - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

First things first >>> ….find the headboard.
That seemed a bit more of a challenge than in the “old days”.
So many people are buying and making over furniture to sell these days.
It really makes it hard to find good pieces but thankfully I lucked upon this little twin headboard at the Habitat store for $20.
(after I had been to every thrift store in my area)

I had already found and bought an old twin headboard about 4 years ago. I planned to turn it into a bench long ago but never got around to it.
When I went to pull it out of the back of my storage unit (my very full storage unit, lol) I realized it just would not work out.
Well, that’s not completely true, you can pretty much make anything work out, but not with tons of modifications.
Modifications I really did not want to make, so back to the thrift store that one went!

This one was not perfect either but doable.
I’d rather have had the arms/sides lower but it just became more of a hassle and I wanted this to be an “easy” project.
So I mostly kept the sides even with the back.
My husband did trim a bit off all the legs. (and a bit more on the sides than the back)

But really, I like “easy” best, don’t y’all?

Do you know what else I like??
Lightweight, easy-to-move furniture.
I don’t do a lot of the bigger pieces anymore because the task to move is just too daunting.
Unless it’s something I need for my own home, I end up passing it by.
I’m not getting any younger ya know! My husband reminds me of the same all too often too. ha!

This one did have a bored little pup using it as a chew toy but I figured I could fix most of that.

DIY Headboard Bench - REPAIRING WOOD DAMAGE - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

A little wood filler and good to go.

DIY Headboard Bench - FIXING WOOD DAMAGE - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

I had my husband make the cuts for me since I was also working on a few other things at the time.
My son is graduating high school this month and I’ve been planning a party and trying to get my yard/patio/porch in order for the said party!
Eek…so much to do. I hope to share it with y’all at some point though.

We ended up deciding to cut out the middle spindle so the sides would fit nicely onto the back.
(you’ll see in finished photos below)
I marked and drilled holes for the screws…..

DIY Headboard Bench - MAKING HOLES FOR SCREWS - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

The tape was my husband’s idea. It works to keep the wood shavings out of the way.

DIY Headboard Bench - PIECES SCREWED TOGETHER - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

All screwed together.

DIY Headboard Bench - SCREWED TOGETHER - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

Those got filled too…

DIY Headboard Bench - FILLING HOLES - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

I attached a 1×2 to the sides for support of the seat.

DIY Headboard Bench - ADDING BRACING - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

I also attached a 1×4 across the front for support. (see photo below)
I used my Kreg Jig to screw it into place (from the back) so had no holes to fill on the sides for that.

Once all that was done and it was filled, lightly sanded, etc, I sprayed painted it using my Homeright Paint Sprayer. (and Spray Shelter)

DIY Headboard Bench - PAINTING - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

It was my first time using both and I hadn’t gotten a big enough drop cloth yet….oops. ;)
I have one now so my grass won’t get the paint next time.
But I loved the ease of painting this piece with the sprayer. Yes.
I highly dislike painting spindles, chairs, etc with a brush.
This was SO much quicker.

I wanted to do a whitewashed or weathered wood seat so my husband pulled out this old decking.
It was wood we kept from a deck we tore down a couple of years ago.
It was perfect!

DIY Headboard Bench - REUSING OLD WOOD FOR SEAT - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

I haven’t sealed it yet but will put something on it after it dries out well. (it was outside and a bit wet)

I love the bright, crisp white with the “weathered” looking wood.

DIY Headboard Bench - DIY PORCH DECOR - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

Three boards were all we needed.
It’s quite sturdy and I can’t wait to decorate it up a bit. (I’ll be sharing it, and more of my porch, decorated next week for our decorating post)

DIY Headboard Bench - DOABLE PROJECT - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

See how there were five spindles?
The middle one was cut out of the footboard so that the sides would line up more nicely with the back.
You can also see in this photo how the sides are just a tiny bit lower than the back.

The front piece of wood needed to be notched out to fit…..

DIY Headboard Bench - HAND SAWED NOTCHES - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

My sweet husband did that for me while I spray-painted my white rockers.
They’ve been in need for a while and look brand new!
You’ll see them next week.

DIY Headboard Bench artsychicksrule.com

By the way, those are old screw holes from when this wood was a deck.
It is screwed in from underneath now.

DIY Headboard Bench - SIMPLE DIY - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

I had an old (very old) wicker bench here originally.
It was time for something new and different.
I love this and it was SO much cheaper than buying new one!
I want to put two more rockers on each side of this little bench but they are so pricey. Yikes.
I found the two I have (on the other side of my porch) for $50 (total) at a flea market…in perfect condition.
I looked online and found the exact same ones for $130….each.
Um, no…..I’ll keep looking.

MATERIALS NEEDED TO MAKE A DIY HEADBOARD BENCH: 

So, are you in need of some new porch furniture?
Why not make a DIY Headboard Bench yourself?
You can!
PIN this to save for later.

DIY Headboard Bench - EASY DIY PROJECT - artsychicksrule.com #headboardbench

Now let’s see what my friends made this month…

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Check out my latest furniture makeover next!

UPDATE!!! See it now, here!!

Signature for Blogsmall

You may also like this project:

French Poem White Bench Makeover - BEFORE Front - #frenchfurniture #whitebench #makeover artsychicksrule

See it here >>> French Poem White Bench 


52 Comments

  1. That turned out so well, Nancy! I love the crisp white against the old boards. I have got to get a spray tent.

    1. Thank you Marcie! :) Oh yes, the spray tent is wonderful!!!
      Can’t believe I hadn’t gotten one before now.
      xo
      Nancy

    1. Thanks Paula!! I have an old queen headboard in storage and think I may make one out of that one too! :)
      xo
      Nancy

  2. Love it! Can I use this paint on my own head board? It opens upward and has compartments in it. But like the one you showed it is a dark color and I want to lighten up my bedroom.

    Thanks, Georgi

    1. Hi Georgi,

      Yes, this paint is wonderful! I’ve used it many times before on all kinds of pieces. :)
      Nancy

    1. Thanks Christy!!! And haha!!! I did use the Kreg Jig on one board. I read your comment and was like, huh, I did use one? BUT I forgot to tell about it AND the board I used it on, duh! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. (it’s the 1×4 I added to the front for support)
      I can’t wait to see it all “decked” out either!! ;)
      xo
      Nancy

  3. It is beautiful. On my last project, my polyurethane yellowed. Do you know of one suitable for a kitchen table top that will not yellow?

  4. You did a great job on the headboard bench. I love the white paint and the raw board seat. It looks super good – I could use that on my front porch!

    1. Hi Jayne!
      I’m really loving it! I will be decorating it up a bit for next week’s decorating post. :)
      xo
      Nancy

  5. Nancy, that little bench looks awesome! I love it! And the white with the weathered seat really looks fantastic! Your front porch is going to look so good with everything all spiffed up! I can’t wait to see it all finished. xo

    1. Thanks Karen!! I painted my rockers and touched up the hall tree that’s up there too. :) Looks all shiny and new!
      xo
      Nancy

  6. This is amazing, Nancy!! What a great repurpose project. And such a cute addition to your porch!! {sorry it took me forever to get here!!}

  7. I found what I think is a perfect twin headboard and footboard to make a bench out of. Iā€™ve been putting it off but now that Summer is almost here, I want it to put in my gazebo. Guess I better get busy before it gets too hot šŸ„µ. Already 98 degrees here in Georgia! Your bench is so attractive and has inspired me to get going on mine!

    1. Oh yay! I have several more in my storage unit that I want to turn into benches. I need to get busy with mine too! Yes, same here…so hot already! Good luck with your bench, Cecilia! Maybe we can hold each accountable and get em done! ;) xoxo

  8. So cute. You always do such amazing repurposings. I’m guessing that one headboard was cut in half. You didn’t mention that in your post.

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