How to Fit a Bed Headboard

Choosing the Right Size

Measure between screw holes before buying. Divan beds are designed as backless, but they often include screw holes for headboards to be added later. Before purchasing a new headboard, check how far apart its struts need to be in order to fit your bed. Check the back of your bed for bolts or screw holes on either side and measure the distance between them. Larger beds may have more than one hole in a vertical line, but measuring these aren't necessary. You want the horizontal distance from a hole toward one side of the bed to one that's level with it toward the other. This step is not necessary if you plan to mount your headboard to the wall.

Determine how wide your headboard should be. First, measure from one corner of its head to the other to find out its width. Next, decide if you want the headboard to back any surrounding furniture, such as matching nightstands. If so, measure the distance between the bed and those pieces' farthest sides. Add those figures to your total width. Headboards typically project anywhere up to three inches (7.6 cm) past the corner of the bed's head. If you are backing other furniture as well, apply this rule to their farthest sides from the bed.

Decide how high it should be. Measure the length of the bed, from its head to its foot. Also measure its height, including the mattress and any toppers. Use these figures to determine how high above the top of your mattress your headboard should rise. Standard headboards stand roughly 14 inches (35.5 cm) higher than the top of the mattress. Extra tall headboards should be less than the bed's length.

Fitting a Headboard with Struts

Find your divan's screw holes. Check its back of the divan for two holes, one toward either side. Look where each is most often found, within three to four inches (seven to ten cm) of both the side corner and the top of the frame. With cloth-covered frames, feel with your hand for the holes if the fabric's pattern makes them difficult to spot. Most but not all frames will already have bolts screwed into place, which makes finding the holes easier. Larger beds may have more than one screw hole in a vertical line in order to support larger, heavier headboards.

Screw the struts to the frame. If your frame already has bolts in place, remove them. Then line up the headboard's struts with the frame's screw holes. Insert a bolt through the gap in each strut and screw it into the screw hole. Begin tightening the bolt to the frame, but stop short of tightening it all the way to the point of immobilizing the headboard. Having one or more partners to hold the headboard steady is advisable. Headboards with struts will be especially top-heavy and could fall over while you work. If your bed frame does not include bolts, contact the manufacturer to ask which size is required so you can purchase them separately.

Adjust the headboard to your desired height. Place your mattress on the frame so you can better judge how high you want your headboard to be. Raise or lower the headboard along its struts. If needed, loosen the bolts so you can do so more easily. Once you determine how high or low you wish it to be, use a level to confirm that both sides are raised equally high. Then tighten the bolts all the way to secure the headboard in place. In addition to your mattress, add any other materials that might add height to it, such as foam toppers or electric sheets. Having partner(s) to raise and lower the headboard will enable you to stand back and judge its height with less fuss.

Installing a Floor-Standing Headboard

Start off as you would with struts. Locate the screw holes in the back of the bed's head. If you find bolts there, remove them. If not, purchase bolts of the appropriate size for the holes you find. Floor-standing headboards and those with struts are installed in nearly identical fashion.

Stand the headboard in place. Note that the struts to a floor-standing headboard are built into the headboard itself. This is the bottom end. Position the headboard upright behind the frame's head. Line the struts up with the screw holes in the frame. Keep the bottom of the headboard flush on the floor. The chief difference between floor-standing headboards and those with struts is in the name: floor-standing headboards should do just that. Don't adjust the height as you would with simple struts.

Secure the headboard. Fit a bolt through the gap in each strut. Screw it into the corresponding screw hole. Tighten it all the way so the headboard becomes firmly attached to the frame. Have a partner hold the headboard up so it remains flush against the bed frame as you work.

Mounting a Headboard to the Wall

Measure and mark. First, decide exactly how high the headboard should be from the floor. Next, measure the height of the headboard itself to determine where the headboard cleat needs to be installed. Then mark the following measurements in pencil on the wall: The height of the headboard's bottom from the floor. The height of its top from the floor. A fourth of the way down from its top (for the cleat).

Find and mark studs. Use a stud-finder to locate studs behind the wall in the area where the headboard will be mounted. For a single cleat, find two consecutive studs that are closest to the center of your bed. Mark each one's location with pencil on the wall at the height of your third measurement (a fourth of the way down from the top of headboard). Always mount your cleat to studs, even if it isn't perfectly centered over your bed. A slightly off-center cleat mounted to studs will be stronger than a perfectly centered cleat attached to drywall. King-size headboards require two cleats. In this case, find four consecutive studs that are closest to your bed's center. Standard spacing between studs is 16” (41 cm).

Install and measure the cleat. Screw the cleat into the studs. Test to make sure it is secure and immobile. Then measure from the bottom of the cleat to where the bottom of the headboard will be once mounted. Always test the cleat before hanging your headboard to make sure it is strong enough to support its weight.

Attach the cleat plate to the headboard. To find out where to attach the cleat plate, refer to your instructions, since the size of the cleat and plate may vary by brand or model. Determine exactly how much height to add to your previous measurement. Then mark the back of your headboard at this new height. Make sure the placement of your marks on the headboard align with the cleat on the wall. The cleat plate on the back of the headboard should fit directly over the installed cleat.

Hang and secure your headboard. First, mount your headboard by lifting its cleat plate up and over the installed cleat so it fits between that and the wall. Next, use your stud-finder to locate two new studs behind the headboard, one on each side, nearest to either end. Support the headboard from the bottom by installing an angle iron in each stud. Refer to your cleat's instructions for the recommended size iron. Also check for recommendations about attaching spacers toward the bottom of the headboard's back. The cleat may cause the headboard to project from the wall toward the top. Spacers toward the bottom will keep the headboard straight. The recommended size may vary by brand or model.