another wood worker question.

[yellomalibu]

A customer of ours wants us to make her a head board she saw on tv. It's upholstered, and she can do the upholstery part, so I was wondering the best way to make it out of wood.

It's for a queen bed, so the width is just over 5' and it's going to be 5' tall from the floor, or about 4' 6" tall from where it bolts to the bed frame. My initial thoughts were to double up some ply wood so the joints aren't weak... but plywood is hard to find truly flat. MDF is very flat and workable, but I'm afraid it would chip around the perimeter when she hammered in all the decorative tacks... and I don't have experience with it; can you glue two panels together to double the thickness? What adhesive would you use?

It seems simple, but I don't want to charge her for something that will warp or the legs break off the the first time she moves it.

Advice?

[studemax]

Re: another wood worker question.

MDF will flex under the load. Plywood can be used for the panel, and yes - you can glue it together - you just need clamping force across the entire surface. For the posts, I suggest solid wood, or laminate up something before turning it, or other forming and shaping.

Have you thought about what finish to have on the wood?
Color, sheen, transparency, and so on?
Paint, lacquer, oil?

Makes a diff!

[yellomalibu]

Re: another wood worker question.

The thing that's so confusingly simple is there are no "legs" to turn. The plywood or mdf would simply have extensions that go down to where they bolt to the bed frame. The entire thing is going to be covered with material, then decorative tacks will go around the perimeter.

I'm not sure that there would be any load for mdf to flex from.

The Lowe's does have some 1/2" hardwood plywood. If I were to laminate them together (contact cement or wood glue?) they would be plenty thick and strong... as as long as they are kept in an air conditioned environment, they shouldn't warp...

[elcaminogirl59]

Re: another wood worker question.

If you laminate them, use wood glue, not contact cement. Turn the grains of the plywood 90 degrees from each other (one grain running north/south, the other piece running east/west) to minimize warping and to make it sturdier. The weight WILL be a concern if the headboard is not attached to the wall and the "legs" is all that is holding it up.

[happy39]

Re: another wood worker question.

Why not use a 2 X 2 frame with 1/2" MDF to it with glues and nails. You could even run a few vertically in the middle for support. This would give plenty of support and keep the weight down a little. The MDF will help keep the whole thing rigid and square.

[70chevyC-10]

Re: another wood worker question.

If you laminate them, use wood glue, not contact cement. Turn the grains of the plywood 90 degrees from each other (one grain running north/south, the other piece running east/west) to minimize warping and to make it sturdier. The weight WILL be a concern if the headboard is not attached to the wall and the "legs" is all that is holding it up.

P.S. - If/when you go to move the bed on carpeting - these legs will catch/bend/break. Ask me how I know - I used an old water bed headboard in a guest room once, used 3 ea. 1" x 4" support legs screwed onto the back. Worked great until I tried to move it to paint. Fixed it with those nail in "feet" with plastic slider material on the bottom. You might consider some bumpstops on the back of the headboard too so it won't mar the wall if bumped.

[studemax]

Re: another wood worker question.

OK, I think I understand a little better.
Just go with plywood, MDF is hard to hammer tacks into.
If it's going to be upholstered, then looks aren't important.
You could even screw the sheets together with sheetrock screws.
If the edges are going to show, use some trim to fancy it up.

[yellomalibu]

Re: another wood worker question.

Thanks for the input, guys. I did a scale sketch and can double up around the edges using only one piece of 1/2" hardwood plywood, keeping the cost and weight down. I had already thought of using the slider button on the bottom of the "legs".
My initial estimate for her was too high for her ... but I sent her another email asking what price she had in mind, saying I could do it for less (perhaps on the side/ not through the business) and even help her do the upholstery for free, to learn how. (I'd really like to get to know this girl) <-- I know I shouldn't mix business with pleasure, but she really seems like a keeper.

[IRONHEAD]

Re: another wood worker question.

if it needs to be 1" thick.. why not 5/8ths ply with foam insulating panel glued to it..
if you put the foam on the side that is the bed side. near heads..
if you hit head on it.. in a act of push push the foam will give..
and the one piece of 5/8th ply will be more than enough for a "trim" piece that is only for looks, and not holding up the bed

[yellomalibu]

Re: another wood worker question.

if it needs to be 1" thick.. why not 5/8ths ply with foam insulating panel glued to it..
if you put the foam on the side that is the bed side. near heads..
if you hit head on it.. in a act of push push the foam will give..
and the one piece of 5/8th ply will be more than enough for a "trim" piece that is only for looks, and not holding up the bed

because it's 5' tall by 5' 3" wide, so I'll need strength where the joints will be.
It will be upholstered with foam and/or batting for comfort.

[hoofhearted]

Re: another wood worker question.

Make a hardwood 2x4 frame. Rout the center out and slide the 1/2 plywood in, put the top on and nail it. Dont nail the plywood so it can expand and contract.

[yellomalibu]

Re: another wood worker question.

It's something very similar to this... just a flat head board to be upholstered. I've got it figured out.

[IRONHEAD]

Re: another wood worker question.

if it needs to be 1" thick.. why not 5/8ths ply with foam insulating panel glued to it..
if you put the foam on the side that is the bed side. near heads..
if you hit head on it.. in a act of push push the foam will give..
and the one piece of 5/8th ply will be more than enough for a "trim" piece that is only for looks, and not holding up the bed

because it's 5' tall by 5' 3" wide, so I'll need strength where the joints will be.
It will be upholstered with foam and/or batting for comfort.

foam board an a piece of polycabonate(plexglass)
they come in bigger than 4 by 8sheets
but the headboard that you see isn't 5'3' by 5 '
you can install the 5/8 ply with foam and make legs for it out of anything..
as the mattress will hide most of your 5' tall part..

[yellomalibu]

Re: another wood worker question.

I ended up using 1/2" hardwood plywood,a whole bottle of wood glue, and a pneumatic stapler. Made it out of one sheet of plywood for about $40. Ready for upholstery.

It looks uneven, but that's just an optical illusion from the perspective of the photos.. I measured carefully.

[elcaminogirl59]

Re: another wood worker question.

Looks good!!