[pinit]
If you have shipping pallets or other reclaimed wood you would like to make great furniture with, this DIY headboard project is a great place to start. The plan is from Ana White’s Reclaimed Wood Queen Size Headboard, with a little tweaking to fit the wood I had on hand. My version is made using fence board, old deck board from my mom’s deck demolition, and pallet wood. The finish is what I am most excited about, and you will see why. It is a new (to me at least) product from Minwax that makes staining and finishing as simple as the wipe of a cloth. You are going to want to use this stuff.
HOW I DID IT:
Instead of attaching a 1×2 and 1×3 for the legs like Ana shows in her plan (linked above), I used my table saw to notch out a segment from 2×3 pieces of wood I ripped from 2×8 reclaimed lumber. I did this by adjusting the height of the saw blade and making perpendicular cuts down the length of each leg to remove that segment.
I nailed a supporting piece to the back of the planks to stabilize them in the center.
Here is my favorite tool these days; Ryobi Air Strike Brad Nailer. I have talked about it before, but I will say it again. This thing is super handy. It is lightweight, requires no air compressor, is cordless and works like a charm. The price can’t be beat. Worth every penny.
This picture shows pallet wood clamped to the base of the headboard for trim. I put 2 pieces of pallet wood at the bottom to make it all the way across the width of the headboard. I hid the seam with wood putty before staining, and you can’t see it. Make do with what you have. It is cheaper, more sustainable and presents a fun challenge!
Here is the sneak peek I showed you before staining. I sanded with my orbital sander; 60 grit, 120 grit, 180 grit, then stained with the awesome new product I eluded to earlier…
I was at Lowes and saw these Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths. I was highly skeptical when I read “Wipe on Stain and Finish in One Easy Step… Dries in One Hour”. I used Walnut for this project, and was completely amazed by how easy it was to apply. The stain looks great! I finished the piece in 15 minutes. Stained and sealed. I may never use anything else. Seriously awesome.