One Pinterest headboard, coming right up!

We had been wanting a headboard for our bed for a while since our bed is up against a window. We had checked craigslist quite a few times and we had looked at a few thrift stores, but the idea of sanding something down that's that large didn't seem too appealing. (After all the trim sanding we've done, we're avoiding sanding blocks for a little while longer.) 

The other obvious place to look when you want something new is pinterest, so that's where I headed. I had inspiration from a facebook friend who had just built their own headboard, and I found exactly what I wanted!

Isaiah and I jotted down a few measurements and headed to Lowes. :)

The boards ew ended up getting were pine because it's not too expensive, and it holds up well (at least I think that's why we picked it). 

Since we have a queen size bed, we needed something that was at least 60" wide. As per the suggestion of the pinterest people, we added an extra inch on each side for fluff of the comforter. :)

The boards we ended up getting were 

3 - 1x4" that were 6' long. (We needed 62" of those 72")

3 - 1x6" that were 6' long.

2 - 2x4 that were 8' long (because that's how they sell them??)

Approx. 30  - 1 1/2"  wood screws

At Lowes (and almost any hardware store) they will cut lumber for you if you ask. Isaiah took the shopping list and left me to look like a helpless girl who needed help with her pinterest project over by the wood cutting station. He called it "dividing and conquering." ;)

I had the pine boards cut to 62" and then the 2x4s were cut to 50". That was the recommended height up from the floor to the top of the headboard and it worked out perfectly for us!

We staggered the boards every other since three of them were 4" wide, and three of them were 6" long. Our top board was a 6" board that hung over the top edge (stuck up over the 2x4s) about three inches. We lined up the edges on each end and staggered the screws (so the wood wouldn't split, which I didn't know before this project) to attach all the pieces. We don't have a clamp to keep the pieces together, so I sat on the floor and used my feet while Isaiah pushed up against the other side. 

After everything was attached, including an extra, shorter piece in the middle for stabilization, we sanded it down. 

Then we measured the legs for holes that we would use to attach it to our bed frame.

The next step was to stain it so it would "match" our espresso-colored dresser. :) We picked Minwax "Dark Walnut" and I used three coats to get the desired color. We were nervous about waiting the full 15 minutes per coat, so we waited less than five minutes for each of the first two coats, then I waited 12 minutes for the last coat because I knew I wanted a dark color. We opted for no "final finish" because it's not in a high traffic area and won't be bothered by much. :)

Then Isaiah attached it with a couple bolts (that I don't remember the specs on) and we were good to go! The recommended dry time was longer than we waited because we were so excited about it, but we made sure the room was well ventilated while we slept. :)

Our finished project! Probably the quickest DIY project to date. :)

If you're wondering why there are only pictures of Isaiah working, it's because our priority of "pictures taken during projects" is different. ;) I promise I do work!!!

http://www.echoesoflaughter.ca/2013/10/diy-headboard-for-under-40.html#sthash.XOi81gAi.dpbs