How to make a modern timber bedhead

The first step is to make the frame for the bedhead. Our bedhead is for a queen size bed, but yours can be any size you choose. To make the job quicker, you can have all of the timber pre-cut at Bunnings. Here's our cut list for this project:

Bedhead frame

• 70mm x 35mm x 1560mm primed pine x 2 (top and bottom)
• 70mm x 35mm x 1010mm primed pine x 4 (sides and middle supports)

Outer finishing frame

• 110mm x 19mm x 1598mm Tasmanian oak or Hardwood x 2 (top and bottom)
• 110mm x 19mm x 1010mm Tasmanian oak or hardwood x 2 (sides)

Note: Make sure you have the ends of the finishing frame cut at 45-degree angles.

Bedhead face

• 108mm x 19mm x 1560mm Tasmanian oak or hardwood tongue and groove floorboards x 10

Take the longer pieces of timber and measure and mark for the supports – 2 in the centre as bracing and one on each end. Make sure you have 3 equally spaced bays, ours were at 520mm and at 1040mm. Place both pieces of timber for the frame next to each other, so that the marks are in the same place. Once you've marked where to put your supports on both long pieces of timber, use the 2mm drill bit to pre-drill the holes.

Lay out your supports inside the shape of the frame. Drill the 75mm screws to fix the supports to the frame. Use two screws at each corner of the frame to join the rectangular frame together.

Once you've built the frame, check that it's square. Measure the opposite diagonals and if they are equal, the frame is square. This is important because if it's not square at this stage, the boards won't attach square and parallel. If one diagonal is longer than the other, place the longer diagonal corner against a wall and tap it with the hammer to close down the length.

Take your first board and lay it at the top of the frame with the groove facing outwards. Use a scrap piece of timber to ensure the edges of the board are flush with the top edge of the frame. Then fix the board to the frame with a nail gun. Use a nail at each end so that you can adjust as you go.

Grab your next board and lay it on the frame. Tap the tongue and groove together, making sure all the edges are flush and line up. Use the nail gun to fix it to the frame at one end and then the other. Repeat the process until all the boards are in place.

Once the boards are in place, make a small pencil mark on the centre supports so you know where to fix the tongue and groove boards. Use the nail gun to fix the boards into place on the centre stud supports. Use two nails on each centre stud.

For a great looking finish, putty up the boards with a wood filler that matches your timber. We used plastic wood.

Once the putty has dried, use the sander to smooth out the rough edges. We used 80-grit sandpaper for the first sand. We then used a belt sander to make sure all of the boards are level and to create a smooth finish. We used 120-grit sandpaper for this. Clean off the dust.

As the boards may vary in size, and have a tongue, there'll be a little overhang at the top of the bedhead. Clamp the bedhead to your workbench and use a planer to remove the tongue and overhang. To make the job easier, set the plane depth to a minimum and remove a little at a time.

An easier way to make sure the joins of the finishing frame are flush, take an offcut and use the drop saw to cut the end at 45-degrees. Clamp this piece of wood to one end of the bedhead so the 45-degree angle is flush with the end and level with the bedhead. This offcut is your guide to help you attach the finishing frame.

Apply PVA wood glue to the first piece of the finishing frame you need to attach. Clamp it to the side of the bedhead. Use a piece of wood and hammer to tap it flush with the offcut and level with the bedhead. Use the nail gun to secure it to the bedhead. Repeat this to attach the piece of finishing frame on the other side.

Once the sides of the finishing frame are attached, it's time to attach the top. Apply PVA wood glue to the timber and clamp it to the bedhead. Use the hammer and piece of wood to make sure it's flush to the corners and level with the bedhead. Secure it to the bedhead frame with the nail gun.

Depending on your décor you may want to stain or paint your bedhead. We've used a great looking Tasmanian Oak so we're using Cabot's Cabothane Clear to stain the timber. To give it a professional look we applied two coats. After applying the first coat we waited for it to dry, lightly sanded it back and then applied the second coat.