How do you put a headboard on a bed with no holes?

How to attach a headboard

Attaching a headboard to a bed is simple. All you need is a screwdriver to help you complete the job. Follow these six easy steps and you can fix it to your bed in just five minutes or even less:

1. Attach the legs to the headboard

The first job is to screw the headboard struts into the headboard itself. Normally, the manufacturers will have already drilled two holes into the struts. All you’ve got to do is align the two holes in each strut with the holes in the headboard.

You’ll find the headboard holes under the fabric. Run your finger slowly over the back of the headboard to locate them. Then pierce a small hole in the fabric with a screwdriver and securely attach the struts to the headboard with the screws the manufacturer has provided.

2. Find the holes already drilled into the bed base

Bed base manufacturers know it’s likely that you’ll attach a headboard to the bed. Some will have drilled holes into the front and back of the base for you already. Large bolt holes will be hidden beneath the fabric and you’ll have to find these first before you attach the headboard.

Some manufacturers make it easy for you to find the holes, by adding stickers to the base. Unfortunately, not all of them do this, so you may just have to run your finger up and down the back of the base to find the bolt holes.

Note that if the base only has storage drawers on one side, the position of your headboard will determine which side the drawers open on. Remember to keep this in mind.

3. Pierce the bed base fabric

Pierce the fabric with your screwdriver so that you can screw the bolt in next.

4. Screw the bolt into the hole

Screw the bolt into the hole. Leave about 4 cm of thread visible. Repeat this process with the second bolt.

5. Slide the headboard onto the bolt screws

Slide the headboard onto the exposed part between the bed and the bolt, using the pronged ends of the struts. When each strut is in the right position, tighten the bolts to secure the headboard firmly between the bed base and the bolt.

6. Adjust the headboard to the correct height

The bottom of the headboard should sit at the top of the mattress. If you want to adjust the height of your headboard, just loosen the bolts and lift the headboard up to the height you want it. Then tighten the bolts again.

And that’s the job done! Much easier than you imagined! Now you can sit up and read, watch TV or relax in bed in much more comfort. Enjoy your relaxation!

Related pages

The Bedstar Buying Guide to Headboards

I bought a Zinus Joseph metal platform bed which has no holes for a headboard (my mistake I should have paid attention). I need to rearrange my room and now the only big enough spot is to put the bed in front of a window.... so I need a headboard to keep the pills from sliding back between.

Are there any solutions short of drilling holes in the frame? Ziptie to the legs of the frame? 😆 i'm starting to think upgrading from a queen to king was impulsive because now we have to move the bed, etc. 🤦🏼‍♀️

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Fitting a new headboard to your bed is a cinch. Floor-standing headboards and strutted headboards are both easily attached by screwing bolts through the headboard's struts and into the appropriate screw holes in your bed. Additionally, a popular alternative is to mount the headboard to the wall instead of the bed.

1. 

   1

   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.

2. 

   2

   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.[1]
   • If you are backing other furniture as well, apply this rule to their farthest sides from the bed.

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3. 

   3

   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.[2]

   • 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.

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1. 

   1

   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.

2. 

   2

   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.

3. 

   3

   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.

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1. 

   1

   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.

2. 

   2

   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.

3. 

   3

   Secure the headboard. Fit a bolt through the gap in each strut. Screw it into the corresponding screw hole.[3] 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.

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1. 

   1

   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:[4]

   • 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).

2. 

   2

   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).[5]

   • 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).

3. 

   3

   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.[6]

   • Always test the cleat before hanging your headboard to make sure it is strong enough to support its weight.

4. 

   4

   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.[7]

   • 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.

5. 

   5

   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.[8]

   • 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.

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Add New Question

• Question

  How do you make a simple wooden headboard?

  

  David Julien is a DIY Specialist and the Principal Owner at Nice DIY based in Quebec, Canada. David specializes in creating plans to make unique, affordable, and modern home furnishings. He holds a BA in Graphic Design from the University of Quebec Outaouais. Nice DIY uses sustainable and high-quality materials to create products that are simple to make for everyone.

  

  DIY Specialist

  Expert Answer

  Buying a new headboard can be expensive. Luckily there is another way to renew your bed at a lower cost. Step 1: Buy a desk top/ plywood. You can find them in different sizes and colors in furniture stores. Step 2: Cut the board to the height you want your headboard to be. Step 3: Screw the new headboard directly onto the old one from behind so you can't see the screws. Option: For optimal comfort, install the board at an angle.

• Question

  The screws are too long and are scratching up the wall! What can I do?

  

  Either replace them with shorter screws or attach sticky felt pads to the ends as a barrier between them and the wall.

• Question

  I found a headboard without screws, just a large nickel-sized hole on the bottom of each side; can that be stable?

  

  If you secure to a wall stud instead of the bed, it should be fine.

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• Find the screw holes in your bed and measure the distance between them before purchasing a new headboard. Make sure the headboard's struts line up before bringing it home.

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• If the spacing of your headboard's struts don't match the screw holes, try securing it to the wall's studs instead.

  <b>Thanks! We’re glad this was helpful.</b><br />Looking for more fun ways to learn on wikiHow?<br />Learn about yourself with <a href='/Quizzes'><b>Quizzes</b></a> or try our brand new <a href='/Games/Train-Your-Brain'><b>Train Your Brain</b></a> word game.

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Things You'll Need

For struts and floor-standing headboards:

• Screwdriver
• Partner

For wall-mounting:

• Headboard cleat(s) and cleat plate(s)
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Stud-finder
• Drill or screwdriver
• Angle irons
• Spacer(s)

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

If you haven’t bought a headboard yet, you’ll need one that’s the same width as your bed and at least 3 inches taller than your bed so it will properly attach. If you already have a headboard that doesn’t fit, you can screw it into the wall behind your bed instead. To mount a headboard to a bed, you’ll need to screw headboard struts to your bed frame. Then, you can place the headboard at the height you want and tighten the bolts to hold it in place. To mount a headboard to the wall, first, you’ll need to mark where on the wall you want it to be. Then you’ll need to screw a cleat board into the wall where the top of the headboard will set. Then, hang the headboard onto the cleat. To learn how to install a floor-standing headboard, read on!

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Reader Success Stories

• 

  Janette Mallin

  Mar 24, 2019

  "I knew nothing about fitting a headboard, and this answered all my questions."

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