Building a Headboard to Display Asian Art

My Denver, Colorado, custom furniture Client had a beautiful hand-painted screen that she wanted built into a custom headboard.  So I carefully took the screen apart to extract the art.  I then built a frame around each piece to incorporate it into a custom headboard.

Summary

Headboard Project Creation and Joinery Techniques

Brian discussed the process of creating a headboard project, which involved cutting and milling stock, ripping down dividers, and using a dado blade in a table saw to make a rabbet to accept panel dividers. He used a titebond wood glue in the dados and clamped them together to dry. Once the glue was dry, he squared off the panel dividers at the table saw and cut them to length. He also cut notches in the top and bottom of the panel dividers to join them to the top and bottom rails of the headboard. Brian used the domino as his main joinery method and clamped several together to give him the length needed for the glue-up. He then moved on to building the legs, laminating two pieces of 8/4 lumber together. He incorporated a compound angle at the top of each leg and used a hand saw to finish the cut. He also used a belt sander to smooth out saw marks and refine the curves. The art panels were then dropped in place and secured with strips of wood, which were cut at a 2-degree angle to protect the art from being scratched during installation.

Crafting a Custom Headboard:

Building a custom headboard is a rewarding project that combines precision, creativity, and problem-solving. In this post, I’ll walk you through my process—from milling the stock to final assembly—highlighting key techniques and lessons learned along the way.

Preparing the Stock and Dividers

I began by roughly cutting and milling the stock to size. For the dividers that would separate the panels, I intentionally cut them about a quarter-inch wider than needed. This extra material accounted for any potential wood movement or tension release, ensuring I could rejoin the edges square and flatten them before final sizing.

Cutting Dados for a Secure Fit

Next, I cut dados into the face frame to accept the panel dividers. To ensure precision, I ran each piece through the saw, flipped it, and ran it through again. This double-pass method guaranteed that the dados would be perfectly centered on the frame.

Gluing and Clamping the Dividers

With the dados ready, I applied a small amount of Titebond wood glue before clamping the dividers together. Since my clamps weren’t long enough to span the entire width, I linked several together to create the necessary reach. Once the glue dried, I squared the dividers on the table saw and cut them to the final length.

Notching for Top and Bottom Rails

The design required notches at the top and bottom of the dividers to join them to the headboard’s rails. This was a two-step process:

1. Cutting the notch to length.
2. Adjusting the depth for a perfect fit.

Joinery with the Domino

For the main joinery, I relied on my Domino machine for alignment. Since my clamps still weren’t long enough for the full span, I improvised by connecting multiple clamps to ensure even pressure during glue-up.

Building the Legs

I laminated two pieces of 8/4 lumber together to achieve the desired thickness. The legs featured a compound angle at the top, which presented a challenge—my saw blade couldn’t cut all the way through in one pass. After making the initial cut, I finished it with a handsaw.

Shaping the Curve

1. I marked the center of the leg and plotted the apex of the curve.
2. Using a nail as a pivot point, I bent a thin scrap of wood to create the desired curve, then traced it with a pencil.
3. Cutting the curve on the bandsaw was tricky—having an extra pair of hands would have made it easier!
4. After the bandsaw, I refined the curve with a belt sander to remove any rough marks.

Dry Fit Before Delivery

Before final assembly, I did a test fit to ensure everything aligned correctly, which was especially important since the headboard needed to fit up a flight of stairs at the client’s home. Instead of permanently gluing the legs, I attached them with screws, using the Dominoes purely for alignment.

Securing the Panels

The art panels were designed to float within the frame, secured by angled strips of wood screwed to the dividers. To prevent scratches:

• The strips were cut with a 2-degree angle on the outside edge, angling the drill away from the art during installation.
• I used a custom jig with a matching 2-degree dado to pre-drill the screw holes, ensuring consistency and precision.

Final Thoughts

This project reinforced the importance of planning for wood movement, improvising when tools fall short, and testing assemblies before final delivery. Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker or a beginner, taking the time to measure twice (or thrice) and anticipate challenges will lead to a smoother build process.

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