I wanted a slatted headboard and wanted to DIY one that was easy and fast and looked good.  It took about 30 minutes to make and the cost was less than $200 with all the supplies.

The BJÖRKÖVIKEN door is made to fit the BESTÅ cabinet. It comes in 3 sizes which are handy for configuring a headboard to fit your space. Besides the birch veneer, it also comes in oak veneer with a brown stain, if you want a darker headboard.

For a shiplap kind of headboard style, you can try the SUTTERVIKEN door instead. The HEDEVIKEN door is pretty too with visible wood grains lined up in chevrons.

DIY Slatted Wood Headboard IKEA hack

IKEA items used: 

  • BJÖRKÖVIKEN door ($60) x 3

Other materials and tools: 

  • Drill and screws (1/2” and 1”)
  • 6 Metal mending plates
  • 1/2” thick boards for legs (I cut mine to 38” long)
  • Pencil

How to DIY a slatted headboard  

Space before
before

Step 1: Horizontal or vertical

Decide if you want the slats to be horizontal or vertical (I chose vertical for this one). 

Related: How to make a chic cane headboard

Step 2: Attach the doors together

Lay the doors out with their backs facing up. I attached them using the metal mending plates 3 on each side. Mark the screw holes through the mending plates using the pencil.  Drill the holes no more than 1/2 inch deep (use masking tape on your drill bit as your depth gauge). Connect the doors by screwing on the mending plates with the 1/2-inch screws. 

Step 3: Attach legs  

DIY Slatted Wood Headboard IKEA hack
AFTER

Measure the leg height off the floor (most headboards start around 24” off the floor, mark the boards at 24”).  Drill 2 pairs of holes above the mark on the legs (close to the top and bottom for attaching the legs to the back of your headboard.  Check to make sure you aren’t placing the screw hole on top of a plate.  Mark the screw locations for the legs on the back of the headboard.  Use the 1” screws to attach the legs.  I attached my legs at the door seams so I could use this with a double or queen mattress and not have the legs visible.

I take this in and out of homes for staging but if it were going to be stationary I’d use a French cleat instead of legs and hang it on the wall. 

What was the hardest part about this hack?

Measure the legs well and make sure you are attaching them at the same height so the headboard is straight. 

Looking back, would you have done it differently?

Nope, gonna make another one only horizontal this time with the walnut ones.

~ by Noelle Ryan

See more IKEA Headboard hacks.

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May 3, 2023