Coastal Cottage-Style Shutter Headboard

Easily create this inexpensive yet impressive headboard using unfinished shutters, paint and sandpaper.
Shutter headboard

Coastal Cottage-Style Shutter Headboard

Layla Palmer used these louvered shutter doors to create this unique headboard.

Materials Needed:

  • unfinished, louvered shutter doors (available at most home improvement stores)
  • screwdriver
  • (2) 2-1/2" screws and coordinating anchors
  • hammer
  • drill
  • several small mending braces and screws
  • aerosol spray primer
  • pint latex paint, in the color and finish of your choice
  • 2" wide paintbrush
  • sanding block
  • 8-grit sandpaper
  • ventilation mask
  • plastic drop cloth

Measure Bed

Measure the width of the bed to determine how many (and what width) shutters to purchase.

Prepare Shutters for Painting

Remove hinges and doorknobs then place the shutters on a large plastic drop cloth.

Prime Shutters

Wearing a ventilation mask, lightly coat the front and sides of each shutter with spray primer. It's okay if bare wood shows through in places to add to the antique look. Tip: To prevent drips, hold the can approximately 12 inches away from shutters when spraying, and move the can in smooth, sweeping motions.

Hand Spraying Primer on Unfinished Wood Shutter

Spray Primer on Shutters

Wearing a ventilation mask, lightly coat the front and sides of each shutter with spray primer. It's okay if bare wood shows through in places to add to the antique look. Tip: To prevent drips, hold the can approximately 12 inches away from shutters when spraying, and move the can in smooth, sweeping motions.

Paint Shutters

Once the primer has completely dried, use a 2-inch wide paintbrush to coat the shutters with paint. To create a weathered look, load the brush with paint, then wipe some of it off onto a paper towel before applying it to the shutters — this technique is called "dry brushing" and allows some of the primer and wood color to show through. Allow paint to dry completely before moving onto the next step.

Sand Shutters

Use a sanding block wrapped in 80-grit sandpaper to remove painted areas and increase the weathered look. Tip: Concentrate your sanding efforts on areas that would have seen the most wear, such as the outside edges of each shutter and the front edge of louvers.

Hand Sanding Shutter With Sanding Block

Sand Shutters

Use a sanding block wrapped in 80-grit sandpaper to remove painted areas and increase the weathered look. Tip: Concentrate your sanding efforts on areas that would have seen the most wear, such as the outside edges of each shutter and the front edge of louvers.

Attach Mending Braces

Use small mending braces to join the shutters together. For maximum stability, add a mending brace to the top, middle and bottom of each shutter.

Drill Attaching Mending Brace to Unfinished Wood Shutters

Attach Mending Braces to Shutters

Use small mending braces to join the shutters together. For maximum stability, add a mending brace to the top, middle and bottom of each shutter.

Pre-Drill Holes

Move shutter headboard into place behind bed. Drill a hole through the shutter and into the wall to mark where the wall anchor should go.

Power Drill Drilling Hole Through White Shutter Headboard and Wall

Pre-Drill Holes Into Shutter Headboard and Wall

Move shutter headboard into place behind bed. Drill a hole through the shutter and into the wall to mark where the wall anchor should go.

Embed Wall Anchors

Pull shutter headboard away from wall and drive anchors, one in each top corner, into the pre-drilled holes in wall.

Hammer Inserting Anchor Into Wall

Hammer Wall Anchors Into Drilled Holes

Pull shutter headboard away from wall and drive anchors, one in each top corner, into the pre-drilled holes in wall.

Securely Attach Shutter Headboard to Wall

Put shutter headboard back into place and drive a 2-1/2 inch screw through the front of the shutter and into the anchors embedded in the wall.

Drill White Headboard Into Wall

Attach Shutter Headboard to Wall

Put shutter headboard back into place and drive a 2-1/2 inch screw through the front of the shutter and into the anchors embedded in the wall.

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