DIY Rainbow Headboard

This whimsical headboard is budget-friendly, renter-friendly and so incredibly cute.

By: Deanne Revel and Jill Tennant

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Show: HGTV Handmade

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Rainbows are trending everywhere in decor right now and HGTV Handmade’s Jill Tennant has a clever, budget-friendly hack for creating a padded twin headboard that looks ultra-chic and expensive. The secret: pipe insulation! And this headboard is also renter-friendly because you only need removable adhesive strips for mounting. It’s a win-win-win. Watch the video below and read on for the full how-to for your own adorable rainbow headboard.

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DIY Rainbow Headboard

05:17

Add whimsy on a budget — this headboard is made from inexpensive items from the hardware store.

Materials Needed:

7 standard 6' pipe insulation tubes for 1" pipes
masking tape
fabric
8' insulation foam board (2" thickness)
low-temp hot glue gun
hot glue sticks

tacky glue spray adhesive
scissors
serrated knife
heavy-duty removable adhesive strips
poster board
project foam (2" thickness)

Prep the Rainbow Bands

Cut six of the foam tubes to the following lengths for each rainbow color band: 65", 72", 76", 82", 88" and 96" (Image 1). Cut the seventh, spare tube into pieces if you need to make any of the six bands longer. Just use masking tape to hold the pieces together (Image 2).

To make this colorful headboard, you'll need pipe insulation, fabric, foam and a lo-temp hot glue gun.

Cassidy Garcia

For this project, you'll need seven pieces of pipe insulation. If you can't find pieces long enough, just cut and attach with masking tape.

Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Materials

To make this colorful headboard, you'll need pipe insulation, fabric, foam and a lo-temp hot glue gun.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Gather Materials

For this project, you'll need seven pieces of pipe insulation. If you can't find pieces long enough, just cut and attach with masking tape.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Attach Fabric

Wrap a tube with a fabric of your choice (Image 1). Using a low-temp hot glue gun, glue the fabric to the tube, hiding the fabric seam in the pipe insulation slit (Image 2 + 3). Repeat for each tube (Image 4).

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun, wrap the fabric around the pipe insulation and glue to attach at the seam. Make sure to use a lo-temp hot glue as anything hotter will melt the foam.

Cassidy Garcia

Once each band has been covered in fabric, arrange in the order in which you'll attach to the headboard.

Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Fabric

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun, wrap the fabric around the pipe insulation and glue to attach at the seam. Make sure to use a lo-temp hot glue as anything hotter will melt the foam.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Fabric

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun, wrap the fabric around the pipe insulation and glue to attach at the seam. Make sure to use a lo-temp hot glue as anything hotter will melt the foam.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Fabric

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun, wrap the fabric around the pipe insulation and glue to attach at the seam. Make sure to use a lo-temp hot glue as anything hotter will melt the foam.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Arrange Bands

Once each band has been covered in fabric, arrange in the order in which you'll attach to the headboard.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Make the Headboard

To make the giant arched backing for the headboard, measure and mark an arch on the foam insulation board that is 42" wide and 37.5" tall. Using scissors, cut out an arch. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. The rainbow tubes will cover it. For the smaller, center arch inside the rainbow, create an arch template with a standard poster board. Measure and cut the poster board to 17.5" wide and 26.5" tall. Fold the piece in half to cut the arch (Image 1 +2). Using the poster arch template as a guide, cut the shape out of the project foam with a serrated knife (Image 3 + 4).

Mark the poster board before cutting. The arch should be 17.5 inches wide and 26.5 inches tall.

Cassidy Garcia

Once you have marked your measurements, fold the board in half and cut out an arch template.

Cassidy Garcia

Trace the arch shape from the poster board template onto the foam.

Cassidy Garcia

To cut the foam, use a knife with a serrated edge.

Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Measure Board

Mark the poster board before cutting. The arch should be 17.5 inches wide and 26.5 inches tall.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Cut Board

Once you have marked your measurements, fold the board in half and cut out an arch template.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Trace

Trace the arch shape from the poster board template onto the foam.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Cut Foam

To cut the foam, use a knife with a serrated edge.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Assemble the Headboard

Attach the center foam arch to the foam board with spray adhesive (Image 1). Once attached, spray the top of the foam arch with spray adhesive and cover with fabric of your choice (Image 2). Using a low-temp hot glue gun, glue and secure the fabric on the sides and edges. To attach the rainbow bands, start with the shortest tube. Wrap the tube around the foam arch, hot gluing to secure as you go (Image 3). Make sure to keep the tube seam hidden in the back as you glue. Repeat with the next shortest tube (Image 4). Continue until all six tubes are attached (Image 5). Once finished, trim any loose threads or extra material with scissors.

Glue the foam arch to the center of the headboard.

Cassidy Garcia

Using spray adhesive, cover the foam arch with your choice of fabric. The spray adhesive will be tacky long enough to adjust the fabric if you need to connect.

Cassidy Garcia

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun and starting with the shortest piece, glue the rainbow bands together and to the foam board. Make sure that the fabric seam is hidden and glued to the back.

Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Foam

Glue the foam arch to the center of the headboard.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Fabric

Using spray adhesive, cover the foam arch with your choice of fabric. The spray adhesive will be tacky long enough to adjust the fabric if you need to connect.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Bands

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun and starting with the shortest piece, glue the rainbow bands together and to the foam board. Make sure that the fabric seam is hidden and glued to the back.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Bands

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun and starting with the shortest piece, glue the rainbow bands together and to the foam board. Make sure that the fabric seam is hidden and glued to the back.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

DIY Rainbow Headboard: Glue Bands

Using a lo-temp hot glue gun and starting with the shortest piece, glue the rainbow bands together and to the foam board. Make sure that the fabric seam is hidden and glued to the back.

From: Jill Tennant

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Mount Headboard on Wall

To mount the headboard, use heavy-duty removable adhesive strips on the back of the foam board.

DIY Rainbow Headboard

Make a trendy rainbow headboard with some unexpected items: pipe insulation and a hot glue gun. Jill Tennant has a clever how-to that is budget-friendly and rental-friendly.