How to Make a Headboard out of Vintage Doors {Part 1}

Making a headboard out of vintage doors is very unique and a great way to repurpose salvaged materials.

Vintage doors have my heart, but these aren’t any ol’ doors.  These are the doors from our wedding where we said our vows.  We promised each other forever by these doors and they are so special to me.  I’ve had a ton of questions about my vintage door headboard, so I’m going to try and answer all of the questions and give you step by step instructions in a complete series!

DIY Door Headboard Materials Used:

1. Vintage doors: 3-4 doors, depending on the size of your mattress.  (We have a Queen and used 3 doors)
2. Sander
3. Equal Parts Water and Vinegar
4. Large Bucket
5. Old Rags
6. Face Mask and Gloves
7. Polyurethane (or your desired paint color on the doors) and Paint Brushes *I used Minwax Clear Semi-Gloss Polyurethane)
8. Bed Frame
9. Hammer
10. 3 inch Nails (2)
11. 2 inch nails (2)

DIY Door Headboard Directions:

1. Take off the doorknobs and hardware on the doors.  Save them for another use!
2. In a large bucket, mix together equal parts water and vinegar.  Use old rags to clean both sides of your doors with the vinegar water solution.  Be sure to also wipe around the crevices of the doors.  You want to get all of the grime off the doors and clean them well.
3. Using a scraper, scrape away any paint that is peeling off of the doors. *It is VERY important to cover your nose and mouth with a face mask.  Old paint could contain lead, and you do not want to breathe it in.  Use precaution and cover your face and mouth before beginning this project.*
4. Once you have scraped away any peeling paint off of the doors, use a sander and sand them down to your desired look.  *Keep your face mask on for this part also for extra precaution! 
5. Wipe the doors down again using the vinegar water solution and let them dry.  This step is important to repeat, to get off all the dust from sanding the doors and to remove any extra grime.
6. Once the doors are dry, now it’s time to either paint them to your desired color or use polyurethane.  I used several coats of polyurethane on my doors.  You want to seal in any possibility of lead based paints on your doors by either painting both sides of them or sealing both sides with polyurethane.  Let the doors completely over night.  *If using polyurethane, make sure you wear gloves!
7. Follow the package instructions to put your bedframe together.
8. Place the doors against the wall in your desired space.
9. Use a 3 inch nail to connect the doors together, put the nail at a 45 degree angle at the top of the door and hammer together. Repeat this step on the door on the opposite side to connect the other doors together.
10. Connect the bedframe to the doors at the bottom using a hammer and 2 inch nails.
11. Now it’s time to put your bed together with your new headboard made of doors!

I love our headboard we made together and the meaning behind our doors.  Whenever I look at our headboard made of the doors, I think back to our wedding day and remember the day we tied the knot.  {P.S: Painting the bedroom door to match the painted trim and a white light switch cover is on our list of things to do!}

Next time, I’ll answer the frequently asked questions about our door headboard for part two of the series.

If you have any questions, feel free to find me on Facebook or Instagram and I’ll try my best to answer them!  If you feel inspired to create a headboard out of doors, I’d love to see your creations!  Use the hashtag, #southernoaksblog on Instagram or find me on Facebook.

 

 

 

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