A bed head attaches in one of three ways. It bolts onto two metal struts that fix into threaded sockets on a divan base, it bolts directly to the side rails or legs of a bed frame during assembly, or it hangs on the wall independently of the bed. Which method applies depends on the headboard and the base you own, and the three are not interchangeable without an adaptor.<\/p>\n
Identify the fixing type first, then gather the tools. Most fittings need only an allen key or a spanner and take fifteen to twenty minutes, though a second pair of hands makes the job considerably easier.<\/p>\n
Turn the headboard over and look at the back. Two vertical metal legs with a line of holes down them means a strut fixed headboard designed for a divan base. The struts bolt to the headboard, then drop into or bolt onto fittings at the head end of the divan.<\/p>\n
Bolt holes along the lower edge or on side flanges that line up with the bed’s rails mean a frame integrated headboard. These are usual on wooden, metal and upholstered bedsteads, and the headboard often forms part of the bed’s structure rather than being an accessory.<\/p>\n
A flat back with no fixings, or with hanging brackets, means a wall mounted headboard. These sit independently of the bed, which is useful with a divan that has no sockets, or when you want a headboard wider than the mattress.<\/p>\n
Find the threaded sockets on the top face of the divan at the head end. They are often hidden under the upholstery flap or covered by a small fabric tab, so run your fingers along the edge if you cannot see them. Many divans have two pairs at different spacings to suit different headboard widths.<\/p>\n
Bolt the struts to the headboard first, while it lies face down on a soft surface such as a folded duvet, so the fabric or timber does not mark. Use the strut holes that put the headboard at the height you want, but do not tighten fully yet.<\/p>\n
Stand the headboard behind the bed, line the struts up with the sockets, and start both bolts by hand. Only once both are engaged should you begin tightening, alternating between them so the headboard stays square. If you fully tighten one first, the second will usually refuse to line up.<\/p>\n
Finally, pull the bed away from the wall slightly, sit on the edge and lean back. A little flex is normal. Movement at the bolts is not, and means they need another quarter turn.<\/p>\n
On a bedstead, the headboard is usually fitted at the start of assembly rather than added later. Lay the headboard flat, attach the side rails loosely, then add the footboard and bring the frame upright before tightening anything.<\/p>\n
The principle worth remembering is that every bolt goes in loose before any bolt goes in tight. Timber and upholstered frames need a small amount of movement to align, and a fully tightened first bolt puts the rest of the holes out of reach. Once all fixings are engaged, work around the frame tightening in stages.<\/p>\n
Check whether the bolts pass through a barrel nut or cam fitting inside the timber. These can rotate out of alignment during transit, and turning the barrel with a screwdriver so its threaded hole faces the bolt solves what looks like a stripped thread. Upholstered frames such as our modern fabric beds UK<\/a> arrive with the fixings pre positioned, which makes this straightforward, and the same applies to our leather beds UK sale<\/a> range.<\/p>\n Wall mounting suits divans without sockets, rented homes where you would rather not modify the bed, and oversized headboards used as a feature. The fixing has to suit the wall.<\/p>\n In masonry, drill and plug the wall and use screws long enough to hold the plug fully in the brick, not just the plaster. In plasterboard, find the timber studs with a detector and fix into those wherever possible. Where studs do not fall in a helpful place, use proper hollow wall anchors rated well above the headboard’s weight, and use four fixings rather than two.<\/p>\n Height is the decision that matters most. Set the bottom edge of the headboard a few centimetres below the top of the mattress so pillows cannot slip down the gap. Mark the line lightly on the wall, hold the headboard in place, and check it with a spirit level before drilling. Remember that a mattress compresses over time, so err slightly lower rather than higher.<\/p>\n Strut fixed headboards offer several holes, which means you choose the height. Sit on the bed as you would to read and see where your shoulders and head fall. The headboard should support your upper back with the pillows in place, not stop at your shoulder blades.<\/p>\n Also think about what is behind and above. A radiator on the wall behind the bed can limit how low the headboard can sit. Picture rails, coving and a light switch all influence the visual line. In a room with a low sloping ceiling, a tall headboard can look cramped, and a lower one usually reads better.<\/p>\n If the bed sits under a window, the headboard height determines how much of the window it covers, and how much cold glass sits behind your head in winter.<\/p>\n A rocking headboard almost always means bolts that need tightening or a strut set at a height where the base of the strut no longer meets the divan squarely. Lower the struts by one hole and retighten.<\/p>\n A gap between the headboard and the mattress usually happens because the headboard was set too high. Drop it a hole or two, or fit a longer bolster pillow behind the sleeping pillows as a temporary fix.<\/p>\n Knocking against the wall is common on hard floors where the bed slides. Felt pads under the legs help, and so does a strip of self adhesive foam on the back of the headboard where it meets the wall.<\/p>\n If threads are stripped and the bolt will not bite, do not force it. Replacement bolts and barrel nuts are readily available, and our customer team can advise on fittings for any frame in the modern beds UK<\/a> range. You will find the wider bedroom collection at Furniture in Fashion<\/a>, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.<\/p>\n A headboard exposes any misalignment between the bed and the wall behind it, so it is worth squaring things up while you fit it. Skirting boards are the usual culprit. A headboard that sits flush against the skirting is held a few centimetres away from the plaster above, which leaves a visible gap and lets pillows slide behind.<\/p>\n There are two straightforward fixes. Strut fixed headboards can be set lower on the struts so the skirting sits behind the divan rather than behind the board. Alternatively, pull the whole bed forward by a centimetre or two and accept the small shadow line, which reads as intentional once the bed is dressed.<\/p>\n Uneven floors cause the other common complaint. If the bed rocks, the headboard amplifies the movement because it is the tallest part of the assembly. Felt or rubber pads under the low legs level it, and they also stop a hard floor being marked when the bed is moved.<\/p>\n Once the fitting is understood, the choice becomes about how the headboard behaves in the room. Upholstered designs absorb sound and feel comfortable to lean against, which suits anyone who reads or works in bed. Timber and metal are harder against the back but keep a cleaner line and are easier to wipe down.<\/p>\n Height changes the proportions of the whole room. A tall headboard draws the eye upward and gives a small bedroom a sense of height, provided the wall above stays uncluttered. A low or slatted design keeps sight lines open, which helps in a room with a sloping ceiling or a window directly behind the bed.<\/p>\n Width is worth a thought too. A headboard matched exactly to the mattress looks neat, while a wider wall mounted panel that extends past the bed can make a narrow room feel more generous and gives space for wall lights within the panel itself. Fabric colour is the last decision, and a tone close to the wall keeps things calm while a contrasting one makes the bed the focal point of the room.<\/p>\n Only if the base has threaded sockets and the strut spacing matches. Check the socket positions on your divan against the strut holes on the headboard before buying, since spacings vary between makers.<\/p>\n Usually an allen key, which is often supplied, or a spanner for hex bolts. A screwdriver is handy for realigning barrel nuts, and a spirit level and drill are needed for wall mounting.<\/p>\n Set the bottom edge just below the mattress top so pillows cannot fall behind, then choose the overall height that supports your back when sitting up in bed.<\/p>\n Either the struts hold it away from the base, or a deep headboard is resting against skirting board. Adjusting the strut position or cutting a small notch in a plinth normally closes it.<\/p>\n Sometimes. Some frames have pre drilled fixing points, and others do not. If yours has none, a wall mounted headboard is the simpler route and avoids drilling into the frame.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A bed head attaches in one of three ways: bolted to two metal struts that fix into sockets on a divan base, bolted directly into the rails of a bed frame during assembly, or mounted on the wall independently of the bed. Working out which…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":58334,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3334],"tags":[5685,2795,4989,5288],"class_list":["post-58333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-guide-for-your-home","tag-bed-assembly","tag-divan-beds","tag-headboards","tag-home-diy"],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58333\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Mounting a Headboard on the Wall<\/h3>\n
Setting the Right Height<\/h3>\n
Fixing Common Problems<\/h3>\n
Getting the Bed Square to the Wall<\/h3>\n
Choosing a Headboard Style That Suits the Room<\/h3>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n
Can I fit any headboard to my divan base?<\/h3>\n
What tools do I need to attach a bed head?<\/h3>\n
How high should a headboard sit above the mattress?<\/h3>\n
Why is there a gap behind my headboard?<\/h3>\n
Can I attach a headboard to a bed frame that came without one?<\/h3>\n