A headboard is the easiest upholstery project in the house and the one where you can afford to be brave with fabric. It gets no spills, almost no abrasion and only the occasional head lean. That changes the rules: fabrics we’d never put on a sofa are perfectly at home here. This guide covers what to choose, how much to buy and what goes underneath.
What a headboard fabric needs (and doesn’t)
On a sofa we obsess over rub counts. On a headboard the wear is trivial – a Martindale of 15,000 is plenty, and even decorative-grade fabrics survive. What actually matters:
- Drape and stretch. The fabric has to pull smoothly over foam and around a curve without puckering. A little give helps; a stiff coated fabric fights you.
- Thickness for buttoning. If you’re deep-buttoning or channelling, a fabric with body (velvet, heavy linen) folds into clean pleats. Thin fabrics show every crease.
- Hair oil and product. The one real stain risk. A W-code fabric or one with a stain-resist finish makes the annual clean simple.
- Sun. Many bedrooms get direct morning light. Check lightfastness if the bed sits under a window.
The best fabrics for headboards
Velvet
The classic, and for good reason. Velvet’s pile hides staples, seams and slight lumps, and it catches light beautifully on a curved or buttoned board. A polyester velvet like our Regent Velvet is easy to clean and holds colour. Remember the nap: cut so the pile runs down the board, and if you’re doing a wrap-around, keep the direction consistent.
Linen and linen blends
Relaxed, textured and perfect for a plain, slab-style headboard. Pure linen creases, which is part of the look but a nuisance when you’re pulling it tight – a blend such as Ashford Linen Weave pulls flat more easily and fades less. Iron before you upholster.
Boucle
Boucle on a headboard is a current favourite and, unlike on a sofa, there’s nothing to snag it. The texture disguises stapling on a wrap-around edge and looks superb on a tall, curved board. Choose a backed boucle so it doesn’t stretch unevenly, and avoid deep buttoning – the loops don’t pleat cleanly.
Leather and vinyl
Leather makes a handsome, wipe-clean headboard – often in a panelled design because hides aren’t big enough for a king in one piece. A pigmented half hide covers most single or double designs. Vinyl gives the same look on a budget and is a sensible choice for a rental or a kids’ room. Our leather grades guide helps with the choice.
Anything else
Wool, tweed, jacquard, printed cotton, outdoor acrylic – if you love it and it drapes, it will work. This is the place to use the fabric you wouldn’t dare put on a sofa.
How much fabric do you need?
For a plain rectangular headboard, the fabric width is the constraint. With a 140 cm roll, a board up to about 120 cm tall can be covered with the fabric running across, so you need the board width plus a wrap allowance. Taller boards, or narrower fabrics, mean turning it and possibly a seam.
| NZ bed size | Typical headboard width | Plain board (140 cm fabric) | Buttoned or channelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (920 mm) | 950–1,000 mm | 1.5 m | 2.5 m |
| King single (1,070 mm) | 1,100–1,150 mm | 1.6 m | 2.8 m |
| Double (1,370 mm) | 1,400–1,450 mm | 2.0 m | 3.5 m |
| Queen (1,520 mm) | 1,550–1,650 mm | 2.2 m | 3.8 m |
| King (1,670 mm) | 1,700–1,800 mm | 2.4 m | 4.2 m |
| Super king (1,830 mm) | 1,850–2,000 mm | 2.6 m | 4.5 m |
These allow about 150 mm all round for wrapping to the back of the board, and assume a board 900–1,200 mm tall. Deep buttoning uses far more because the fabric is pushed into every button – add roughly 30–50% depending on the depth and spacing. Pattern repeats add again. If in doubt, send the dimensions and a sketch via our contact page.
Matching fabric to headboard style
- Plain slab: linen blend, boucle or a textured weave – the fabric is the feature.
- Deep-buttoned or diamond-tufted: velvet, first and always. Heavy linen if you want a softer, country look.
- Channelled or fluted: velvet or a smooth microfibre; texture fights the lines.
- Wingback or curved: anything with a little stretch – boucle and velvet both ease around a curve.
- Panelled or grid: leather or vinyl in squares, or a mix of two fabrics.
What goes underneath
The fabric is the last 10%. The feel comes from the layers:
- Board. 12–18 mm MDF or plywood, cut to shape. For a floating board, allow for cleats or a French cleat.
- Foam. 25–50 mm for a plain board; 50–75 mm if you want a soft, deep-buttoned look. A medium-density foam is fine here – it isn’t a seat. Our foam & padding is cut to size, so order the exact board dimensions.
- Wadding. A layer of 200 gsm dacron over the foam softens the edge and stops the fabric grabbing on the foam as you stretch it.
- Fabric. Stapled to the back, corners folded like a parcel.
- Backing. A dust cover of cambric or lining fabric over the staples for a clean finish.
Tools and fixings
Use stainless staples if the bedroom is in a coastal house – rust bleeding through a pale linen a year later is a sad sight. A 10 mm crown staple in 8–10 mm length holds well in 12 mm MDF without punching through.
A headboard is the ideal first upholstery project: a staple gun, 8–10 mm staples, a sharp knife for the foam, a straight edge and spray adhesive will do it. If you’re buying tools for the first time, our upholstery tool kit covers everything you’ll use again on dining chairs and stools. For buttoning, you’ll also need covered buttons, a long needle and strong twine.
DIY or upholsterer?
Plain and simple-curved boards are a genuinely doable afternoon. Deep buttoning, fluting and shaped wings take practice and a sewing machine, and a wide board is awkward to handle solo. If you’re in Auckland and would rather commission it, our sister workshop Upholstery World makes custom headboards and bed surrounds to your fabric and size.