DIY Upholstered Headboard Supplies

🪑 Upholstered Headboard Supply List

If you're looking for a quick upholstery project (whether it's to keep for yourself or sell), headboards are a great option to build your upholstery skills and decorate your space with your own style. 

Below is the headboard that was used for this project which was found on Facebook Marketplace. It was outdated and lacked personality. You'd never know it was the same headboard afterward! 

Here's what the headboard looked like after it was updated, painted, glazed, and upholstered. 

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Upholstered Headboard Supply List

If you’re tackling an upholstered headboard, here’s a straightforward list of the tools and materials used for this project.

This list focuses on the core tools that actually matter, along with a few optional items that make the process easier as your skills grow. If you’re just getting started, you don’t need everything at once.

🪡 Upholstery Tools

•  Stapler – Pneumatic Upholstery Staple Gun or Manual Option

• Compressor for Pneumatic Staple Gun– Pancake Air Compressor

• Staples for Pneumatic Staple Gun- 3/8" staples

• Staple Puller – Pair of Pullers (C.S. Osborn tools are my preference otherwise)

• Scissors – Heavy Duty Upholstery Scissors 

• Foam Cutter – Electric Carving Knives work great until you're ready to upgrade to a foam saw
  
  A good stapler, sharp scissors, and foam will do more for your results than having a long list of specialty upholstery tools for this project.
  

🧵 Upholstery Materials

• Foam – High-Density 2” Foam

• Dacron or Batting – Dacron by the Yard

• Spray Adhesive – Fabric and Foam Adhesive (spray adhesive can be found at your local hardware store also)

Fabric of your choosing OR 🐂 Leather & Hide

• You can find a list of Fabric, Foam and Upholstery Suppliers in the "Getting Started in Western Upholstery Workbook"

• Hair-on-Hide Upholstery Leather from Texas Leather Goods and Leather Hide Store

📏 Measuring + Finishing

• Tape Measure – Dress Maker's Tape Measure

• Nylon Tip Upholstery Hammer (for decorative nails) – Upholstery Hammer 

• Pneumatic Decorative Nailer - There are name brand ones, but this Decorative Nailer costs less and is one we use in our workshops and has held up well. You can also get different Decorative Nailer Sleeves for different sized decorative nail heads. 
• Decorative Nails – Upholstery Decorative Nails (if you're going to buy any off Amazon decotacks are the better option. Otherwise DADS Tacks and Blue Caspian are preferred for quality and ease of installation. 

DIY Tip

For beginners, focus on your core tools first - a good stapler, foam, and scissors/shears. Everything else can be upgraded as you grow.