DIY Shutter Headboard

Honestly, honestly.... this project was kind of a pain in the arse.When I started it, I thought it would be smooth sailing and for the most part it was but when it came down to putting the thing together, figuring out how to get it in place then actually trying to find the materials I needed, it was a little more than I had bargained for.

First step was easy - I found these amazing shutters at The Rebuilding Center - once again, one of my favorite places to get amazing deals on DIY supplies. I found 6 individual shutters for $2 each. They were already painted and in great shape so all I had to do was clean them. I love Scott's Liquid Gold wood cleaner - it works very well and it smells like almond!

The next task was figuring out how to keep the shutters connected and aligned. I figured that affixing a wood plank to the back would be the best and sturdiest option. I went to Home Depot and it was harder than I thought to pick out the right pieces of wood. I needed something strong enough to hold up the heavy shutters but not too thick that they would be sticking off the wall. I ended up with 2 pieces of 1 x 4 x 8 and 1 piece of 1 x 2 x 8. I had already measured the total length of the shutters so I had the sales associate cut the pieces down to 66 inches, no problem.

I decided to hang the shutters on the wall since they weren't long enough to stand on the ground. If I had the resources and the time, I would have attached them to wooden posts instead - like a REAL headboard - and stood them up behind the bed. Unfortunately I don't have a saw, a wood shop or the patience to do all that. I went to the Home Depot to find some sort of brackets and they had nothing. I was actually disappointed with their hanging options in the hardware section; my big idea was to find sturdy L brackets, screw them into the wall and slide the wood backing right onto them. However, no L brackets to be found.
I ended up at Ace Hardware where I have always had good luck finding the things I need. They didn't have L brackets either but the sales associate directed me to flush mounts which create an almost seamless hanging transition between the wall and your object. They just slide right together! Easier said then done...

I attached on side of the flush mounts to the wood backing and the opposing side to the wall. The toughest part was making sure that when the wall and the headboard met, that the flush mounts were aligned properly. This involved a lot of measuring, marking and trial and error. When it came to actually hanging the headboard, it was very difficult to see where the flush mounts were on the wall because they were so small and the headboard was so large. After multiple efforts, Andrew and I finally got the darn thing hooked up. It was hard, we were sweaty but at least it looks pretty. 

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