DIY Cane Headboard (with Free Plans!)

Thank you to Kreg for this DIY cane headboard project! All opinions are entirely my own. This post also contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldn’t recommend wholeheartedly. Read my full disclosure here.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of the cane furniture trend that has hit the world by storm. I even created a whole blog post about the rattan furniture trend last year.

So it makes sense that I’ve been dreaming about DIY versions of cane furniture for a while now.

When it came time to plan Quinn’s room upgrade to get it ready for our short term rental conversion and put in a Queen sized bed, I knew that I wanted to try a DIY cane headboard.

Kreg’s 720PRO Pocket Hole Jig

If you’ve been around awhile, you know that we are big fans of the Kreg pocket hole system. We’ve built so many projects using our K5 Pocket Hole Jig, we even have a super detailed guide and video about how to use it that you can check out here.

But in 2021 Kreg released brand new pocket hole systems that are replacing the K4 and K5, and the upgrades are pretty freakin’ awesome.

The new 720PRO (which we were using for this DIY cane headboard) and the 520PRO (which replaced the smaller K4 system) were improved a ton, the most noticeable change being that they are easier to set up and use – score.

Pocket hole joinery is definitely one of the easiest ways to join wood in woodworking projects. It’s our favorite hidden weapon for beginning woodworkers!

Want to learn more? I wrote a super detailed guide & created a video all about how to set up your Kreg 720PRO Pocket Hole and use it, so be sure to check that out too!

We teamed up with our friends Kreg again for this DIY cane headboard to create the plans and share them online for free, which are now available on KregTool.com!

Kreg Tool is chocked full of so many easy-to-follow FREE woodworking plans! I promise that you are going to find so much inspiration while you’re there!

DIY Cane Headboard – Video Tutorial

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DIY Cane Headboard – Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Cut and sand wood

• Refer to the visual cut list in the woodworking plans (which you can download here) and cut the wood pieces accordingly using a miter saw.
• Lightly sand all wood pieces using an orbital sander with 80 and then 150 grit sandpaper.

Step 2. Drill pocket holes

• Follow the woodworking plans to drill pocket holes.
• We used the 720 Pro.

Step 3. Assemble

• Construct the headboard frame using pocket holes and 1 ¼” inch pocket hole screws.
• We ensured squareness by clamping the pieces with the Kreg clamp table before screwing them together.

Step 4. Sand headboard

• Smooth all surfaces with 150-grit sandpaper and an orbital sander.
• Wipe surfaces thoroughly to remove sanding dust.

Step 5. Finish

• Apply stain/oil or paint as desired.
• For a natural finish, we used clear spray lacquer.

Step 6. Prep cane webbing

• Submerge cane webbing in water for 30 minutes to 4 hours to allow expansion.
• When you attach the dampened webbing to the headboard frame, it contracts when drying – giving you a tight finish.

Step 7. Attach cane

• Unroll damp cane webbing and pat dry with a towel.
• Cut into three pieces, leaving a few inches of overhang on each side of the frame.
• Apply wood glue to the thin wood strips and affix them over the webbing on the backside of the headboard.
• Secure by stapling, ensuring tautness. Repeat the process for the other sections of the headboard.

• Cut off excess cane when finished using a utility knife.

Step 8. Mount headboard to wall

• To hang it on the wall, you can create your own French cleat using scrap wood by cutting one piece at a 25-degree angle with a table saw.
• Screw one piece of the cleat onto the wall and nail the other to the back of the headboard.
• Alternatively, use a pre-made metal cleat or another preferred method for mounting.

Ready to see how the super adorable DIY rattan headboard turned out?

The DIY cane headboard is just PERFECT in this space, don’t you think?

I absolutely love how it turned out! It was so easy to build and fairly inexpensive as well!

We used this metal base for the bed frame and purchased this mattress for the space as well.

For the bedding, I grabbed this budget-friendly comforter and paired it with some soft navy throw pillows and a gray pillow with tassels. This cozy chenille throw blanket is the perfect finishing touch, too!

We’ll likely swap out the bedding when we leave, so this was perfect for the time being and it really makes it still feel like a little girls’ room.

UPDATE: After we built this headboard, we thought it needed a matching nightstand. Check out the DIY boho nightstand here!

This easy-to-build DIY cane headboard was SO fun to make! And the best part is that we’re giving away the free woodworking plans so you can make it too!

So even if you’re not ready to build a whole DIY bed frame, you can make this easy headboard for a beginner-friendly alternative.