How to Turn an Interior Door into a Headboard

Doors in homes built before 1950 are typically made of solid wood, whether oak, maple, chestnut, or mahogany. They've got heft, and they make a satisfying thump when you knock. They also have sturdy stiles and rails that frame handsome panels in a variety of configurations, depending on the home's architectural style.

At most salvage yards you’ll find row upon row of these paneled doors, many made from old-growth timber, typically starting at about $60 each. Among my favorite creative reuse projects is to tip a series of these doors on their sides to serve as wainscoting along interior walls, a trick I learned from Brad Kittel of Discovery Architectural Antiques in Gonzales, Texas.

Or a single door can be used as a platform for a hanging daybed suspended by chains, a fun idea that This Old House reader Kodie Ketchbaw put into action as a way to create extra seating on the porch of her home in Old Hickory, Tennessee. A door can also double as a bulletin board in a home office. Simply glue cork sheets to the recessed panels for tacking notes. Or, brush the panels with blackboard paint for kids to doodle on.

For my own door "upcyling" project, I made a stylish wall-hung headboard with built-in sconces that serve as reading lamps. Follow along for the how-to.