Adding a new headboard to your existing bed may seem daunting, when in fact with a little help it is super simple.
We have 2 standard headboard fixing methods and a third up our sleeve for special instances.
- Fixing to the bed via plywood moulded struts
- Fixing your headboard to the wall with a Wall mounting pack means you will mount the headboard separately to your bed. This gives an entirely back to the wall, flush finish and is very convenient for vacuuming.
- Making your headboard floor standing will remove the need for it to affix to your bed at all, or to the wall. Our headboards are not floor standing as standard as it means hiding a lot of expensive fabric behind your bed and can hinder access when delivering. To order a floor standing headboard, pease call or email us and we will help you. Floor standing headboards are made with a skirting board cut out so they go back to the wall and are supplied with wall retaining brackets to ensure safety.
Do all headboards fit all beds?
The UK standard for bed fittings to take standard headboard struts is 6 ins in from the edge of the back of your divan bed base.
Our plywood moulded struts are fully adjustable using clever slots on the bed fixing part and on the headboard part offering some fitting tolerance.
What is the history behind bed sizes?
Not so long ago, bed sizes were measured in feet and inches.
Single – 3ft wide
Double – 4ft 6ins wide
Kingsize – 5 ft wide
Super King – 6 ft wide
Emperor simply didn’t exist!
… and then we all went metric. To keep bed sizes simple, bed manufacturers thought it best to ’round’ their measurements to end in a zero.
Ie, A 6ft bed would actually have become 183cm, which is what 6ft actually is in metric. So a 6ft wide bed became 180 cm wide to make it nice and neat in numbers.
We’ve kept our headboard measurements to reflect the actual metric conversion of the imperial sizes, which also makes them slightly oversized for a luxurious finish once all your bedding is in place. They fit onto the metric beds perfectly and are designed to do so.
What are the standard UK sizes of Beds?
| BED SIZE NAME | BED WIDTH MEASURES | HEADBOARD MEASURES* |
| Single | 90 cm/ 3 ft | 93 cm wide |
| Small Double | 120 cm/4 ft | 121 cm wide |
| Double | 137 cm/4 ft 6 ins | 137 cm wide |
| Kingsize | 150 cm/5 ft | 153 cm wide |
| Super King | 180 cm/6 ft | 183 cm wide |
| Emperor (Small 6ft 6ins) | 200 cm/6 ft 6 ins | 200 cm wide |
| Emperor (Large, 7ft) | 213.4 cm/7 ft | 214 cm wide |
*As upholstery is a traditional skill and everything we make is made by hand, you should allow a tolerance of +1 cm to all measurements.
Super King Samson Bed in Faux Wool Blossom
Where will I find the fixings on my bed for my new headboard?
On the back of the head end of your divan, you will find 2 inset nuts, an upper and a lower. The centres of these nut holes which take the fixing bolts is found 6 inches in from the outside edge. They will be inset into timber.
Locate the vertical timber bar that the nuts are embedded into.
Run your finger up and down over the timber until you feel two depressions – these are likely to be the bolt holes.
They may be easily identifiable by a sticker placed over the hole by the manufacturer.
The fabric covering the holes may not be pierced yet.
NB: If you can’t find them, they may be covered with material on the foot end of your bed and you may have your bed base in the wrong orientation – this is fixed simply by rotating your bed base.
My super king bed is 180cm wide, why are your super king headboards 183cm wide?
We make all our headboards slightly wider than your bed so that they do not look mean when they are dressed with all your sheets, mattress protector, pillows and duvets. This is a luxury feature included in our service as standard. However, the plywood moulded strut placement takes this into account and have been designed to fit a bed that is 180cm wide.
Are your website headboard measurements accurate?
The measurements given on our website represent the raw, un-upholstered board dimensions. As upholstery is a traditional skill and everything we make is made by hand, you should allow a tolerance of +1 cm to all measurements.
Do you make Headboards for European Sizes of Beds?
We make everything ourselves so this is no problem. We are often asked for European King sizes which are 160 cm and fall between the dimensions of our Super King (180cm wide) and Kingsize (150 cm wide) standard sizes. If you need a headboard that is 160 cm wide we will modify a super king headboard to make it smaller for you. We will need you to provide the measurement from the edge of your bed to the centre of the headboard fixing holes if you wish to use plywood moulded struts as your fixing method. We recommend wall mounting where possible.
Can I fit one of your headboards to my existing bed?
Yes, you can. If you have a standard UK divan then the bolt holes that accept the struts will be found on the back of the bed base and are positioned as an industry standard. If you are unsure or have a different type of bed base, we highly recommend wall mounting your new headboard or ordering a floor standing headboard.
What are the advantages of wall mounting a headboard?
Wall mounting your new headboard removes any doubt that your headboard will work with your bed. It then becomes its own stand alone item. Other advantages include ease of cleaning and a very smart back to the wall look of a ‘floating’ headboard.
How do the Plywood Moulded Struts affix?
We have a fully comprehensive video demonstration of how to fit your headboard using the adjustable plywood moulded struts here.
