---
title: "How to Attach a Headboard"
description: "Simple guide to fitting strutted, floor-standing and wall-mounted headboards to UK beds and divans."
url: "https://bedguide.co.uk/beds/attach-a-headboard/"
category: "beds"
primary_entity: "attach headboard to bed"
date_published: 2026-08-03
date_modified: 2026-08-28
---

# How to Attach a Headboard

> Strutted headboards bolt into sockets on a divan or frame. Floor-standing headboards sit on their own legs or depth against the wall. Match width to the bed size. Use the right bolts and spacer blocks so the board clears a thick mattress. Wall-mounted boards need solid wall fixings, not only plasterboard plugs for heavy upholstered panels.

Structural components: headboard panel, struts or legs, bolts and washers, optional spacer blocks.

## Pick the fixing type

| Type | How it joins | Best when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Strutted** | Bolts into base sockets | You move the bed as one unit |
| **Floor-standing** | Legs / freestanding depth | Ottoman lids move, or you want a tall board |
| **Wall-mounted** | Fixed to the wall | Base changes or articulating beds |

See also [headboard types](/beds/headboards). Measure socket centres on [UK headboard strut centres](/beds/headboard-strut-centres) before you buy a board.

## Strutted fit (typical divan)

1. Offer the board at the head end.  
2. Align strut holes with sockets.  
3. Fit bolts and washers from the maker’s kit.  
4. Raise or lower to the marked slots if height is adjustable.  
5. Tighten snug — stop if fabric starts to crush.

## Floor-standing fit

1. Place the board against the wall.  
2. Push the bed base toward it so the mattress edge holds the board.  
3. Add spacer blocks if the sheet lists them for deep mattresses.  
4. Check the board cannot tip when you sit up.

## Safety notes

- Heavy upholstered boards need suitable wall anchors if wall-mounted.  
- Do not drill into unknown walls without checking pipes and cables.  
- On [ottomans](/beds/assemble-an-ottoman-bed), confirm the board does not block the lid.

## Related BedGuide entries

- [How to assemble a bed](/beds/how-to-assemble-a-bed)
- [Assemble a divan](/beds/assemble-a-divan-bed)
- [Fabrics and colours](/beds/bed-upholstery-fabrics-and-colours)
- [UK headboard strut centres](/beds/headboard-strut-centres)

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I fit a strutted headboard to a divan?

Slide or bolt the vertical struts into the head-end sockets on the divan. Set the height so pillows sit comfortably. Tighten bolts evenly. Do not leave struts loose — the board can rock and mark the wall.

### What are headboard spacer blocks for?

Spacer blocks push the headboard slightly away from the mattress edge so a deep mattress or pillow-top does not rub the board. They are common with floor-standing upgrades on ottomans and deep divans.

---

Source: https://bedguide.co.uk/beds/attach-a-headboard/ · BedGuide — educational encyclopedia, no affiliate commission. Facts checked against official sources where possible; see https://bedguide.co.uk/editorial-policy. Report an error: https://bedguide.co.uk/corrections.