How to Attach a Headboard to an Adjustable Bed Frame

Adjustable beds come with a lot of advantages. They’re great for your health, they can help relieve pain, and they may even reduce the symptoms of common illnesses like sleep apnea.

One big drawback of adjustable bases is their setup. Many times, setting up an adjustable base can be harder than setting up a regular one. If it’s got a headboard, footboard, and/or side rails, it could be even harder. The good news is if you do a little research, you can make setup much easier on yourself. Let’s talk about how.

1. Ensure the Headboard Kit Has All Components

There are a few things that should come in your headboard bracket kit, including bracket channels, flanges, bolts, nuts, and washers. Ensure you have the correct type and number.

Some headboard bracket sets may also come with a tool pack containing some of the tools necessary to put the mounting gear together, but these tools are often no substitute for your own screwdriver and/or wrench set.

2. Find Which Bracket Attachment You Have

Before you get started with this step, adjust the head of your bed to its highest setting so that it’s lifted away from your workspace.

There are two basic configurations for headboard brackets: bolt-on and hook-on. Bolt-on setups have pre-drilled holes for you to attach the headboard using nuts and bolts or screws. Hook-on configurations have slits that allow you to hook your headboard onto the bed frame.

3. Attach the Brackets

Once you’ve figured out how your brackets go into the bed frame, it’s time to put them on. Make sure you’re reading the instructions that come with your headboard mount kit before you get started, but all the instructions should follow a similar set of steps:

• First, you’ll need to attach the headboard bracket channels to the headboard base and then secure the headboard bracket flanges to these channels.
• Make sure there are at least two inches of clearance between the brackets and the edge of the bed. This ensures your mattress won’t catch or scrape against the headboard when you adjust your bed.
• Tighten the bolts or screws to the point they’re secure but not too snug.

4. Take Measurements

You’ll want to make sure your brackets are the correct distance apart. If your brackets’ mounting holes don’t line up with the holes or hooks on your headboard, you’ll need to adjust by sliding the flanges until everything lines up. This ensures there’s a fit before you lift your headboard into place.

5. Attach the Headboard

Depending on whether you have a hook-on or bolt-on configuration, you’ll either need to line up the holes and bolt the headboard on or lift it up and hook it into place. Having a helping hand for this last step (and the whole setup if possible) makes this portion of the process a lot easier.

After you’ve got the headboard installed, lower your adjustable bed back to the flat position so you can ensure the mattress has enough clearance.

FAQs

What if I have a wall-mounted headboard?

Wall-mounted headboards can be a better option for some adjustable frame users because they attach to the wall rather than the bed. To install this type of headboard, you’ll first have to lift your headboard to the height you want it and mark the wall so you know where to drill your holes.

Once you’ve determined the ideal height of your headboard, make sure you’re drilling your headboard mounting holes into the wall studs so the headboard’s weight doesn’t rip out your drywall.

Using your drill, create pilot holes in the studs, then install a headboard attachment like French cleats or Z-clips depending on your personal preference and/or the type of hardware your headboard has.

After you mount the headboard on the wall, just push your adjustable bed up against it, leaving enough clearance for you to change the bed’s position settings.

How do I attach my footboard?

That depends on the configuration of your bed frame. Many times, if your adjustable bed frame has a footboard, this piece will just hook onto the bed’s side rails. It may also come with a bolt-on configuration. Make sure you’re following the adjustable bed base’s setup instructions for installing the footboard.

Does my bed even need a headboard?

Whether you get a new headboard is totally a matter of personal preference. Headboards help support normal bed frames, and they can also protect your wall from abrasion.

However, since adjustable beds cannot be pushed all the way up against the wall to begin with, headboards don’t serve any practical purpose for an adjustable bed. They’re just decorative.

If you’re going for a bold or luxe look, you probably don’t want to skip the headboard, but if you like a more modern minimalist look, neither a headboard nor footboard is necessary for your adjustable bed to function properly.

Which mattress should I use for my adjustable bed?

There are four basic types of mattresses: memory foam, latex foam, hybrids, and innersprings. The best mattress for an adjustable bed is a memory foam mattress, though latex mattresses and hybrid mattresses both make fine alternatives.

The only mattress you really shouldn’t use on an adjustable bed is an innerspring. Innerspring mattresses don’t have the ability to flex enough to conform to an adjustable bed. They’ll stay straight while your bed moves underneath them. This will wear the coils out, make sleeping in your bed impossible, and may even break your coil mattress.

What’s the zero-gravity position on an adjustable bed?

The zero-gravity position is a neutral position meant to reduce stress on the body. You’re in this position when you have your head elevated at a 120-degree angle in comparison to your thighs and your knees bent at or just above the level of your heart.

Sleeping in a zero-gravity position has many benefits—it takes stress off your body and has tons of benefits, including improved breathing, reduced back and joint pain, improved heart health, and reduced inflammation.

Bottom Line

Attaching an adjustable bed’s headboard doesn’t have to give you a headache. Many modern headboards come with an easy assembly design to make the process as hassle-free as possible. Even if setting up your headboard does prove to be more of a pain than you’d have liked, the good news is you only have to do it once or twice.