Chair + Palette Wood + Vinegar= Headboard?

In a previous post I talked about my overwhelming compulsion to use up scraps. Here is a project that I had been contemplating for almost a year but finally did. It started with a patio dining chair that broke last summer. I kept the sides thinking they could make something cool, even if just a wall piece. But with all the palette wood I still had in the garage, it seemed that combining both things would make for a great headboard. So a few weeks ago, in hope of a quick and simple project, I made it.

Construction took about two hours. It included adding a small connecting piece to make the headboard into a queen-size and attaching some supports to make it more rigid. Each piece of palette wood was cut individually to fit the curves. The bandsaw came in handy for this but a jigsaw could do the trick. Finally everything was nailed into place and that was it!

The wood had a lot of variation, which I liked, but some pieces looked too new. So I made a brew of steel wool, vinegar, and water. I kept it in a jar for a few days. The longer it is left, the darker it becomes. Then I just brushed it on. You don’t see it darken on contact but pretty quickly the wood reacts and it gains a patina. Below left shows immediately after I applied the brew and below right was just a few minutes later.

The finished project is rustic but the gentle curves make it graceful.