Decorating DIY Decor How to Make a Pegboard Wall This pegboard wall gets a modern twist that makes adding and moving shelves easy with a large-scale grid. By Kathy Barnes and Jody Garlock Jody Garlock Jody is a home writer from Des Moines, Iowa, and a former editor at Better Homes & Gardens. She has been writing about the home space for more than two decades, primarily with a focus on remodeling. Jody has been featured in major publications like Better Homes & Gardens, Midwest Living, and Magnolia Journal.Jody has been providing remodeling insight for over two decades, spanning a multitude of publications including Midwest Living, Homes On The Water, Flea Market Style, and Magnolia Journal. She has a degree in journalism and mass communications from Iowa State University.She owns her own business, Garlock Communications, Inc., where her focus has been bringing color ideas and remodeling spaces of all shapes and sizes, from cozy apartments to massive manors. She also focuses on DIY remodeling ideas to show that a remodel can be done on any budget. Her DIY ideas have also been featured in Flea Market Style. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on February 8, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Nathan Kirkman Project Overview Total Time: 2 days Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $300 We first fell in love with the utilitarian pegboard wall behind master chef and television personality Julia Child. She was a pioneer in so many ways: Yes, in French cooking and television programming, but also in organization. She let us see her tools, and what a joy it was to observe her collection of copper pots, knives, measuring cups, and all those whisks hanging thoughtfully on a simple grid of holes and hooks. Everything had a place. She knew what she had, where to find it, and where to return it when she was done. She knew the power of pegboard. If you're like us, you've been trying to name and tame all the clutter of your life. There's the kitchen, sure. That room exists in a constant state of making messes and cleaning up, rinse and repeat. But there's also the messy toy room, the cluttered office, the craft room, and all those tools in the garage. Could getting organized be as simple as a pegboard wall? We were blown away when this basement office by Jenna and Brandon Curry of For Richard or Poorer surfaced. It takes the concept of the purchased Masonite pegboard used in Julia's kitchen and reimagines it in a decorative way. "We like the uniqueness and the ability to tailor it by adding shelves wherever we want," Jenna says. "It's not like a regular pegboard you could run out and buy." This bold, freshened-up pegboard look was made using 4x8-foot sheets of plywood and wood closet rods that were shortened into pegs. You only need basic tool skills plus some math to figure out hole placement. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Handsaw Drill Forstner bit Materials 1x2-inch Furring strips Wood screws Black paint Plywood sheets Scrap 2x4s Surfacing compound 80-grit sandpaper Primer and paint 1 1/4-inch Dowels (or wood closet rods) Instructions Agnese Biocchi Locate Studs Locate and mark the wall studs within the area you want to install the pegboard. Saw Furring Strips Saw the ends of the furring strips to match the width of your pegboard. The furring strips will act as spacers between the wall and pegboard so you can insert the pegs farther into the drilled holes and thereby provide support for the shelves and items hung on the pegs. Attach Furring Strips to Wall Use a drill to screw the furring strips to the studs in horizontal rows. Add enough rows to match the height of your pegboard. (If desired, you can create a “frame” with the furring strips to attach to the pegboard or install the furring strips vertically.) Paint Wall and Furring Strips Paint this behind-the-pegboard area—both the wall and furring strips—black for depth and to unify what will be visible through the drilled holes after the pegboard is attached. Agnese Biocchi Cut Plywood and Plan Hole Placements Cut plywood to fit the prepped wall area. We used 4×8-foot plywood sheets to cover the entire wall. Lay the plywood on a work surface, such as a driveway or basement floor, to plan the holes. Space the holes 10 inches apart, making sure none go across seams or would be cut off at the edges. For precise alignment, a chalk reel can create a grid across the plywood. Drill Holes and Attach Pegboard Use a 1¼-inch Forstner bit (or bit sized to your dowels) to drill holes where the grid lines intersect. When drilling, position holes on the 2×4s so the Forstner bit has a surface to bore into and doesn’t split the plywood as it goes through. Drill straight down into the 2×4 so the pegs will sit straight. Screw pegboard to furring strips. The Forstner bit, named after its inventor, is used to make large, clean holes, typically ones that have flat bottoms rather than holes that go clear through. Although a more common spade bit could be used for this project, the holes wouldn't be as smooth. Forstner bits are often used with a drill press but can be used with a handheld drill. Add Finishing Details Apply surfacing compound on seams and screw holes; let dry, then sand. Prime and paint pegboard. Agnese Biocchi Cut and Sand Dowels For this project, poplar closet rods were chosen. They can be cut to length using a table saw; ours are 9 inches long. This length allowed for pegs that protrude about 8 inches to hold a shelf. Many home centers will cut the wood for you for a small charge or sometimes for free for minimal cuts. Also, if doing this yourself, a miter box can help ensure straight cuts. Lightly sand one end of the cut pegs if needed to fit into the holes, but make sure they will still fit snugly—the tighter the peg, the sturdier the shelf. Cut Shelves For shelves, cut pieces of the plywood (use scrap pieces if you have them) sized to fit across the pegs. These shelves are 8 inches deep; some are 12 inches long and supported by two pegs, and others are 24 inches long and supported by three pegs. Cut extra pegs and shelves so you can add to or rearrange the pegboard.