Boost Your Kitchen Storage With Pegboard on a Wall

Pegboard is already a familiar sight on garage and craft room walls for organizing hand tools and supplies. So why hasn’t this easily adaptable material made its way to the kitchen more often? Julia Child championed the use of pegboard in her own Cambridge, Massachusetts, kitchen decades ago. Her collection of pots and pans hung on a humble pegboard wall, and she even drew outlines of each piece so she knew where everything went.

Indeed, wall-mounted pegboard is an overlooked material that’s great for maximizing storage while allowing for flexibility. In particular, small kitchens with limited cabinet space can benefit from the use of pegboard. Not only is it economical, but it is easy to work with, blends with any style and can be customized in different configurations or painted to complement a scheme. Some may say it’s even cute.

Project: Use pegboard on your kitchen walls for storage.

What: Pegboard is a generic term used for predrilled perforated hardboard. Hardboard (often generically called by its brand name, Masonite) is traditionally made from wood fibers that are saturated with steam, pressurized and heated with a thin coat of linseed oil, a process called tempering. The process forms rigid, durable boards that are water and impact resistant.

Some pegboard has a smooth front side and a textured back side, while others are smooth on both sides. (For a wall application, however, the back side’s finish doesn’t matter.)

Pegboard comes in 2-foot by 4-foot, 4 foot by 4-foot and 4 foot by 8 foot sheets that are ⅛ inch, 3/16 inch or ¼-inch thick. Sizes vary by manufacturer. The ¼-inch-thick and 3/16-inch-thick boards should work fine in the kitchen. The ⅛-inch-thick option may be too thin and should be used only for installations for lighter gadgets and utensils. Holes are typically on 1-inch centers, but the diameters vary from 9/32 to ⅛ inch. Just make sure your hooks work with the pegboard hole diameter.


Why: Many homeowners and renters have small kitchens with limited cabinet storage; an unused wall, or even a portion of it, can be transformed into an efficient storage space. A wall-mounted pegboard installation protrudes minimally, about an inch. In comparison to a wall-mounted pot holder, it is less likely to interfere with cabinet or refrigerator door swings. You can also engulf as much or as little of the wall in pegboard as you desire — even custom shapes. This designer of this cozy Birmingham, Alabama, kitchen maximized storage by utilizing the entire wall.

Another advantage is that this system is endlessly flexible. You can add, subtract or move the hooks around as you please. Pegboard is also somewhat sound absorptive, because it’s fibrous and has holes. Less clanging in the kitchen is likely welcomed by all.

Tip: It’s best to install pegboard on a wall away from your cooktop, as you want to minimize contact with steam and cooking oil.


If you think you don’t have any spare wall space in your kitchen, look again. Designer Jennifer Ott created hanging storage for all her pans by installing a skinny strip of beguiling turquoise pegboard inside her pantry on what was otherwise wasted space.


DIY or hire? A wall-mounted pegboard project is pretty easy to do yourself if you have the tools and some patience. I suggest having a helper, because hardboard is on the heavy side and you’ll need more than two hands to install it. However, if you are all thumbs and don’t feel you’re cut out for it, hire a carpenter or handyperson.

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Cost: This project is pleasantly economical. A 4-foot by 4-foot finished project (without hooks) should run about $75 at most. Aside from the pegboard, many folks may have the rest of the materials already on hand as leftovers from previous projects, so it could cost even less. Plan to spend $10 to $40 for a sheet of pegboard, depending on the thickness and size.

Hooks and such: There’s a bevy of pegboard accessories on the market. J-hooks have two little “nibs” that lock into two peg holes and, true to the name, have a simple J-shaped hook. These are typically good for smaller items but can sometimes be too small and cumbersome to hold pots and pans (you have to angle the pan vertically to follow the curve of the hook).

Angled hooks are similar to J-hooks, but instead of the curve, they sport a flat, angled arm. Angled hooks and S-hooks tend to be good for hanging pots and pans. It’s a good idea to get a few of each instead of all one type. There’s also specialty shelving for pegboard, so you’ll likely find exactly what you’re looking for.

Browse pegboards and hardware


Process: There are a couple of different approaches to installing pegboard. One is to build a simple wood frame from 1-by-2s with one or more interior supports screwed into wall studs, and then anchor the pegboard to the frame. This approach is best if you have an odd size or configuration planned.

First, prime and paint your pegboard. Use a small roller for even application; a brush would probably cause drips down the hole interiors. You’ll likely need two coats, and don’t forget to paint the exterior edges. It’s best to choose a paint with a semigloss or gloss finish for durability, as a flat paint finish will quickly show marks and won’t be wipeable. Designer Killy Scheer painted this pegboard a foggy gray to match the urban kitchen’s wall color.

Be sure to have the hooks you’re going to use on hand so you can determine the depth needed behind the pegboard to both maneuver the hooks in and out and to have the proper clearance once they’re hanging. This depth measurement will determine the thickness of the wood support you’ll need, if you’re choosing that method. A 1-by-2 would likely be fine, but you may need larger pieces of lumber if your hooks are very large and deep. (Remember, “1-by2” is a nominal measurement; the piece is actually ¾ inch by 1½ inches.)

You’ll need to install a wood picture-frame-shaped support on the wall with one or more intermediate supports, depending on how large the pegboard installation is and the weight of the items hanging on it. Typically the frame is inset a few inches from the edge of the pegboard, so the pegboard appears to “float” off the wall. Be aware that you won’t be able to hang anything on the areas of the pegboard that have the wood supports behind. Screw the wood supports into wall studs, then screw your pegboard to the wood supports.


The second method is using a premade spacer inclusive of a screw and anchor, which eliminates the need to create a wood support. Triton makes a nifty one (DuraHook Steel/Plastic Pegboard Mounting and Spacer Kit). It screws into one of the pegboard holes and works with ⅛-inch and ¼-inch pegboard thicknesses. DiamondLife’s Self Stick Spacer works in a similar manner with both its hardboard and metal pegboard materials and anchoring hardware. You would be wise to also purchase the company’s coordinating hooks and accessories, as premade spacers are designed to complement the dimensions of their accessories.


Kitchen Pegboard Organizer Kit - $79.99The premade route is best for wall installations that can accommodate a square or rectangular piece of pegboard, and when size and aesthetic requirements are flexible. The system seen here, by Wall Pegboard, is made from powder-coated metal, and comes framed and with slotted hooks. However, it’s available only in 16-inch by 32-inch panels. Color availability also tends to be limited (and on the bright side) with premade pegboard systems. Metal pegboard also has a decidedly contemporary look versus the hardboard material, which transitions more easily into more traditional kitchen schemes.

More:
The 15 Most Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas on Houzz
Trick Out Your Kitchen Backsplash for Storage and More

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