DIY Storage guide: Making your own pegboard shelf

by Teresa Merelman, Broker 04/23/2025

Wooden pegboard shelving units are a simple and cost-effective DIY storage solution. Extremely versatile and durable, pegboard shelving is perfect for anything from tool storage to jewelry organization and is one of the easier DIY storage ideas. If you’re interested in making a custom pegboard shelving unit, here is a guide to help:

DIY Pegboard tools & materials

The size of your pegboard is completely up to preference and how much storage space you need. If you plan to use your pegboard for office supplies or personal accessories, consider using a smaller base and thinner pegs.

¾ inch plywood for the base
½ inch plywood pieces for shelves
Wooden dowels for pegs
Wood screws
Drill
Drum sander
Hand sander
Measuring tape
Pencil

Step-by-step guide

The first step to this DIY storage project is to carefully sand the entire piece of plywood for the base.
Once the base plywood is smooth, use your measuring tape to measure where the peg holes will go. It’s helpful to make a paper template to mark each peg hole if you prefer not to mark the plywood directly.
Following your marked spacing, drill holes with a ¾ inch bit.
Use the drum sander to smooth the edges of each peg hole. Be careful not to sand too much, or you might accidentally make the hole too large for the peg to fit tightly.
Cut your wooden dowels to the desired length. For this guide, use six-inch pegs.
Create the shelf boards by cutting the ½ inch plywood into six-inch lengths. You can make the shelves whatever width you prefer. A variety of shelf sizes makes for a versatile and aesthetically pleasing pegboard.
Sand all the shelf pieces to avoid splinters and splitting.
Drill the base of the pegboard to the wall using large wood screws.
With the pegboard base secured, it’s time to add the pegs and shelves. Arrange them however best fits your storage purposes.
Pegboards are an excellent example of DIY storage. By making a custom pegboard of your own, you can save space and stay organized.

About the Author

Teresa Merelman, Broker

Teresa's beginnings were at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She was child #5 of 8 and born into an Air Force family that moved all over the United States but usually ended up back in the Washington, D.C. area. Teresa attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and received her bachelor's degree in business from George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia. Some of her prior careers include: computer buyer in Fairfax, Virginia; Deputy Clerk at the U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado; Police Officer in Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and Bed & Breakfast owner in Stowe, Vermont. Teresa obtained her license as a Realtor® in 1998. She has been through many ups and downs in this profession and continues to learn every day. She very much enjoys the real estate profession and the wonderful people she has met and assisted along the way. In order to serve her clients and customers, Teresa continually attends classes and seminars. Some of her Designations and Certifications include:

ABR - Accredited Buyer Representative (2003)
CBR - Certified Buyer Representative (2000)
e-PRO - Internet Certified Professional (2001)
CNHS - Certified New Home Specialist (2005)
CRS - Certified Residential Specialist (2005)
AHS - Accredited Home-Stager Specialist (2008)
TRC - Transaction Referral Certification (2009)
RSPS - Resort and Second Home Specialist (2009)
GREEN - NAR's Green Designation (2009)
SFR - Short Sales & Foreclosures Certification (2009)
SRES - Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation (2012)
AHWD - At Home With Diversity (2021)
SRS - Seller Representative Specialist (2021)

Teresa has also served and continues to serve on several boards:

Lamoille Area Board of Realtors - President and Board of Directors
Vermont Association of Realtors - Board of Directors
NEREN (MLS) - Board of Directors and Shareholder
Vermont Real Estate Commission - as a member of VAR's Liaison Committee
Stowe Vibrancy - Board of Directors - this is a volunteer group that promotes activities in the Village of Stowe

In 2007, Teresa was named Vermont Realtor of the Year.Teresa and her husband, a local attorney, moved to Stowe in 1987. They had two sons and Stowe has been their home for the past 36 years. She still feels the Stowe area is a wonderful place to raise a family, there's always something going on. Teresa can often be found behind the lens of her camera documenting the beauty of the area and its many events.As an update, Teresa's older son is now a Doctor/resident at the University of New Mexico's Emergency Management Program. Her younger son graduated from James Mason University and currently resides in Chicago, IL as a supervisor for OKTA.