Want an adjustable shelf to display your fancy collections? Here is an easy DIY to build one. This peg wall shelf design is versatile, expandable and adaptable. You can add shelves or remove to make room according to the items you want to display. I built this to display Naveen’s model car collections. He is very fond of cars. Ever since we got married, I gift him real looking model car kits as one of his birthday presents. It became my little tradition every year. So, this collection will grow and I wanted to build some display especially for his collections with room to expand. Peg board concept seemed to be the best for me. It is very easy to build and install. Also, we can easily dismantle and reuse while moving, which is also very important.
This tutorial will help you build your own wall shelf. You can improvise this design with multiple verticals and longer shelves or build it for the whole height of wall. It all depends upon what would you like to show case there and how big of wall space do you have.
Materials used
- 1 x 4s – 2 nos
- 1 x 2s – 1 no
- 1/2″dia Dowel
- Paint of your choice
- Clear Polyurethane
- 2.5″ wood screws with anchors
Tools used
- Jig saw
- Miter box + saw
- Clamps + Measuring Tape
- Power drill
- Wood boring spade bit – 1/2″
- Sanding block
- Paint brush + Painter’s tape
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DIY Peg wall shelf
Step – 1 : Cut
Cut 1×2 into 3’3″ length – 2 nos, 1×4 into 2’3″ length – 4 nos and wood dowel into 8 nos of 4.5″ length.
Step – 2 : Drill peg holes
Decide which side of the wood you want to face up. Then, clamp the two 1×2 s together and start to mark the center of the holes starting from one side at 3 inch interval. As the wood is clamped together, it will be easy to mark & drill the holes in same alignment. I applied painters tape on the wood and made my markings over that. This way you can avoid pencil marks on the wood if you decide not to paint over it. Next, clamp it to a table with backing scrap wood and drill with 1/2″ spade bit.
Tip: Measure the depth of the wood and Add painter’s tape on the spade bit. It will give you a mark when to stop drilling.
Step – 3 : Sand & Personalize
Sand all the wood pieces and the dowels to smooth their edges. The dowels were little tight to fit into the peg holes. So, I had to sand down the dowel sides to help them fit snug into the peg holes. Wipe down sanded wood with tack cloth and paint however you like. Or just finish with clear polyurethane. We just wanted to paint the verticals grey.
Step – 4 : Mount
The vertical 1x2s should be mounted first at 12″ to 16″ distance. Pre drill 2 holes on the 1×2 – first one at 1.75″ distance from top and another at 1.75″ distance from bottom. Either screw in directly into the studs (mostly only one can be aligned) or use drywall anchors. Remember to check level before fixing. Otherwise you will end up with crooked shelves.
Next, dowels go in the peg holes and then mount the 1×4 shelves. It was spot on!
Now its ready to be decorated with your belongings. In my case, its my husband’s model car collections! Best part of this design is that we can even add more shelves in future for more cars or re-arrange the shelves to display any kind of belongings that we want to. Naveen totally loved this peg shelf for his collection.
Mission accomplished!
If you like this Peg wall shelf you might also like this phone stand made from peg shelf’s scrap wood.