The Pegboard Project

I keep all of my tools in 2 toolboxes that sit on a cabinet in my garage. This makes it easy for me to take my tools wherever I go. The problem is that I never go anywhere with my tools. I only use them in my garage. A downside of this approach is that I have to dig through my toolbox to find the proper tool. This is especially annoying when trying to find the correctly sized box wrench. So I am paying the price of difficult search for the benefit of transportability without ever using the advantage.

My solution was to mount a pegboard to the wall and hang the tools.

1. There is a local hardware store, Pagano's, about 3 blocks from where I live. The first step was to go get the pegboard. The pegboard is sold in 4'x8' sheets or 2'x4' pieces. I have a Smart car, so I was going to opt for 2'x4' pieces. Pagano's was out of those, so the clerk offered to cut pieces for me. Since he had to use a 4'x8' sheet, I offered to buy the whole sheet and asked that he just cut the sheet into 2 4'x'4' pieces. I hoped that these would fit in my car. After cutting the pieces, the clerk told me that this was my lucky day. He accidentally used a sheet of pegboard that was intended for a store display. It had already been painted white. Alas, after paying for and getting the pieces, they would not fit in my car. So I left my car at the store, carried the pieces home, walked back, and then drove my car home. So we're off to a great start.

2. The next step was to move everything our of the way so that I could work.

   

3. Pegboards can't go flush against the wall because you need some space behind the board for the hooks. I originally thought I would place a 2"x4" behind the entire top and bottom of the pegboard. Unfortunately, that would have blocked a great number of holes for an entire 4" strip along the top and bottom of the board. So I decided to just use a few small pieces of 2"x4" to avoid blocking so many peg holes.

   

4. About 7 years ago, our tankless water heater required the installation of a large pipe to supply the gas. This pipe is on the wall where the pegboard was to go. You can see that laying a 2"x4" flat is just a little too small. As we all know, 2"x4" boards aren't really 2" thick.

   

5. So I cut 12 2" pieces and drilled starter holes so the wood would not split.

   

6. These 2" pieces would do the trick.

   

7. Rather than use a tape measure, I just laid the boards against the wall so I could see where the edges were.

   

8. I had some 3" screws left over from another project.

   

9. I could tell where the wall studs were from the nails that were in the drywall. I attached the backing pieces to the wall with the 3" screws.

   

10. I hung the 2 4'x4' pieces.

    

    At this point, my wife, Sheryl, comes outside and points out that the cabinet will block a big portion of the pegboard, so why didn't I put some of the board to the right of the window? I thought "Where were you 45 minutes ago?" So I decided to go back to the hardware store and get another piece. Although on the previous trip the clerk thought they were totally out of stock, he found 1 remaining 24"x48" piece and cut it for me to fit the space. Unfortunately, this time, the piece was not painted. Even so, this clerk is employee of the month in my book.

11. Here is the spot where the piece goes. A 2" spacer block will work for 3 of the 4 corners. Unfortunately, the wall slopes and the upper right corner requires a 2.5" piece.

    

12. So I cut 3 2" pieces and 1 2.5" piece. The problem with the 2.5" piece is now the 3" screws aren't really long enough.

    

13. So I used a 1/2" drill bit to countersink 1/2" into the piece. The screw will still have 2" to hold, and the pegboard can still be attached flush to the surface.

    

14. So now all 3 pegboard pieces were in place.

    

    I am sorry the picture above is blurry, but you get the idea.

15. I was not happy that the 2 big pieces did not line up exactly.

    

16. So I used one of the 3" screws to clamp one piece of pegboard closer to the wall and made them line up.

    

    I wasted one peg hole, but I can live with that.

17. I put everything back so I could see what peg holes I actually had available.

    

18. I painted the extra 24"x28" piece so all pieces looked the same.

    

19. I hung the tools.

    

    Now I can easily grab exactly which tool I want.

Organization is alive in the lab.