HANGING & WALL MOUNTING

Put up a pegboard on a solid brick or block wall

Plan, mark and fix a sturdy pegboard panel to your wall safely in one afternoon.

PB-01Confirm your wall is solid brick or blockThis guide is for solid masonry walls only. Tap the wall — a solid, dull knock all over means brick or block. If you hear a hollow sound in places, or a test hole brings out plasterboard dust instead of brick or mortar dust, you have a stud wall or dot-and-dab wall and this method does not apply — the fixings are different. Check a spot low down and out of sight first, such as behind where a sofa will sit.
PB-02Plan the position and mark a level lineDecide on the pegboard's position, keeping it clear of sockets, radiators and pipe runs where possible. Hold the board up (or measure its size) and mark the top edge height with a pencil. Use a spirit level to draw a true horizontal line across the wall — this is your reference line for everything else.
1 each · Pegboard panel, 6mm, 1220x610mm
1 each · Spirit level, 600mm
1 each · Tape measure
1 each · Pencil
PB-03Check for cables and pipes, and know your isolation pointsRun a cable and pipe detector over the whole marked area before you drill anything. Detectors can miss cables that are deep, in conduit, or outside the usual safe zones near sockets and switches, so treat every hole as if something could be there until you have drilled a little way and checked. Find your stopcock now — usually under the kitchen sink — and check it turns, so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt about what is behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
PB-04Fix a timber batten frame to the wallCut two or three battens to fit behind the pegboard's top, bottom and middle edges — this keeps the board rigid and lifts it 15-18mm off the wall so hooks have room to sit properly. Hold each batten level against your marked line and mark through it every 300-400mm for fixing points. Drill a 6mm hole into the brick or block at each mark to a depth of 50mm, using a masonry bit and pulsing the drill to clear dust as you go.
3 metre · Timber batten, 18x34mm, per metre
1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm
1 each · Drill
PB-05Insert wall plugs and screw the battens onBlow or vacuum the dust out of each hole, then push in a 6mm red or brown wall plug flush with the surface. Hold the batten up and drive a 60mm screw into each plug, checking with the spirit level as you go that the top batten stays true. Fully tighten each screw so the batten sits solid with no wobble.
1 pack · Wall plugs, 6mm (pack of 20)
1 pack · Wood screws, 60mm (pack of 20)
1 each · Hand brush or small vacuum
PB-06Fix the pegboard panel to the battensRest the pegboard against the battens and check it sits level. Drill 3mm pilot holes through the board into each batten, spacing them every 200-250mm around the edges, then drive 25-30mm screws through the board into the battens. Do not overtighten — thin pegboard can crack around the screw head.
1 pack · Wood screws, 25-30mm (pack of 20)
1 each · Drill bit, 3mm
PB-07Fit the hooks and test the loadPush pegboard hooks and fittings into the holes at the angle they're designed for — most simply hook downward into place. Hang your heaviest planned item first and check nothing flexes or pulls the board away from the battens. Adjust hook spacing to spread weight evenly across the panel.
1 pack · Pegboard hooks, assorted (pack of 30)
PB-08Clear up and do a final checkVacuum up brick dust and offcuts from the floor and skirting. Wipe down the wall and board with a damp cloth to remove dust before you load it up properly. Step back, check the board is level and firmly fixed, then load it with your tools or kit.
1 each · Vacuum cleaner
1 each · Damp cloth

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