Pegboard FAQ
Straight answers to the pegboard questions we hear most — what the holes measure, how to hang a board so the hooks actually stay put, and whether a garage board and a SKÅDIS-compatible one follow the same rules. Each answer is short, and every one points to the full guide. When you're ready, plan your own wall in the free planner.
Not affiliated with IKEA. SKÅDIS is a trademark of Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
Pegboard terms
Four words show up in every answer below. Here's what they mean in plain English.
- Pitch
- The centre-to-centre distance between one hole and the next. Pitch decides which hooks and accessories line up with your board — it's why a SKÅDIS-compatible hook won't sit on a garage board. The spacing question below has the exact numbers; our garage sizes & hole spacing and SKÅDIS sizes & dimensions guides cover each.
- Standoff
- The small gap between the board and the wall behind it. Pegboard hooks curl behind the panel to lock, so the board has to sit roughly half an inch off the wall — a furring strip or spacer washers do the job. How to hang a pegboard walks through it.
- Footprint
- The set of holes an item actually occupies once it's on the grid. A wide bin might span several holes across; knowing each item's footprint is how you tell whether two pieces will collide before you drill. The planner works this out as you drag.
- Clearance
- The breathing room an item needs around and below it so it doesn't bump a neighbour, the bench, or the floor. Plan it in and a crowded wall still works; ignore it and your longest tools end up fighting each other.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pegboard and how does it work?
A pegboard is a flat panel of evenly spaced holes that you hang tools and bins on with hooks. Each hook slots into a hole and its end curls behind the board to lock, so you can move any tool without moving a shelf. Garage boards use round holes; SKÅDIS-compatible boards use slots. Sketch your wall in the free planner before you buy a single hook.
What hole spacing do pegboards use?
Two of them. Garage hardboard pegboard is 1 inch (25.4 mm) on a square grid — the universal US standard. SKÅDIS-compatible boards measure about 40 mm on a staggered lattice of vertical slots. The ¼-inch and ⅛-inch labels you see describe hole size and board thickness, not spacing. Our garage sizes and hole-spacing guide and the SKÅDIS sizes and dimensions page cover both in full.
How do I hang a pegboard?
Mount it on a standoff. Find the wall studs, screw a furring strip or spacer washers behind the board so it stands about half an inch off the wall, then drive screws into the studs and level it. That gap is what lets a hook's curl seat behind the panel. Our how-to-hang guide walks the full four-step sequence; follow your mounting-hardware instructions, and ask a pro about the wall itself.
Why do my pegboard hooks fall out?
Usually because the board is mounted flush to the wall. A hook's end curls behind the panel to lock in, and flush to the drywall there's nowhere for that curl to go, so the hook lifts straight out under load. A roughly half-inch standoff fixes it, and matching the right hook to the job helps too — our hooks and accessories guide covers the styles.
Are IKEA SKÅDIS-compatible boards the same as garage pegboards?
No — they use different hole systems. Garage hardboard pegboard has round holes on a 1-inch square grid and takes standard pegboard hooks. A SKÅDIS-compatible board uses vertical slots on a roughly 40 mm staggered lattice, so it needs accessories made for that slot. Hooks don't swap between the two. Our which-pegboard guide compares them side by side to help you choose.
Can I plan and print a pegboard layout for free?
Yes — free, and no account needed. Pegboardly's planner runs entirely in your browser: drag your real tools onto the grid, check everything fits and clears its neighbours, then export a true 1:1 template and a parts list. Print at 100%, never fit-to-page, and the holes land exactly where your plan put them. Open the planner whenever you're ready.