How To Build An Easy Pegboard Shelf (Not Using Wood)

Sometimes simple cardboard and contact paper can create things like this simple pegboard shelf. We love how we were able to repurpose items we already had to organize our kid craft room pegboard.

When we started to turn a small room in our basement into a craft room/homeschool room for our children, we knew we needed to include many ways to organize things. We are still working on making sure our children keep it that way (which is the story of my life)!

After our DIY floating desks were made, we added pegboards above the desks. Now finding the right and most inexpensive pegboard accessories was the next task.

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And if you need something to be inexpensive, where else do you head but to the Dollar Store?

I found a variety of baskets that would work with a simple hook accessory kit that I picked up at Home Depot.

I knew I wanted to use pegboard shelf brackets, but how was I going to make a pegboard shelf?

Wood Pegboard Shelf Idea (not what we did)

At first, my husband was going to cut some thin plywood we had outside. I was just too impatient, so I tried to come up with a more inventive pegboard solution that I could finish quickly.

How to build an easy pegboard shelf?

Just like any DIY project, we love that you can reuse supplies you already have. These simple shelves were exactly that type of project!

Easy pegboard shelf supplies exacto knife, contact paper and measuring tape

Recommended Supplies

Exacto Knife
Scissors (my favorite pair…yes I have a hands-down favorite pair of scissors)
Contact Paper (here is what we used)
Masking Tape
Cardboard
Pegboard Shelf Brackets

*A note about pegboard shelf brackets: My guess is that you could use a doll rod to also create these shelves. But we just purchase them because you can purchase the brackets in a variety of sizes and the 6″ ones cost under $1.

How To Make Shelf

1. Place pegboard hooks in slots at the distance you want.

2. Measure the distance and cut 2 pieces of cardboard. Our two shelves were 16” and 5 ½’ wide as I had bought the 6” pegboard hooks.

3. Tape the two pieces of cardboard together making sure that the front pieces are even.

4. Using the contact paper I had left from my file cabinet makeover, I wrapped the cardboard with the geometric contact paper. See the pictures below.

cardboard shelf being wrapped in contact paper

Wrapping pegboard shelf in contact paper

5. Rest the cardboard shelf on top of the hooks. I may even hot glue them once I have decided I am happy with our pegboard layout!

Pegboard Ideas

We have debated about how cohesive we wanted these pegboards to look. But I need to remember that this is supposed to be a creative space for our children.

Therefore, we are allowing the ownership of this space. I can’t wait to see how they add to this space, paint the wooden accessories and what they are able to imagine (just like our large string art says).