Pegboard Alternatives: What is the Better Solution?  

Pegboard is a popular choice for a wall storage and organization system, largely because there aren’t many alternative storage solutions on the market. While pegboards are relatively easy to use and are environmentally friendly, they do have downsides: They’re difficult to install, difficult to clean, and aren’t very durable. 

PVC-based slatwall, like Trusscore SlatWall, is the pegboard alternative you’ve been looking for. It offers better durability, easy installation, high-strength storage, easy cleanability, and 100% water resistance, all while being eco-friendly. Plus, it can be installed anywhere within your home. 

What is Pegboard?

Pegboard is a wall organization and storage board with holes pre-drilled into it in a standard pattern. You can stick small pegs, hooks, baskets, and shelves into the holes to mount tools, craft supplies, and other items directly on the board. Pegboards are often used in garages, workshops, craft rooms, and more to keep items organized and accessible. 

Pegboards can be made from a variety of materials, but they’re most often made from particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Particleboard and MDF are both made from engineered wood, which means they’re made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into fine particles, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and applying high temperature and pressure.  

Despite both being made in the same way, there’s a key difference between particleboard and MDF: The size of the wood fibers. Particleboard is made from large wood particles, while MDF is made from smaller wood fibers that are uniform in size. Small, uniform fibers mean MDF has a smoother and more consistent texture than particleboard. 

Particleboard and MDF pegboard are popular storage options because they do have several benefits: They’re both more affordable than solid wood, they’re easy to use, they give you flexibility to rearrange your items, and they’re environmentally friendly because they’re made from wood products that would otherwise be discarded. However, pegboards made from particleboard and MDF have some significant downsides you should consider before buying. 

The Problems with Pegboard 

The issues with pegboard storage systems all stem from the materials they’re made with:  

• Durability. MDF and particleboard pegboards are easy to damage, and any damage is permanent — since they’re not made from solid wood, MDF and particleboard can't be sanded to hide dents or scratches. 
• Ease of Install. Thanks to the presence of wax and resin in addition to wood fibers, MDF and particleboard are heavy and weigh even more than solid wood, so they require at least two people for installation. 
• High-Strength Storage. MDF and particleboard can support some weight, but they have their limits — pegboards made from either material will sag if you try to store too many heavy items on them. 
• Cleanability. Since particleboard and MDF are made from absorbent wood fibers, they can only be cleaned with dish soap, warm water, and a damp soft cloth. To prevent damage, you have to dry your pegboard to prevent damage, which is a tough task because of all the pre-drilled holes throughout the board. 
• Water Resistance. The exterior or particleboard and MDF pegboard have some water-resistant properties, but the interior wood fibers will swell and mold if exposed to excess moisture. 

For a storage system you never have to worry about, consider choosing a pegboard alternative like a PVC-based slatwall. 

PVC-Based Slatwall is a Better Pegboard Alternative

Slatwall, also known as slotwall, is the most common alternative to pegboard for an on-the-wall storage system. Instead of pre-drilled holes, slatwall systems have horizontal grooves or slots that run along the length of the panels. 

Slatwall systems are most often made from MDF or from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is a plastic material. Since it’s made from the same material, MDF slatwall has all the same cons as pegboard. 

A PVC-based, on-the-wall storage solution like Trusscore SlatWall, on the other hand, offers all the upside of pegboard with none of the down: 

• Durability. Trusscore panels are scratch, dent, and damage resistant, and they’re built to last in even the busiest areas of your home. 
• Ease of Install. Trusscore SlatWall is lightweight and easy to handle, with just one person needed for installation. Panels also have pre-punched screw flange and a tongue-and-groove interlocking system, which means they can be installed with a handful of screws. 
• High-Strength Storage. Trusscore SlatWall can hold up to 75 pounds per square foot, allowing you to store everything from bicycles to spare tires directly on the wall. 
• Cleanability. Trusscore SlatWall can easily be cleaned with soap and water and can handle chemical cleaners and regular pressure washing.  
• Water Resistance. Trusscore panels are 100% resistant to water and moisture, so they’ll never grow mold or mildew. The presence of PVC also means panels are designed to shed water, which means you don’t need to worry about thoroughly drying them when they get wet or when you’re done cleaning. 
• Ease of Use. Your Trusscore SlatWall installation can be instantly accessorized with snap-in hooks, baskets, and shelves that easily click into place. As your storage needs change, accessories can also be removed and rearranged with ease. 
• Non-Proprietary Design. Trusscore SlatWall has a non-proprietary design, which means it's compatible with any standard 3” slatwall accessory on the market – you aren’t locked into buying Trusscore branded accessories. 
• Environmentally Friendly. All Trusscore products, including Trusscore SlatWall, are 100% recyclable and can be reground up to six or seven times to make new PVC building materials. 
• Wall Board Integration. Trusscore SlatWall integrates with Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard to fully finish your wall, and it’s the only storage system on the market to do so. 

Applications Where a Pegboard Alternative Like Trusscore SlatWall is Better

Trusscore SlatWall (and Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard) are best suited for high-traffic, humid, utility, and storage areas of your home, including your: 

• Garage. Maximize the space available in your garage by using an on-the-wall storage system like Trusscore SlatWall. Using accessories like hooks, holders, baskets, and shelves, you can move a wide range of items like bicycles to shovels to power tools off the floor, freeing up tons of space and giving you room to park your car.  
• Shed. Turn your shed into a bright and organized space where everything has its place, including gardening supplies, snow maintenance supplies, and more. Not only will it make items easier to find when you need them, but it will also save you time in the process. 
• Laundry room. Make laundry less of a chore by organizing your space and storing detergent and fabric softener on accessible shelves, hanging your ironing board on hooks, and attaching a drying rack for delicate clothing. 
• Home office. Keep your desk clutter-free by storing pens, important documents, and knickknacks in on-the-wall baskets and shelves that can be easily repositioned as your needs change. 
• Storage closet. Use Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard and Trusscore SlatWall to create a closet storage system for everything from seasonal décor and family mementos. Similarly, you can organize your walk-in closet by using Trusscore SlatWall to store accessories and create space to add to your wardrobe. 
• Home pantry. Transform your pantry into an organized space that’s ready for a primetime cooking competition by making sure cans, jars, boxes, and are organized and accessible so every ingredient you need is at your fingertips. 
• Mud room. Keep coats, boots, shoes, and dog leashes organized by hanging them on hooks, storing accessories like umbrellas in a basket, and stacking shoes on shelves.  
• Craft room. Create a craft wall storage system with Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard and Trusscore SlatWall to organize toys, colored pencils, and paper. (The durable panels can withstand rough play from your kids, and any marks made on them can be easily wiped clean!) 

Ready to start planning your Trusscore project? Check out our Project Planner to get a ballpark cost estimate for your garage, shed, or interior space.