Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tutorial Tuesday: DIY Pegboard Display

Difficulty: Easy 




This week's tutorial is a colorful pegboard display which is my new favorite method to show off small merchandise. If you haven't noticed, pegboard is one of this years trends which means it's a great time to get pre-made bases like this wooden pegboard crate from Michaels Arts and Crafts store. I picked this up on sale for $6, but if you can't find one at your store you can always buy pegboard and craft your own with just a few pieces of wood. The other materials you need to create this display are spray paint, pegboard pegs, and some materials to mask off your wood (I used washi tape and scrap booking paper)

The first thing you need to do with your plain pegboard display is to mask off any areas you don't want painted. I used scrapbooking paper sheets because I have plenty on hand, PLUS I can use what's left to make boxes later down the road (watch out for that tutorial!). The easiest way to mask off this particular display was to trim 3" off either side of the paper, leaving a 9x9 square, and 12 and 9 inch strips.

 

Once you have your strips, your going to tape them in place. The 12" strips are long enough to fit in easily, while the shorter strips will need to be bent slightly to nest snugly against the wood. This is nice though because it helps form a sharp corner and keep paint from leaking under.


With paper in place, tape all exposed wood. This means the top edges, and if you're really bad with over spray, the outside as well. If you're really picky, grab some painters tape for your masking and measure and cut your paper to size. I tend to lean towards a "rough around the edges" sort of style though. If I don't fuss over perfection, I don't feel terrible if I don't get it.

Once everything is masked off, guess what happens next? Spray paint! Take your time with this one, because drips are never pretty. Give a light dust of color to start, let it dry, then coat again. If you can, let your project dry flat, just in case you get a little heavy with the paint.

 

Spray paint dries pretty quickly, but it's still nice to leave your project outside if the weather is nice. No one likes breathing in paint fumes if it's avoidable!

Some fun ways to make this project your own:

  1. Mix up the colors. Start by coloring the outsides of your box, then paint the interior a different color. What about lime and teal? Red and black? Make it yours!
  2. Paint it backwards! If you don't want that shadowbox look, flip this display around. The ledge of the box will still balance nicely on the table, but you won't get as many shadows on your merchandise.
  3. Light it up! Get some seed lights and trim your box. Just be sure to tuck all power chords and boxes out of the way. 
Cheap projects like this allow you to be flexible, yet still have a personal touch to a display. 

After you complete your box, finding the right hooks if the next challenge. I recommend picking up a variety pack if you aren't sure what you'll use. I found a set at Harbor Fright for roughly $6, and it gave me plenty to work with. You can also check with local supply stores to find out what they carry. Because pegboard is so common, there are lots of places you can go to accessorize your display. The one thing to keep in mind about enclosed pegboards is some hooks may not work. Long pegboard hooks may knock into the top of your display. Again, having a variety pack will let you see some of these little quirks and plan accordingly. 

Merchandise is easy to display on boards like these, but sometimes inventory can be overwhelming. If you do sample only pieces you can store extras under a table or behind a display to keep your table clutter free. 

Have any fun pictures of a pegboard display? I'd love to see them!





 Related articles (Coming Soon):
Gridwall, Slatwall, Pegboard Tips and Tricks
Shopping the Trends

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