How To Cut Pegboard

Finding items can be a nightmare if you have a vast collection jumbled up everywhere. Pegboards can help you bring order to your space by storing things in a visually presentable, accessible, and economical way.

A pegboard is an evenly perforated wood panel. You lock hooks into the holes and mount it on a wall or a frame to hang items like tools, kitchen utensils, flowerpots, caps, scarves, jewelry, etc.

Since pegboard projects are commonly DIY, you likely already have a design and your pegboard panels ready. But, like most beginners, you are stuck on how to cut the pegboard to size.

How do you cut a pegboard? You cut a pegboard using a hand or power saw. A fine-toothed power saw produces the best results with minimal effort and in the shortest time.

This article discusses the range of tools that work best for cutting pegboards. So, keep reading to learn more about what options you have and a couple of tips and tricks to cut pegboard with great success. 

What Tool Can You Use To Cut A Pegboard?

We see beginners making trips to the hardware to get their pegboards cut all the time. Little do they know that you can actually cut a pegboard yourself!

You can use a number of hand and power tools with a blade to cut a pegboard. But since the pegboard is made from composite wood, fine-toothed blades produce the best results.

Since you can only use the tool at your disposal, here are a few great options. 

Jigsaw

The jigsaw is arguably the best tool to use when it comes to cutting a pegboard. It is powerful and executes the cut smoothly, producing clean edges.

It is ideal for cutting rounded and curved shapes. It can still cut straight lines, but the majority of people struggle as it requires a lot of practice.

How To Cut A Pegboard Using A Jigsaw

1. Begin by measuring and clearly marking the cut lines of your peg board. Use a measuring tape and mark using a pencil all the way to the edges to increase the accuracy of the cut.
2. Set up your jigsaw on your cutting station or workbench.
3. Ensure you select the appropriate blade size, and it should have fine teeth. At least 10 teeth per inch will accomplish the task.
4. Clamp the pegboard so that it doesn’t move once you start to cut. You need it to be highly stable.
5. Start cutting from the finished edge using the directions of the blade’s teeth at your guide.

Circular Saw

A circular saw is as good as a jigsaw for cutting pegboard. It does it cleanly and accurately, only that a circular saw specializes in making only long straight cuts. 

How To Cut A Pegboard Using A Circular Saw

1. Measure and mark the cut lines using a pencil.
2. Select the correct blade for the job, which should be roughly 100 teeth.
3. Clamp the pegboard on multiple sides so it is exceptionally sturdy. Keep your good side face down because the teeth of a circular saw cut upwards; hence the bottom will be cleaner.
4. Aline the blade with the cut line mark on the edge and start cutting. Go slowly, allowing the blade to glide naturally.

Dremel

Do you have a Dremel with a mini circular saw attachment? You can use it to cut a pegboard. It is practical for curvy and complex cutouts as it doesn’t have to begin cutting from the edge to go in.

However, dremels don’t really like pegboards. That’s because they are too dense and fibrous. The one downside of using a Dremel to cut a pegboard is that an overwhelming amount of dust is produced, which clogs the blades. 

How To Cut A Pegboard Using A Dremel

1. Make accurate marks on the areas you intend to cut with the Dremel.
2. Clamp the pegboard as steadily as possible on a flat surface, as the Dremel produces some vibration.
3. Find on the attachment side an arrow and move the Dremel in that direction.
4. Continuously swap the Dremel bit and avoid a fast and hard approach.
5. Maintain a slow speed with breaks in between to minimize dust and clogging and for smoother, cleaner cut edges.

Handsaw

Don’t have power tools? We’ve got you. You can go old-school and cut pegboards by hand using a handsaw.

We must warn you that it is time-consuming and requires a lot of elbow grease. Therefore, we would recommend it for small projects only.

In addition, the cut isn’t the smoothest. The good thing is the splinters always appear on one side, so you’ll have that side hidden by facing the back.

How To Cut A Pegboard Using A Hand Saw

1. Measure and mark the pegboard as needed clearly and accurately.
2. Clamp the pegboard to a work surface.
3. Clamp a straight piece of wood too along the marked cut line to guide your saw.
4. With the blade angled at 45°, make a groove using an upward stroke. That’s your starting point.
5. Position the blade into the groove and start cutting rhythmically the entire length.
6. Sand the edges using sandpaper.

Utility Knife

Many people ask, can you use a utility knife to cut pegboard? Yes, you can use a utility knife to cut pegboard. 

Who would have thought a tool as small as a utility knife could execute such a big task? Well, it doesn’t cut it all the way through, just a few inches in at the top and bottom.

What a utility knife does is create some lines of weakness that make it easy to snap the pegboard at the marked area. Straight lines are easiest to cut. Other forms and shapes are tricky to achieve free hand but possible with mastery of the skill.

A utility knife is not the best way to go, as the edges turn out very rough. It is also more time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, it cuts the pegboard, which helps if it’s the only tool you’ve got. You can try and smoothen the edges afterward.

How To Cut A Pegboard Using A Utility Knife

1. Measure and mark the area you want to cut using a pencil. Straight lines work best.
2. Place a straight edge like a ruler against the line you want to cut.
3. Use the utility knife to score against the marked lines. Make several passes to create a deeper groove. Use the ruler as a guide to stay within the line.
4. Flip the pegboard and repeat the scoring on the opposite side of the pegboard.
5. Apply pressure as if trying to bend the pegboard using your knee as leverage on the marked area of the pegboard, and it will snap along the line.
6. At this point, it might not separate and could be stuck at a right angle with a few fibers still holding it together. Run the blade along the corner to cut the pegboard completely. 

Can you use a box cutter to cut pegboard?

Yes, you can use a box cutter to cut pegboard. You’ll replicate the procedure shown above for the utility knife.

But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. A box cutter cannot match the strength of a utility knife. It is likely to break or, even worse, slide from applying excess pressure and could cause injury. 

Can you use a table saw to cut pegboard?

Yes, you can use a table saw to cut pegboard. It is as efficient, perhaps even better, than the other power saws.

The only reason we didn’t mention it is because it is costly and not accessible to many DIY folks. But if you are lucky to have one, then, by all means, use it to cut your pegboard.

Additional Tips For Cutting Pegboard

• Always use a measuring tape to make measurements and a pencil to mark clearly for accuracy. Do not approximate. Mark all the way to the edges of the pegboard, so the cutting mark is visible from either side of the pegboard.

• Clamp your pegboard, if possible, using C clamps or spring clamps. If you do not have clamps, depending on the tool you are using, you can hold the pegboard down with your foot, knee, or weights.

• No matter what, ensure your pegboard is super sturdy. 

• Vibration from the tools can mess up your results. Any motion while cutting results in jagged edges and even wandering off the marks.

• When using a power saw, masking tape is handy in combating splintering for extra clean edges. Tape it along the pegboard, and beneath too, draw cut lines on top of the tape and cut through it.

• If using a handsaw, place a particle board underneath instead. It works the same way as the masking tape.

• No matter your level of experience, always cut slowly and steadily with power tools without adding pressure to the tool. As for hand tools, finish the cut in one go.

• Avoid stopping midway and withdrawing the blade.

• Safety comes first. Always wear your PPE, specifically a respirator, when a lot of dust is expected, as in the case of a Dremel. Also, beware of your body parts, fingers, hands, and feet at all times. Make sure they are out of the way to avoid injury.

We hope you’ve gained the confidence to cut your keyboards like a pro. Remember, a circular saw is your best bet for straight cuts and a jigsaw for curved shapes.

You can also employ a handsaw if you do not have any power saw, and at the very least, a utility knife. Happy organizing!

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