How do you build a clean and functional back-drop for photo and video reviews of tools? We turned to the Wall Control metal pegboard panels. It seems that just after we finished building the Shop Tool Reviews facility, we have continued to change the internal arrangement. A lot of our reviews are performed by pros in the field, but we also handle many of these in-house as well. We definitely shoot much of our photos and videos in our facility. With that said, we needed a backdrop that looked good, could be changed quickly, and would last.

After trying your typical pegboard and ripping hooks out of the wall, we knew that we needed a better option. Our research brought us to Wall Control. They have been perfecting their metal pegboard system since 2002. With some consultation from Wall Control, we selected the 30-P-3232B. Translated, this is vertical pegboard, Black, with 2 – 16×32 inch panels. We selected enough panels to cover two panels tall (64”) and six panels wide (96”), twelve panels in total. We may expand even further with this in the near future and install the Wall Control panels above our toolbox.

Metal Pegboard Panels Erection

Each of the Wall Control metal pegboard panels include six drywall anchors and six Philips wood screws. In our case, the drywall anchors are definitely not needed since we have a metal building with no internal sheathing. We chose to erect a wood stud sub-structure in order to screw the panels to. We had to cut reliefs in some of the wood to make room for the structure-supporting guy-wires. Once we had the wood it, the panels went up quickly and easily.

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Wall Control included instructions with each panel; however, it is pretty self explanatory. We made sure that our vertical boards were plumb and our horizontal boards were level, so our panels would keep square with one another. We only needed 4 screws for each panel, one screw in each of the four corners. I ensured the first panel was level, and the rest just butted against one another. The end result is a pegboard system that we anticipated having.

Build Quality and Finish

Each of the Wall Control panels are stamped to 16” x 32”, vertical slots and round holes stamped into the panel as well. The slots are there to support Wall Control’s own accessories that lock into the slots for better strength than typical pegboard pegs. I addition to the slots, there are holes in the panels that support the typical pegs you can find in any hardware aisle. The buyer can purchase the accessories from Wall Control, or buy their own typical pegs from one of the big-box stores.

We chose the color black for our Wall Control pegboard panels. These panels are gloss black and powder coated to ensure for a lasting finish. The glossy finish allows for easy cleanup when we touch it with our greasy fingers and tools.

First Thoughts – Finished Product

After finishing the pegboard wall, the end result looked almost exactly as I anticipated. The backdrop was shiny, black and smooth; it looked great. After hanging a few tools, it looked even better.  With that said, I believe that I made a mistake by ordering the gloss black. While it does look very good, it doesn’t work so well with our photo and video shooting.

The gloss black reflects light and colors, so we get some glare from the light/s when shooting a picture toward the pegboard. Let me be clear, this is not a problem of Wall Control. Their panels were built as advertised and the finish was better than expected. This was just an oversight on our part, not thinking about the gloss finish. We’ll probably just hit the panels with some 400 grit sandpaper on a dual action sander, and the panels should have a level matte finish.

Accessories

In addition to the Wall Control metal pegboard panels, we also received three of  the Wall Control  KT-200-DLX B slotted deluxe hook assortments, in the color black. These accessories hang very secure on the wall panels and hold tools very well. The kit comes with a lot of small hooks, and a few larger hooks and assorted shapes for hanging various tools. I’m not sure that I have a full grasp on some of these. There didn’t seem to be many options for hanging power tools, or larger hand tools such as large pliers or channellocks. The screw driver accessory worked very well, as pictured with our Sonic Tools Screwdrivers.  Again, this is a small issue and could be our lack of understanding of how the accessories relate to certain tools.

Final Words

The backdrop of our Shop Tool Reviews work area has never looked better. In addition, we still have more arranging and tool-decorating to do. The look should only get better. The build quality of the Wall Control metal pegboard panels met our expectations. The powder coat finish was better than we anticipated, even though the glossy finish will have to be modified for us. This is not a problem of Wall Control. You can purchase two painted panels for just $49, so this is not a lot of money. Add in the lifetime warranty from a made in the USA product, hence this seems to be a great fit for anyone looking for a long-lasting pegboard that will hold up to the heaviest tools and repeated abuse.

The Radians Crossfire Safety Glasses on the Worktop Prove That Safety is First in My Eyes.

To purchase the Wall Control metal pegboard panels, click here.

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