One of my favorite elements of the Clifford’s Kid Friendly Office is the wall to wall peg rail + picture ledge! I have had so many questions about it and I am THRILLED to tell you that even the most beginner DIYer can tackle this this project! Let’s get into the how-to so you can add this to your home!

We’re following this simple tutorial that I shared last year, the only difference is that we’re adding pegs!

Supplies you’ll need:

(1) 3.5″ Board cut to desired length

(1) 6.25″ board cut to desired length (same length as the 3.5″ board)

1″ wooden dowels cut to 5.25″

Wood Glue

Wood Screws

Painters Tape

Tools you’ll need:

Drill

1″ Forstner Drill Bit

1/16″ drill bit

Miter Saw

Step 1: Cut your wood to length

This is the most creative part of the whole build, you get to decide how long your shelf is going to be! The one in the Clifford’s house is 11′ long!! Really the sky is the limit!

Step 2: Mark the center of the the 3.5″ board

We like using painters tape for this, it’s easy to remove and makes it so that you dont have to mark up your shelf.

Step 3: Decide on your peg spacing

Easily spacing your pegs is simple, first you have to decide how many pegs you want. Then you’ll take the length measurement and divide it by the number of spaces between pegs. Not the number of pegs. The spaces are almost always one number larger than the number of pegs. For example, our shelf is 24.5″ long. Meaning 24.5 (length) /4 (spaces)= 6.125. Each peg spot will be marked at 6.125″

Step 4: Drilling the peg holes

Using a Forstner drill bit (this set on Amazon is great!) drill a 1″ hole every spot that you marked with a peg. Remember to keep your drill straight! You dont need to drill all the way through your wood, just deep enough that the peg can fit tightly.

Step 5: Drilling pilot holes

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they’re building is that they dont drill pilot holes. A pilot hole is made when you take a small drill bit and pre-drill the path that the screw will take. It makes all the difference in the world and is an absolute must!!

Line your shelf up the way it will be when it’s assembled. Hold it tightly (or use clamps) while you drill from the top of the shelf down into the back.

Step 6: Glue and Screw

Now that you’ve drilled the pilot holes, it’s time to assemble! Apply a bead of wood glue to the spot where the wood will be joined together.

Using a 1 1/4″ wood screw (we LOVE these ones from GRK for projects like this!)

Wipe off the excess wood glue and your shelf is done!!

Step 7: Peg Time!

All that’s left on this quick build is to set the pegs! Cut your 1″ dowel to 5.25″

Do a dry run to make sure that they fit snuggly in your holes. If everything looks good, put some glue inside and set the pegs!

THAT IS IT! This whole project will take you less than 30 minutes! I expect you to send me pictures when you’ve got them hung!

Speaking of hanging, when we do projects like this, we’ve found time and time again that the easiest and least damaging way to hang shelves like this is to use finishing nails and nail directly through the face of the shelf into the wall. Small holes are easy to cover with a little bit of wood filler, and your shelf wont budge. When it’s time to take it off, rock it gently back and forth to loosen the nail and pull it off.

Beginner DIY Peg Rail + Photo Ledge