One of the most useful and convenient homeowner, do it yourself products is the common pegboard.
Pegboard is that commonly seen panel that has consistent holes drilled into the surface its surface in both directions, and can be purchased in the standard brown, black or white colors. All home improvement stores will have this product and it is available in a 4 ft X 8 ft sheets or smaller, depending on the specific store.
There are a number of very convenient uses for this material.
Tool Storage
The standard use for a sheet of pegboard, is for tool or other implement storage and organization. There are a number of different products that can be purchased, that are designed to fit into the holes in the pegboard, and provide various different shaped hooks and clips for tool or other implement storage. These pegboard accessories can be purchased in any home improvement store, and are available in various size packages and are designed for different uses. In all cases, they will be designed to slip into the holes, and will be secured with a plastic lock mechanism that also fits into the holes in the pegboard.
Coverage
Pegboard can also be used to easily cover over various unsightly issues within the home. For example, I have used it to cover over a large ugly oil tank that is located in the basement. Pegboard is inexpensive and very easily screwed into wood studs or supports that can be installed, to frame the item that is being covered. The pegboard will allow the area to vent through the holes already drilled into the pegboard, but will cover over items that are better off being shielded from site. In addition, the pegboard can be purchased in white or black, which are handy colors to provide a finish look, without additional painting or other finishing.
Basement Ceiling
Pegboard can be easily applied to the unfinished ceiling of a basement. The floor joists for the first floor, will provide the perfect substrate to attach the pegboard to with the use of drywall screws, and the material is light enough that one person can apply the sheets. What is extremely nice about the pegboard as a ceiling, is that it provides an interesting pattern but also vents the underside of the first floor, allowing any basement heat to enter the space between the floor joists, and provide some moderation to the temperature under the first floor.
Shelving
Pegboard can also be cut in strips, and used as light shelving for small items such as small nail and screw containers, or almost anything that your imagination can come up with. I like to cut the pegboard into 4 inch strips, supported by a light wooden frame. These 4 inch strips are perfect for a can of spray paint to be lined up with labels exposed. This makes the selection of your paint extremely easy.
Unfinished Walls
In many garages, or basement elevations, there is a section of wood framed wall, that fills in the area that the concrete foundation does not extend to. This occurs on homes that are located on slopes, or have an exposed garage door elevation at the basement level. Normally the contractor will have saved some money, by not extending the concrete foundation the full length of the basement wall to the garage door. There will be an area of wood studs that are unfinished, either in the basement of the garage. I have found that this area is perfect for the direct installation of pegboard, to provide a more finish look, as well as a perfect place for exterior tools, hoses, etc
Infill
Infill for cabinet doors or closet doors. Pegboard is a perfect material to be used for the door panel within a wood frame. The pegboard is light, you cannot see through it, and it will vent the cabinets. The use of this material as an infill for doors that hide stored items, or any other material that needs to be covered, is perfect.
If you are creative, the use of pegboard around the home is almost endless. The material is inexpensive, relatively strong and durable, and can be purchased in finished colors. In addition the panels are available in both the larger sizes, such as a 4 ft. X 8 ft. panel or smaller custom sizes.