Slatboard

[Bob Marino]

Anyone use that grey slatwall in their shop? Good, bad, worth it?

Bob

[John Bush]

Happy new year !!
Hi Bob,
I used slotwall throughout my shop and it has worked out well.
I built a new shop ( for Hobby stuff) and figured that I had to finish the walls with dry wall, tape, mud, and paint. Then I would need to figure a way to use the wall space for hanging all the "essentials". I found a local company that mills the sheets and was able to get enough to do the entire shop. I just attached it with drywall screws and the walls were done. Each sheet weighs ~90#s, so the 25 sheets I used were a workout. I used old barn timbers to simulate an old barn, and the horizontal lines resemble the old corn cribs in the midwest where I grew up. The sheets are the tan MDF color but lighting hasn't been an issue. I also found a commercial display co. here that sells the hangers. They had lots of used stuff to chose from and a wide variety of hanger styles to fit most needs.

I would recommend using it. You can paint it white to enhance lighting or they have a variety of prefinished surfaces also. Its spendy if buying retail, but contact commercial designers and see if you can locate a manufacturers outlet, or possibly some recyled sheets. Good luck, John.

[Jim O'Dell]

Anyone use that grey slatwall in their shop? Good, bad, worth it?

Bob


Bob, I've worked in a few retail stores over the years that used the slatwall material. Very versatile in where you can mount items. Another idea on where to find hangers is to find a retail store going out of business and buy theirs. usually pennies on the dollar to buying them new. There are also plastic shelves that fit into the slats.
I inherited some in the shop I'm rehabbing. It actually has an oak laminate on the face. Only problem the person that put it up had no idea what they had. It was cut with the slats running vertical for wainscoating (sp?)!!:( I almost cried. What I have been able to salvage is small pieces, and many have some water damage where they sat on the concrete. The edge of one said something like 25 sheets, oak slatwall. I'll put some up in specific areas and frame around them to hold tools for specific equipment. It's not cheap though if you buy it new, as I'm sure you already know. Again look for a retail store going out of business and see if they will be selling theirs. It might have to stay with the store depending on if they put it up or the landlord did. Most stores are painted a light grey, which might work pretty good in a shop. Jim.

[Jim Becker]

If I had to choose between it and pegboad, the slat-board would win hands-down. But I'm also not one for hanging stuff on the wall...I prefer cabinets. Your case is special, however, and some slatboard makes a lot of sense for when you have customers in the shop for demos, etc. BTW, there is both the milled MDF stuff and a new plastic product available. The MDF is darn heavy...I helped a friend install it in her store a few years ago. I'd probably opt for the plastic material if I were buying myself.