# Slatwall, Gridwall or Pegboard: Choosing Wall Merchandising for a Store > Slatwall suits stores that want a finished millwork look and change their merchandise often. Gridwall suits pop-ups, back rooms and budget layouts that need to move. Pegboard suits light, small items on a tight budget. Many stores use a custom… > URL: https://dnsdisplay.com/slatwall-gridwall-pegboard-retail/ > Last modified: 2026-10-19T15:03:59+00:00 Slatwall suits stores that want a finished millwork look and change their merchandise often. Gridwall suits pop-ups, back rooms and budget layouts that need to move. Pegboard suits light, small items on a tight budget. Many stores use a custom millwork wall for the main brand display and one of these systems where flexibility matters more than finish. Le Creuset Kittery ## Slatwall Slatwall is a panel, usually MDF, with horizontal grooves cut at a regular spacing, commonly 3 inches on centre in North America. Hooks, shelves, bins and faceouts fit into the grooves and can usually be repositioned without tools. - **Finishes:** laminate, melamine, wood veneer or paint, so it can match the rest of the store. - **Load:** aluminium or PVC inserts in the grooves protect the edges and help with heavier goods. Check the panel maker’s load data for shelves of heavy stock. - **Common uses:** apparel, footwear, accessories and gifts, because displays can be rearranged easily. - **Look:** the grooves stay visible. Veneer faces, reveal trims and matching end panels can give slatwall a finished, high-end look. ## Gridwall Gridwall is a welded wire grid panel, usually with a 3-inch square grid, either wall-mounted or set on freestanding legs. Hooks, baskets and shelves clip onto the wires. - **Finishes:** powder-coated colours, usually black, white or chrome-look. - **Load:** good for hanging goods; deep shelves of heavy stock are better on a wall system. - **Best for:** pop-up shops, trade shows, seasonal areas and back-of-house storage. - **Watch for:** it looks utilitarian, and accessories made for one maker’s wire size may not fit another. ## Pegboard Pegboard is a hardboard or metal panel perforated with a regular grid of holes, commonly on 1-inch centres. Pegboard hooks fit the holes. - **Finishes:** painted hardboard, or powder-coated metal for more strength and a cleaner look. - **Load:** light goods on hooks. Hardboard holes can loosen or break under repeated use or heavy loads; metal pegboard takes heavier, more frequent use. - **Best for:** small packaged items, hardware, crafts and checkout impulse items. - **Watch for:** hole size and spacing vary, so hooks must match the board. ## Other wall options - **Slotted standards and brackets:** metal uprights fixed to the wall with adjustable shelf brackets, often set into a millwork wall for a cleaner look. - **Custom millwork walls:** fixed shelving, cubbies, display niches and integrated lighting built for the brand. Less flexible, but they carry the store’s look. See [custom display fixtures](/custom-display-fixtures/) and [illuminated display fixtures](/illuminated-display-fixtures/). - **Hybrid walls:** a millwork frame with slatwall or slotted-standard sections, so part of the wall can change while the frame stays fixed. ## Quick comparison - **Look:** custom millwork, then slatwall, then metal pegboard, then gridwall. - **Flexibility:** gridwall and slatwall move most easily; fixed millwork least. - **Cost:** basic pegboard and gridwall are often the lowest, slatwall usually costs more, and fully custom millwork is generally highest. Finish, load and quantity can change the order. - **Rollouts:** slatwall and hybrid walls repeat well across stores when the design and accessories are standardized. Accessories from different makers do not always fit each other’s panels. ## Wall preparation Wall-mounted systems must be fastened to suitable structure as detailed. Where needed, the general contractor installs blocking inside the wall before the drywall closes, so mark blocking locations on the drawings early. Settle two more things early: shelf heights and reach ranges where accessibility rules apply, and power for lit shelves, which can be fed through lit standards, wiring channels or outlets placed behind the wall. ## How DNS works with wall systems DNS builds slatwall panels, hybrid walls and custom millwork wall systems in Vaughan, finished to match the rest of the store, with lighting provisions where the design calls for it. We can coordinate specified metal merchandising components, such as standards, trims or wire panels, with the millwork package and show their interfaces in our shop drawings. See [store fixtures for retail brands](/retail-store-fixtures-brands/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the standard slatwall groove spacing? In North America the most common spacing is 3 inches on centre. Other spacings exist, so match accessories to the panel. ### Do slatwall panels need inserts? Not always, but aluminium or PVC inserts strengthen the grooves and protect the edges, which helps with heavier goods and frequent changes. ### Can slatwall match our store finishes? Yes. Slatwall can be made in laminate, melamine, veneer or paint to match the rest of the fixtures.