Nailing or screwing chipboard

[pmx_super]

I want to put up some wall-mounted tool storage. It'll consist of a board of something screwed into the brick wall of my garage, with a variety of nails / screw-hooks / etc. to hang things off of. 18mm chipboard looks to be the cheapest solution for the backing board, but never having worked with it can somebody confirm whether or not it'll securely hold a nail driven into it, and whether wood-screws will also hold firm?

Thanks
James

 

[Burnerman]

Your chipboard will be ok so long as you don't intend to hang up the Titanic from it, but ply would be a stronger choice.....it also hates getting damp!
Either way, drill a small pilot hole before you screw your hooks in - much easier that way - and tidier than nails.
John

 

[pmx_super]

A 2lb hammer would be the heaviest thing and that would use 2 screws/nails/hooks.

I'm now thinking I might cut some shelves out of the same sheet of material, so I'm considering MDF as an alternative. Can that also be screwed in the same way?

 

[Burnerman]

Avoid MDF in a garage - it has no grain and therefore very limited strength unless its thick. It also hates moisture!
For shelves, use timber such as pine flooring, or 25mm ply ripped down its length. Chipboard sags like nothing on earth, and MDF does the same.
You can fix a timber lipping to the ply raw edge if you decide to use this - tidies it up no end.
John