How to Build a Custom Mechanical Keyboard from Scratch

Why build instead of buy?

A pre-built keyboard offers convenience. A custom build offers control.

When you build your own, you choose the exact switches, exactly how loud the keyboard sounds, how the case feels in your hands, and what the keycaps look like. More importantly, you learn how every component interacts — which makes troubleshooting, upgrading, and modding much easier later.

The time investment is real. A first build typically takes 3–5 hours including research and preparation. But most people describe building their first keyboard as genuinely enjoyable rather than frustrating. Once you're done, you have something nobody else has.

Understanding the components

A custom keyboard has six main components. All of them need to be compatible with each other, so it's worth understanding what each one does before you buy anything.

The case

The case is the outer shell. It determines the keyboard's weight, sound, and aesthetics. Materials range from plastic (light, budget-friendly, less resonant) to aluminum (heavy, premium, more resonant unless dampened) to brass (extremely heavy, boutique).

The mount type — how the PCB and plate sit inside the case — matters most for sound and feel. Gasket mount uses silicone or rubber gaskets to suspend the switch plate, creating flex and a softer, quieter sound. Tray mount screws the PCB directly to the case floor, which is cheaper but sounds hollower. Top mount screws into the case top plate and sits between gasket and tray mount in terms of stiffness.

For a first build, a gasket-mount kit provides the best results with the least effort.

The PCB

The PCB is the circuit board that registers keypresses and sends signals to your computer. The most important decision: hot-swap or solder.

Hot-swap PCBs have sockets for each switch position. You press a switch in and it clicks into the socket without soldering. You can swap switches in and out any time with a switch puller. This is the right choice for beginners.

Solder PCBs require you to solder each switch pin to the board. More permanent, but allows some switch types that don't fit hot-swap sockets. Come back to solder PCBs once you've built a hot-swap board first.

Also check: does the PCB support QMK or VIA firmware? Both give you key remapping ability without proprietary software. Most quality PCBs from Keychron, KBDFans, and similar brands support this.

The plate

The plate holds switches rigid and affects sound significantly. It sits between the PCB and the bottom of the keycaps.

Brass plate: Stiff, heavy, produces a crisp higher-pitched "clack." Makes typing feel very solid.

Aluminum plate: Stiff, lighter than brass. Common and accessible. Slightly more resonant than brass.

Polycarbonate (PC) plate: Flexible, produces a softer, thockier sound. A favorite for people chasing a deep, dampened sound profile.

POM plate: Similar to polycarbonate in sound profile, slightly more flex.

Plateless builds skip the plate entirely and mount switches directly to the PCB. This gives maximum flex and a very muted, soft sound. Not ideal for beginners because switches flex more and keycaps can feel less stable.

Switches

Pick your type (linear, tactile, clicky) and actuation force. Buy 5–10 extras. Switches occasionally have defects, pins bend during installation, and you may drop a few.

For a first build, something affordable and well-regarded works better than a boutique $1-per-switch option. Gateron G Pro switches, Akko switches, or Cherry MX are all fine starting points.

Stabilizers

Stabilizers support large keys — spacebar, backspace, left shift, enter, right shift, and numpad keys. PCB-mount screw-in stabilizers (vs. clip-in) are sturdier and preferred for custom builds.

Do not skip the stabilizer prep. Clip the stabilizer feet, lube the wire generously with dielectric grease, and lube the housing stems with Krytox 205g0. Rattly stabilizers ruin an otherwise excellent keyboard.

Keycaps

Keycaps must be compatible with your switch type (almost always MX-compatible for custom builds) and your layout's specific key sizes.

This is where compatibility gets tricky. Non-standard layouts — 65%, 75%, some 60% — often have shift keys, spacebar, or backspace in non-standard sizes. Verify keycap compatibility before buying. Most keycap sets list the layouts they support.

PBT keycaps resist shine and feel textured. They age better and are recommended over ABS for most builds.

Assembly walkthrough

1. Prepare stabilizers first

Before anything else, lube and clip your stabilizers. Do this before assembly because it's much harder to fix stabilizer rattle after the keyboard is closed up.

Clip the two small plastic legs from each stabilizer insert with flush cutters. Apply dielectric grease to the wire bends where they enter the housing. Apply Krytox 205g0 inside the housing stems. Snap the stabilizers together, install them on the PCB (screw-in types click into place and then screw down), and wiggle them to confirm they're seated.

2. Install switches into the plate

If your kit includes a plate, press switches into the plate first. The switches should snap in with a firm click at each corner. Line up the switch carefully — most plates are directional for switch pins.

For plateless builds, skip to the next step.

3. Mount the plate/switch assembly to the PCB

Lower the plate (with switches installed) onto the PCB. The switch pins should drop into the hot-swap sockets. Apply firm, even downward pressure on each switch above its socket until it clicks in fully. A switch that's partially seated will either not register or will have inconsistent feel.

If pins bend, use tweezers to straighten them before reinserting. This is the most common beginner problem and it's completely fixable.

4. Add foam mods (optional)

Place case foam in the bottom shell before closing. The PE foam mod goes between PCB and switches — this needs to be done before mounting switches. See our keyboard mods guide for details on each foam option.

5. Test every key before closing

Open a keyboard tester in your browser. Press every single key including modifiers, function row, and any special keys. Fix dead keys now. A dead key after closing the case usually means a bent pin or unseated switch — far easier to fix before the case is closed.

6. Close the case and install keycaps

Align the case top and bottom, secure screws in the sequence recommended by the kit (often corners first, then middle), and install keycaps. Press each keycap straight down until it clicks onto the switch stem.

Run the key test one more time with keycaps installed. Done.

Your first build won't be perfect — that's fine

Something will go wrong on a first build. A stabilizer will still rattle slightly. A switch will sit at a slightly wrong angle. You'll forget to do the tape mod until after you've closed everything.

None of that matters. You'll learn from it, and the second build will be noticeably smoother. The mechanical keyboard hobby has an almost unusually helpful community — keyboard subreddits, Discord servers, and YouTube channels are full of builders walking through exactly the problems you'll encounter.

Build something you like. Sound-test it. Obsess over it slightly more than is rational. Welcome to the hobby.