Thread: French cleats

Originally Posted by DaveVman

2. Backing?

My workshop has concrete block walls, but if it was a timber frame I would line it with construction grade plywood.

my shed internal walls are 18mm white melamine. I use 18mm MDF as my cleats simply wood screwed into melamine.
I have 1 cabinet that holds all screws/fastners/drill bits would weigh in excess of 45kg solid as a rock

Originally Posted by DaveVman

I have mostly avoided French cleats thus far but in my new workshop I'm thinking they will be a good idea. They will allow me some flexibility.
1. Size.
A. Width? What width do you recommend for the cleats? 80mm?
B. Reckon 12mm ply is good enough for the strips?
2. Backing? The walls are gyprock and I'm trying to decide if I should line this with 12mm MR melamine before adding the cleats strips.

Provided you attach the French cleats to the wall studs, you shouldn't need to reline your workshop with MR melamine.

If you haven't already purchased the ply, I suggest you buy ply around 6mm thick -- I'm not sure what thicknesses of construction ply are commonly available in Australia -- and glue two long strips together with a 10mm offset along the long edge. That way you get the thickness (12mm) you are after, without the need to break out a hand plane to create the 45 degree angle.

Width of strip? I suggest wide enough to get two wood screws into at each stud location.
50 or 60 mm should be ample.



BTW
You can get wall hangers for gyprock that will hold significant weights -- but screwing into the wall studs would be easier.

I set up a new workshop back in 2020 and for convenience used 120x22 non reeded pine decking from the big green shed. The 120 was over kill but it was what was available at the time. I ripped a hanging strip off each board and screwed the rest to the pine framing through the gyprock with stainless decking screws.


French Cleat storage in a new timber stud house build

Three years on and after a few rearrangements to get the most convenient layout working I've had no problems from using just a single screw per stud fixing.
CleatWall.jpg

Originally Posted by ian

If you haven't already purchased the ply, I suggest you buy ply around 6mm thick -- I'm not sure what thicknesses of construction ply are commonly available in Australia -- and glue two long strips together with a 10mm offset along the long edge. That way you get the thickness (12mm) you are after, without the need to break out a hand plane to create the 45 degree angle.

Hand plane? We have power tools in the Colonies now. Wouldn't it be a heck of a lot easier to just buy 12mm (or whatever) and route/cut a rabbet on the edge?

Well after months of you tube, Pinterest and forum searching(researching) I came up with the following.

1. size 140mm x 19mm pine ripped at 45 degrees straight down the middle which gives an 80mm viewing face. So A) same an B) I went 18mm as per all my searching 18mm was the most popular 99.99%

2. two screws into every stud

this will hang anything heavy I own, I would happily hang 300 kg on a cleat that covered two studs.

3. which you didn’t ask, which was my most pondered question is spacing at 200mm. I figured if I needed to I could add an in between cleat if necessary - it isn’t. Hanging short stuff I put in a spacer hanging long stuff it covers the lower cleat.

i hope my pictures are up the right wayIMG_2356.jpgIMG_2356.jpg

cheers

IMG_2357.jpg

ipad demon got me

Hello,

I have been planning in my mind to do a new french cleat wall in the workshop when I find enough time to actually get in there.

Being of Scottish born father means that I always question - can I do something cheaper? With the french cleat wall that generally means plywood as a base to build the cleats on.

I had a think and came across this thought - what would look okay while being thick enough to screw onto a frame if I didn't use a sheet material. Answer???

Repurposed click together flooring. People are constantly either selling it cheap or outright giving it away. it is a little over 1.2 meters long an about 200mm wide generally speaking and it will class your workshop up no end!!! I bought 90 boards for $30 which is enough to do pretty much my whole workshop....and because the light cloloured boards I have will reflect the light reasonably well I am not too concerned about having to paint it white which I would do with a timber sheet product.

The boards vary from 7-8mm thick to up to 14mm for some of the thicher ones. It is also very hard wearing which means it will well and truly outlast me...

WHEN I GET TO MY WORKSHOP AND EVENTUALLY INSTALL MY FLOORING BACKERS FOR MY FRENCH CLEAT WALL....I'll post some pics.


Cheers,


Scott.