Workshop french cleat fixing query - and hi from new member!

[Brandlin]

Hi,

Brand new forums member here's seeking advice. Glad to be here and hooper to contribute.

Im a very competent DIYer and engineer by trade but more of a wood butcher than any kind of joiner. I have a triple garage that has always been my workshop and I am now upgrading it to provide a better workspace.

The walls will be vertically battened outing 16" centres with roof battens and then sheathed in 1/2" OSB.this will allow me to square up the old walls so there is likely to be a lot of packing under the battens.

I then want to install a french cleat system on most of the available wall space that will allow for everything from cabinets to tools to hang from it and be movable.

Im guessing that strength wise I'd be better using plywood for the cleats themselves. Or could these also be OSB?
Also will I get away with 1/2" ply?

the cleats will be screwed through the sheathing Into the battening. If necessary I could screw through into the brick with suitable wall anchors. Is this necessary/overkill? Or would glue and screws for the cleats to the sheathing be sufficient?

Happy for advice from anyone with practical experience in something similar.ar.

Alan

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Alan, welcome.
I have French cleats around my workshop, or at least part of it, more to do. I use 6x1 fifths ripped down the middle at 30 degrees. I suppose you could use OSB or plywood, but I have never done so. Plain old wood works just fine.
I suggest that you fix through the battens and into the blockwork using 100 or 120mm hammer fixings. You will be able to hang anything off that.

 

[jdeacon]

For the lighter tools, you want an accurate angle and face otherwise the moving half of the cleat will wobble irritatingly. I started off with old 19mm plywood that was too brittle and had too many voids. Although it didn't need Baltic birch, I found it didn't work with the nastiest stock.

 

[woodpig]

I've not got round to doing mine yet but I plan to use 1/2" Ply cut at the usual 45°. If I had to hang very heavy cupboards I'd think about 3/4" Ply. Bit more money but I'll probably use Birch Ply.

It's very personal I suppose but I dislike all waste material boards like chipboard, MDF and OSB. They have their uses but not in my house if I can help it! :lol:

 

[DennisCA]

I used pine, left over material really. Not the prettiest result but it's held up.

I've found the cleats good for mounting heavier tools like my angle grinder, nailgun and the like. But when it comes to lighter hand tools like planes, chisels and the like, I prefer a plywood sheet that I fasten to the wall and make a big plywood panel with custom tool holders, I think it looks nicer and the light tool holders are screwed into place and so don't tend to leave along with the tool. As was the case with the cleats.

 

[user 30603]

Steve mentions 30 degrees; but is that sharper or blunter than 45?

 

[Cabinetman]

On a different subject, if you haven’t already started it I would change the roof batons for something thicker and insulate as you go. It would also give you something stronger to screw into.
A bit of 3 x1” sliced down the middle at an angle gives you both a cleat for the wall and the hanger for the back of the cupboard or tool board. Ian

 

[Fitzroy]

Steve mentions 30 degrees; but is that sharper or blunter than 45?

Blunter. The sharper the angle the more wedging force so the more likely to pull the fixing out. 30 degrees is plenty to stop the cleat jumping off and limits the wedging force. Although I doubt in practice it’ll make any odds.

 

[pe2dave]

I flinched when I read 1/2" ply. *not* speaking from experience, but 18mm would make me happier to hang half a ton of tools on it?
Anyone more experience from which to speak? Am I just building brick s... houses?

 

[RichardG]

I flinched when I read 1/2" ply. *not* speaking from experience, but 18mm would make me happier to hang half a ton of tools on it?
Anyone more experience from which to speak? Am I just building brick s... houses?

No I wouldn’t be happy with 12mm ply either, I tend to use PSE rather than plywood as well.

Blunter. The sharper the angle the more wedging force so the more likely to pull the fixing out. 30 degrees is plenty to stop the cleat jumping off and limits the wedging force. Although I doubt in practice it’ll make any odds.

Hadn’t thought about pulling out the fixings, I’ve gone for 45 degree as I’ve found it’s less likely to move or get knocked off, especially on smaller lighter tools. Not had any problems with fixings so far but then I always over fix.

 

[MikeK]

Just in case nobody noticed, this is a resurrected thread from nearly six years ago.

 

[Cabinetman]

Brilliant! Thanks Mike, I normally look but missed it this time. Though I did wonder why a new member had 500 messages under his belt ha ha

 

[user 30603]

Blunter. The sharper the angle the more wedging force so the more likely to pull the fixing out. 30 degrees is plenty to stop the cleat jumping off and limits the wedging force. Although I doubt in practice it’ll make any odds.

Thanks Fitzroy