Hanging bookcase - 1/4" backing?

[Harvey Chute]

Hello all,

I'm building a bookcase that will hang in my office closet. Can I get away with 1/4" plywood backing, or do I need 1/2" backing?

Some construction details: carcase is 3/4" plywood with face frame. It will hang on an embedded french cleat, so the back will be flush against the wall. The carcase will have one fixed shelf. Overall dimensions of the carcase are 45" high, 23" wide, 11" deep.

My rationale for considering 1/4" backing:
- it seems it would be strong enough to keep the carcase square
- it would be lighter than 1/2" and thus minimize the load on the french cleat.
- it's less expensive than 1/2" plywood.

Thanks for your collective wisdom on this.

[tod evans]

harvey, as long as the cleat is bearing the weight of the unit/books you`ll be fine...02 tod

[John Timberlake]

You will also lose less space with the 1/4". If not bearing any weight, it should be fine.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

1/4" will be enough for your application given the cleat. I haven't used any other size for years except for one instance on a corner unit.

[Harvey Chute]

Thank you for the confirmation. I shall proceed accordingly!

[Charlie Plesums]

I use 1/2 inch for rolling carts, where people will be pushing on the side. For regular cabinets, 1/4 inch, but with other structure to handle hanging, etc.

[john whittaker]

Harvey...just to clarify:
I assume your embedded cleat is joined to the carcase sides. In that case 1/4" back panel is the way to go. If you are planning to use just the 1/4" back panel to support the cleat, you may want to re-consider.

[Harvey Chute]

I assume your embedded cleat is joined to the carcase sides. In that case 1/4" back panel is the way to go. If you are planning to use just the 1/4" back panel to support the cleat, you may want to re-consider.

Yep, the cleat will be joined to the carcase sides and also the top. I plan to have the backing extend from the bottom of the carcase up to the (high) fixed shelf, which will leave an 8" opening at the top for the cleat and its mating wall cleat.