Wood for French Cleats

[Doug Mason]

I have just put up French cleats along one wall of my shop--I used 2 x 4 doug fir from the borg. I will finish the rest of my shop in the next couple of weeks. I'll have 3 rows of cleats on each wall (at various hieghts).
The cabinets will be decent size--but nothing too big. I have already made one, have hung it, and am impressed with the mobility this sytem affords.
The cabinet size was about 2 1/2 feet wide by 4 1/2 feet long

As the cleats will run the entire lenght of the wall, the cabinet sticks out the width of the cleat--about 1 1/2 inches with the fir. I'm wondering if I could just use 3/4 x 3 oak intead? It seems to me it would be just as strong? What have other people done?

[Jim Becker]

Oak will work. Frankly, just about anything will work...you are spreading the weight over the cleats and if they are securely fastened to the walls, they can carry a lot of heft. I actually use scrap plywood for them...

[Steve Clardy]

Any type of 3/4" scrap, leftovers will work

[Gary Keedwell]

Hi,

I put the system in my shop last year. I used 3/4 stock...some oak I had extra amount from previous job..but plywood would be strong enough. As a matter of fact, I moved a few things around last nite.

Gary K.

[Chris Padilla]

Plywood works fine....

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Have always used plywood. In my shop the cabinets have a French cleat flush with the inside of the caucus so that the cabinet is flush to the wall. It is not as flexible to move the cabinet since I have to move the wall cleat, but I don't have to have a back for the cabinet.

Greg

[Phil Phelps]

Use MDF. It's best if you chamfer the edge. Slides on much eaiser. Remember that the wall isn't always flat. If I use a long clete on the wall, say seven feet for an eight foot sign, I'll use two, maybe three, twelve inch cleats on the back of the sign. That way, if the wall is on a curve, the sign will conform much easier. And yes, I do use shims to keep the wall cleat as straight as possible.

[Jon Toebbe]

MDF sure is a good idea --cheap, durable and easily painted to blend/contrast with the walls of your shop. Like others here, I've mostly been using scrap plywood for my projects.

[Russ Massery]

I've used plywood, scrap solid , MDF, they have all worked. Just what ever I had laying around..........