French Cleat wall section

[Jay Yoder]

I am contemplating adding a french cleat wall section to my basement workshop to allow some flexibility for the future. I have built a clamp storage rack and plan on adding a storage cabinet next. I need to mount it to an outside concrete block wall which is load-bearing. Instead of drilling the concrete block for multiple layers of "receiving" cleats, i was thinking of anchoring a sheet to the upper wooden plate. Then mounting the receiving cleats on this. I was wondering if i could use either a sheet of 5/8" OSB or a sheet of T-111. I am planning on painting it white to "lighten" things. The reason for this is that i already have 1 of each and really not sure what else i could use it for. Especially the OSB. I Was wondering how the OSB would survive being that the load will always put it in a tension state. I tried to add a pic, but it is too big...i think i described it fully above. Thanks for your input!!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello Jay,
Personally, I'd frame it in and not wonder if it would hold up.

As to which material to use, if you don't frame it & provide some standoff from the concrete block- neither is the best idea.

Any time you mate wood to masonry, especially below grade, you want to use treated.

[Don Dorn]

I Was wondering how the OSB would survive being that the load will always put it in a tension state. I. Thanks for your input!!

This Summer, I remodled and added on to my shop. Instead of sheetrock, I made the walls OSB and because I got tired of drilling holes to change things before, I put a French cleat all the way around the shop. In fact, I used two lines with one about 8" off the ceiling and one at the line where the OSB sheets meet. So far, they have held clamp racks, peg boards and a cabinet and havent moved an iota. I'm very happy I did this and have already benefited from moving clamp racks around to a more friendly location. I'm going to be working on a handtool cabinet soon and it's nice to know I don't have to pick a particular spot or drill any more holes. Go for it, you'll be glad you did.

[Jim Becker]

Jay, the one concern with the method you propose is that you have to insure that the load on how you anchor the sheets to the top plate will handle everything you intend to hang on the cleats. The other thing is that a sheet of, well...sheet goods...doesn't really give you much to fasten the cleats on for more than very light duty holding. Personally, I'd use anchors in the wall or at least a 2x3 framing behind the sheets to give you some "meat" to screw the cleats into.

If it does turn out to be practical, I'd use plywood for this application rather than OSB.

[Jay Yoder]

Maybe i am overthinking this. If i proceeded i was going to use 3/8 lag bolts about every 18" into the plate. Maybe i am overthinking this, but is my hesitancy to drill the concrete block unfounded? My fear is that it would weaken block wall not to mention the mess. Also not to mention the holes left if we ever decided to move. Would a better solution be 1x2 firring strips?

[Jay Yoder]

still struggling with this wall panel idea? any feedback? Should i just mount the cleats in the block? does it weaken the block at all? I have attached the model showing my concept. Any feedback would be appreciated!

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Jay,

You can't really attach anything to the cement blocks so your idea of the upper plate attachment is a good one. That said, sheet goods aren't really designed for the load stress over time. Personally I wouldn't trust them for very long.

For my money the best answer is the wall Jim suggested. That way it's attached at the bottom and top and will be bulletproof over the long haul. You can use concrete anchors into your slab and screws into the plate up top. Cover the wall with whatever you want to, then attach the cleats to the studs behind the wall with deck screws [not drywall screws].

[Jay Yoder]

The only reason i hesitate about the stud walls is due to the fact it is only a localized section. Also the loss of 3.5" is not what i am after. I may just bite it off and pick up a sheet of plywood and attach it to the plate using long lag bolts thru a "mounting strip" at the top and the plywood. this should help distribute the load. This is nothing more than 1x material (same mat'l as cleats) glued and screwed to the plywood.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Sounds like you made up your mind....hope it holds for you.