Garage wall storage systems can be downright pricey. Looking for an inexpensive alternative? A French cleat system is the perfect solution!
So what is a French cleat? A French cleat is simply a bracket made with interlocking 45-degree angles. One side is attached to the wall, with the angle facing up, and the other side is attached to the back of the item you want to hang, facing down. The two angles lock together against the wall and form a solid connection. That’s it, no glue or fasteners are needed. The weight is evenly distributed along the entire length of the cleat, which is attached to the studs, so it can easily support heavy items. So clever, right?
THE SUPPLIES
- 2 sheets of 4’x8′ Utility Plywood
- 1 sheet of 4’x8′ ¾” Birch Plywood
HANGING THE WALL PANELS
To start, we’ll be stacking the two 4’x8’ sheets of utility plywood on the wall to create an 8’x8’ panel. We attached the panels to the wall temporarily with a few finish nails. The panels will eventually be secured in place with screws once we add the wall cleats. This is the perfect time to prime and paint your panels. I used Behr satin trim paint in the color “Pier.” It will be much easier to do this now before adding the cleats.
CUTTING THE FRENCH CLEATS
The most inexpensive way to create French cleats is to use ¾” plywood. By using a 4’x8’ sheet we were able to get a total of 16 cleats that are 8’ in length. Here is how we cut down our sheet of plywood.
We ripped down our 4’x8’ sheet of plywood into 6” wide strips of wood. This will give you a total of eight 6” strips.
Next, set up your table saw blade to cut at a 45-degree angle. Take each of your 6” wide strips and cut them in half, lengthwise, with your saw set at the 45-degree angle. Essentially you will be getting 2 angled cleats out of each 6” wide strip. In total you should have 16 cleats when it’s all said and done, which is actually way more than you’ll need.
Lastly, I primed and painted all of the cleats before hanging them.
HANGING THE WALL CLEATS
Now that our cleats are all cut, primed, and painted, it’s time to get them hung on the wall. Start in the middle and add a cleat to hide the seam between the two 4’x8’ utility wall panels. Your cleat should have the angled cut on top and the angle should be sloping downwards towards the wall. Secure the cleat to the wall with screws every 16” and make sure you are hitting the studs for the strongest support. Also, continue to check and make sure it’s level as you work.
Simply repeat the process and work your way up and down the wall. We have 7” of space in between each of our cleats. Wood spacer blocks are very helpful for adding additional rows. There is a total of 9 wall cleats on our 8’x8’ wall panel.
MAKING THE ACCESSORY CLEATS
The best part about this system is that it is complexly customizable. In our case, we needed a lot of hooks and bins. Utilize whatever you can find (or build), attach a cleat to it, and you’re in business!
I decided to make use of the hooks we already had on hand. I took a scrap piece of wood, attached it to a cleat, and then attached the hook to that.
A few other things I used are these large bins from Home Depot. I attached a cleat right to the back of them. I also found a few other things, like these smaller bins, more hooks, and even these fishing rod racks. There are just endless ways to customize this system to meet your needs.
SOURCES
4’x8′ Utility Plywood | 4’x8′ ¾” Birch Plywood | Behr Satin Trim Paint | Large Bins | Small Bins | Hooks | Fishing Rod Racks
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10 Responses
I just found your blog, and I am OBSESSED with your style! I want to makeover my entire garage and garden to match yours. Thank you for sharing the inspiration and how-to’s!
Aw thank you Karen— That is so kind of you to say! So glad you found me!
Do you have a picture of what the back of the bins looks like—I love the idea of the French cleat wall and want to make one for my garage but I can’t quite figure out how you made the bins work and I’ll definitely need plenty if bins for storage. Thank you so much for making this whole tutorial it’s exactly what I have been searching for!
Aw thanks Shannon! I’m so happy to hear you want to try the french cleat wall. So if you take a look above at the close up picture of the hooks with helmets…. it’s basically that, but instead of screwing the hook on, just screw the bin on. Does that make sense? If not, shoot me an email (erin@hph.thoroughfaredesign.co) and I’ll see if I can find or take a picture of the bins.
LOVE THIS! Gonna do it!! May I ask if the panels were needed or if that was just preference? I *think* I should be able to just attach my cleats directly to the drywall in my garage, screwing into the studs as you mentioned. But wanted to double check if you found the panel to be helpful or just aesthetically pleasing 🙂
Thank you! Nope, the panels are not needed. You could attach the cleats directly to your drywall. I just liked the look of it being more of a “unit” on the wall, which is why I painted and added the back panels.
Love it! Do you feel like when you remove items from the hooks the hooks are prone to fall off the cleat wall?
Thank you! I have not had any issues with that