Tool cabinet french cleat question...

[titanxt]

Hello fellow Woodnetters! I hope your day is going well for you.

I am hanging a heavy tool cabinet on the wall using a french cleat. Due to the weight of the cabinet and tools, I want to make sure that I build the cleat with some extra beef. I am planning on using some small, recessed lag bolts to attach the cleat to the cabinet. My question is how deep to make the cleat. Is 2" enough? 3" possibly? What else do I need to keep in mind to keep this thing from becoming gravity's next victim?


Thank you!  Andy

[titanxt]

Here is a picture of the cabinet. I have yet to build the doors....

[Splinter Puller]

Here is a picture of the cabinet. I have yet to build the doors....

I've switched to using metal Z clips.   I use them on cabinetry I build for others so I have plenty around the shop. They hold the cabinet much tighter to the wall then a wooden cleat.

[brianwelch]

Hello fellow Woodnetters! I hope your day is going well for you.

I am hanging a heavy tool cabinet on the wall using a french cleat. Due to the weight of the cabinet and tools, I want to make sure that I build the cleat with some extra beef. I am planning on using some small, recessed lag bolts to attach the cleat to the cabinet. My question is how deep to make the cleat. Is 2" enough? 3" possibly? What else do I need to keep in mind to keep this thing from becoming gravity's next victim?


Thank you!  Andy

Personally I think the closer to the wall, the better...reduces rotation/moment on the fasteners and cleats...
Ergo the Z clip is a great solution...maybe use two rows if it makes you feel more comfortable (but be very accurate/precise or it will be a waste of materials and/or time)

[titanxt]

I have used z clips in the past for smaller cabinets. Worth taking another look. The one thing that I wont have to worry about is the cabinet hanging at an angle. The cleat system I have is at the top of some pegboard. The cabinet will rest flush against the peg board as it is held out by spacers to keep enough space for the peg board accessories.

[Admiral]

My cabinet is over twice that size; I used two 3" wide french cleats across the entire width, separated by one foot, the second one is the "safety" cleat just in case the first one fails, and it is pretty solid. I also took the further belt and suspender step of putting a couple of "L" brackets at the top, anchored into studs.

[Phil S.]

I made a cabinet for books in the shop to keep dust out of the books.  It's 44" tall, 58" wide and 13" deep with three shelves.  It is full of books and magazines.  I don't have any idea what it weighs, but it is a bunch.  IIRC, I ripped some 1X4's in half lengthwise to make the French cleats for it, so they'd be about 1-3/4" wide on the average.  They are fastened with washers and lags in each stud or 3 bolts for each cleat.  It's been on the wall for more than 5 years and hasn't fallen off or even wiggled yet.


Phil

[Stwood_]

I'd think a 2" cleat all the way across would suffice. Double up on the lag bolts attaching everything.

[AHill]

My tool cabinet is similar in size to yours.  My cleat is the width of the cabinet and it's 1/2" thick pine about 3" wide, mating to the same size cleat on the wall.  The wall cleat is screwed into studs using 3" No. 8 screws.  The cleat on the cabinet is screwed in 4 places with 1" No. 8 screws (cabinet carcase is 3/4" solid cherry).  A No. 8 screw with only 1/2" penetration into plywood will hold 415 lbs.  I suspect you'll not even come close to jeopardizing the strength of the cabinet as long as you're using several screws and anchoring the cleat into the wall studs.  If you have to use drywall anchors, make sure you pick one whose shear strength rating is at least 25% more than the total weight of your cabinet plus the contents.

[Handplanesandmore]

Really heavy? Then I would go with 3" and plywood rather than pine. Find the studs and screw the wall cleats (top and upper/middle) to them.

Simon