Hardware for attaching french cleat to wall

Yelverton

Mitch
Corporate Member
All, I recently finished up a large wall-hanging media center cabinet that will hang on the wall on a french cleat. I'm going to install it tomorrow and need to get some hardware for attaching the cleat to the wall. The piece is 8' wide, 20" tall, and 20" deep. I'm guessing that the fully loaded weight will be around 80lbs.

My thought is that I'll use 1/4" lag screws with washers and countersink the screw heads into the cleat with a forstner bit, all going into studs, of course. Any concerns about that approach? Any other hardware choices I should consider?

Pictures of the piece are attached.
 

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Yelverton

Mitch
Corporate Member
#14 x 3 inch countersink phillips head screws will cost much less, be easier to install, and work well enough for that weight.
Thanks, Mike. I'll probably be able to screw into 5 studs across the length of the cleat, depending on the stud placement, since this will need to be centered on the wall and on two new outlets below the TV. Any thoughts on using washers?
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Thanks, Mike. I'll probably be able to screw into 5 studs across the length of the cleat, depending on the stud placement, since this will need to be centered on the wall and on two new outlets below the TV. Any thoughts on using washers?
For that weight I don't think you need washers. If you have room to put 2 screws in each studs that will help but not sure it is needed for less than 100 pounds. I have close to 200 pounds hanging on three #14 x 3 inch screws. The shear strength of each screw exceeds 100#. I had intended to hang less than 100 pounds and things grew more than I expected.

But I always over engineer by a factor of 3 or 4 just in case...
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Well, I made an assumption and should have asked. The cleats are oak or some other hardwood?

If soft pine washers may be in order.

I hope the cleat is attached to the cabinet as well or better than the one attached to the wall.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
Although that case may weigh around 80 lbs, you could easily triple that if loaded with books or files full of paper. If using pine for the cleat, I would use riff sawn SYP and 1/4 lag bolts with washers (countersunk). Cut the angle on the cleat to run with the riff sawn grain.

This is basically what I used to hang my garage cabinets (each 32w x 48h x 22d), however I used 5/16 lags. Each cabinet weighs around 80 lbs, but the contents in a couple of them are close to 300lbs.

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Yelverton

Mitch
Corporate Member
Well, I made an assumption and should have asked. The cleats are oak or some other hardwood?

If soft pine washers may be in order.

I hope the cleat is attached to the cabinet as well or better than the one attached to the wall.
Okay great, thanks for the additional information. The cleat is actually walnut ply, an offcut from the case construction. I can replace with oak if needed, not a problem. The cleat on the cabinet is securely attached - it's about 4" wide, glued and attached to the cabinet frame with about a dozen 1 1/4" screws and some 3" screws that go through the frame and into the vertical section dividers in the cabinet.
 

Yelverton

Mitch
Corporate Member
Although that case may weigh around 80 lbs, you could easily triple that if loaded with books or files full of paper. If using pine for the cleat, I would use riff sawn SYP and 1/4 lag bolts with washers (countersunk). Cut the angle on the cleat to run with the riff sawn grain.

This is basically what I used to hang my garage cabinets (each 32w x 48h x 22d), however I used 5/16 lags. Each cabinet weighs around 80 lbs, but the contents in a couple of them are close to 300lbs.
Awesome looking cabinets and nice to see your approach in the real world. Thanks for your input. I think I'll go with lags just out of an abundance of caution.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Okay great, thanks for the additional information. The cleat is actually walnut ply, an offcut from the case construction. I can replace with oak if needed, not a problem. The cleat on the cabinet is securely attached - it's about 4" wide, glued and attached to the cabinet frame with about a dozen 1 1/4" screws and some 3" screws that go through the frame and into the vertical section dividers in the cabinet.
That should be just dandy.
 

kserdar

Ken
Senior User
Not to add to you weighty issue:
But what happens if some "adult" leans on the front edge? 80 pounds + XXXX = I hope it stays put.
Worst case would be small child climbing on it and eveything falling on the child.
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
I would NOT use ply. Every layer you counter bore through weakens the strength of the cleat. I strongly suggest solid hardwood even popular maybe 1 in. thick (5/4). You don't want that thing falling.

Pop
 

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