Tool Wall or French Cleat

[NOTW]

The back wall of my shop currently has white peg board on it which I use as a tool wall to hang the majority of my most used tools on. I am thinking about moving forward to a better look with a tool wall. My question is what other people have done and how they like it. I am trying to decide between 3 methods of achieving this goal. Attaching a piece of plywood to the wall and then screwing tool holders made out of scrap to it, creating a french cleat style system on the wall and making french cleat holders, or doing something like Steves Wood Cave on youtube did with the mother of all toolboards where he created a grid system on plywood and then used threaded inserts to attach the tool holders. I've attached a couple of pictures of the french cleat system and the screw on tool holders (couldn't find a picture of Steve's wood cave) as reference. There are pros and cons with each of these but i wanted to get people's input as to what has worked for them. I don't move things often but would like to have that as an option for when I acquire new tools.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

I have a tool cabinet that I use for all hand tools. AB Store fixtures in Greensboro has used slat wall and all of the shelves baskets and hooks at very low prices. I was lucky and found the slatwall with aluminum channel inserts which are impossible to overload. I use the walls to hang clamps saw blades etc that there is no fear of rust. I save silica gel packets and place them in the tool cabinet to reduce the risk of rust. These can be dried back out every now and then at about 225 f in the over for about 3 hours. This may be overkill but so far I have not had rust issues

 

[zapdafish]

a few months ago I put up a bunch cleats on my walls. I am about to make a took wall out of about half a sheet of plywood and hang it on the cleats.

I was making tool holders and wanted the spacing a little tighter. I plan to screw them to the plywood so I can move them around if needed.

 

[dwminnich]

I've made a number of these cleat systems, and have been really happy with them. The plywood sheets hang on a heavy-duty cleat that runs around the perimeter of my shop. The tool holders hang on cleats made from 3/8" plywood, and are not attached to the larger sheets. In addition to the 4x8 sheets of cleats, I keep small cleat boards mounted near my major tools... that lets me move a particular tool holder from its normal storage location to the location where I'm currently working.

The portable nature of this system is proving its worth now as I'm starting to pack up the shop for a move.

By the way, pretty much everything that I hang on my shop walls gets hung from that heavy-duty cleat... cabinets, the manifold for my compressed air piping, etc.. If I get the original placement wrong it's a simple matter to relocate something.

--dave

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bill Clemmons]

It's easier and quicker to move things around on a cleat system than if you have everything screwed to the plywood.

 

[JohnW]

I use a combination of French cleat and peg board. Have upper cabs, sandpaper cab, multiple clamp racks and some heavier tools/accessories on dedicated French cleats. Use peg board under cabs to hold lighter objects. I've moved the cleated sandpaper cab and clamps several times over the years and its been real handy.

I have one peg board hung on a French cleat. It is dedicated for tennis racquet stringing and I can move that around if need be.

For me, some items seem more suited to hang on peg board while others a better fit for cleats.

 

[NOTW]

I really like the look of that Dwminnich, I am leaning towards something like that.

 

[Ed Fasano]

+ 1 on cleats. I have a pegboard tool wall with both hooks and hook-held custom holders along with a number of other cabinets and fixtures on French cleats. If I ever decide to upgrade, a more cleat centric and/or slot-wall system is likely.

 

[NOTW]

Here is my current setup, it is a combination of the peg hooks, made holders on peg hooks and some of the plastic talon hooks. It sounds like the best bet is to go with a french cleat system and made holders.

 

[nn4jw]

If I was going to hang tools up I think I'd go with a cleat system.

That said, hanging my tools on the wall was something I did when I first started out and really don't do any more. I think most of us go through that phase. It's fine until one day you no longer have enough wall space for your growing collection of tools or you get tired of constantly reorganizing them all.

Most of what I see in the pictures up-thread would fit into a single tool box per picture. Tool boxes, shelves and drawers will hold a lot more in less shop space.

 

[Pop Golden]

I too ran out of wall space. So! To put the most hand tools in the smallest space I designed this cabinet. Each double sided section hangs from a pair of heavy duty drawer slides. I hate pegboard pegs, but I love pegboards holes. All tools are in custom designed holders. Here's photos:

Wrenches 1 Wrenches 2 Hammers Saws Misc. Drills Carving

Planes Chisels Pliers Small Pliers Layout 1 Layout 2

Pop :XXcompute

 

[NOTW]

Wow Pop, that is an amazing use of space I really like that.

so am I correct in reading that most people prefer a drawer system as opposed to a wall system for tools? If this is the case perhaps I should be rethinking this and using the space under my bench and building some drawers under there. Or perhaps doing both and doing some drawers under the bench and some French clear above the bench.

 

[Ed Fasano]

I prefer fast, easy access to the tools I use most frequently. It is easy to get to them and easier (for me) to reduce clutter by putting them back in their place quickly. Cabinets, drawers and shelves handle the other tools and supplies. I often thought about adding drawers under my primary bench, but that space became dedicated to a rack for bench hooks, planing stops and a shooting board, a metal-working vise and a few other odds and ends. Things have evolved over the years, changing with work habits and, of course, space. My shop has been modified as needed as it moved around the country from Denver, Dallas, Baltimore-DC, Long Island and now (thankfully) here.

 

[Bear Republic]

Pop that is downright outstanding, a little up front time and a home for everything.


I prefer the cleat system. I change things around too much for a permanent place for some things.

 

[NOTW]

So for the people using more of a drawer system what do you use to keep everything from moving around? Kaizan foam or dividers or something else?

 

[Charlie]

Rubber shelf lining from Wallyworld/Lowes, etc.

 

[AllanD]

Pop, you need to get more organized! Seriously though, that is outstanding. The most unique part to me is using drawer slides at the top rather than hinges and have them open like doors like you usually see. I may have to copy that idea.

 

[NOTW]

Rubber shelf lining from Wallyworld/Lowes, etc.

WOW Charlie, i looked through your shop photos. How do you get anything done with all that organization, counter space and good lighting???

 

[zapdafish]

I really like this version and started a smaller version of it this weekend.

I've made a number of these cleat systems, and have been really happy with them. The plywood sheets hang on a heavy-duty cleat that runs around the perimeter of my shop. The tool holders hang on cleats made from 3/8" plywood, and are not attached to the larger sheets. In addition to the 4x8 sheets of cleats, I keep small cleat boards mounted near my major tools... that lets me move a particular tool holder from its normal storage location to the location where I'm currently working.

The portable nature of this system is proving its worth now as I'm starting to pack up the shop for a move.

By the way, pretty much everything that I hang on my shop walls gets hung from that heavy-duty cleat... cabinets, the manifold for my compressed air piping, etc.. If I get the original placement wrong it's a simple matter to relocate something.

--dave

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RandyJ]

I've made a number of these cleat systems, and have been really happy with them. The plywood sheets hang on a heavy-duty cleat that runs around the perimeter of my shop. The tool holders hang on cleats made from 3/8" plywood, and are not attached to the larger sheets. In addition to the 4x8 sheets of cleats, I keep small cleat boards mounted near my major tools... that lets me move a particular tool holder from its normal storage location to the location where I'm currently working.

The portable nature of this system is proving its worth now as I'm starting to pack up the shop for a move.

By the way, pretty much everything that I hang on my shop walls gets hung from that heavy-duty cleat... cabinets, the manifold for my compressed air piping, etc.. If I get the original placement wrong it's a simple matter to relocate something.

--dave

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dave,
What are the dimensions of the heavy cleat you use to hang the plywood sheets on? 2x4, ply, etc..
Thanks