Idea for storage in my new shop/garage

Mar 12, 2006 2 Replies

I'm thinking of putting French cleats every foot up the side of the wall starting at 4' high and going up.  To make the cleats I'm thinking of using



1x2 fir and cutting a 45 on the top side, and attaching them to the wall with 2" screws.

my question is, are the fir 1x2's going to be strong enough, or should I use



3/4 plywood cut into 2" strips with a 45 cut at the top.


then I was going to use desk deck finish or use floor wax



can anyone think of a better way to do this?


I use a French cleat system in my garage shop. I generally like to cut a

1x6 in half lengthwise at a 45 degree angle. This gives two cleats about 2.5 inches wide. I used good clear fir, and it has worked fine. If I had it to do over I might use poplar or another hardwood depending on price. I've also cut down 1x4's to do the same job.

I only have one cleat at about 6.5 ft. Again if doing it over I'd put one at about 3 ft and another at 6.5 feet. I have all my cabinets and shelves designed with cleats installed. In addition, I've made special fixtures for holding special items (like sawhorses and clamps). I also use the fixed cleat to support hooks and commercial tool hanging hardware.

When I sell this place, my whole shop will just lift off the walls and come with me. This system also allows me to change my storage layout as my interests change.

D.G. Adams

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