French cleats - how thick?

[PowerTool]

I have a couple of bookcases to fasten to a wall - after reading LarryS's workshop reorganisation thread,am now considering using French cleats,as he has done.
How thick would they need to be,and is softwood suitable ?
Bookcases are solid pine,approx.800mm x 1,000mm,three shelves.

Andrew

 

[OPJ]

I'd have thought you'd be fine with something that was ex. 1", finishing at around 3/4", 18-20mm.

 

[wizer]

18mm ply/mdf

 

[PowerTool]

Thanks for the advice - never had anything fall off a wall yet,don't want this to be the first.. :wink:

Andrew

 

[BradNaylor]

French cleats are my favourite way of hanging any cabinet on a wall. So long as the cleat screwed to the wall is level, the cabinet will be level. Very quick, very simple, and just as importantly it makes hanging a cabinet a one-man job.

I normally use a 20mm cleat, made from whatever bits of scrap I have lying around. Softwood is fine for a fairly light cab.

Cheers
Dan

 

[Derek Willis.]

Andrew's mentioning of falling off the wall, reminds me of my sister's second husband, very clever, good position, D.I.Y. NO!!
She bought some shelves for him to put up in the kitchen in the flat, and a drill and a screwdriver.
He did the job, she came in and said they are all going downhill, so he did it again, got them level, when she put something on the shelf, they fell off the wall.
Don't you ever ask me to do anything like that again, he says, get a buider in ands that's what she did, never touched D.I.Y. again, and peace reigned.
Derek.

 

[Gower]

I think your post's rubbish Dan (what was it about, anyway?), but your Avatar.......... :lol:

 

[marshman]

Hi, am a newbie on here, been lurking a little while but couldn't find an introduction section so thought would post on a topic where I had an issue!

I installed an entertainment unit made out of reclaimed scaffolding (approx 10 feet long by 16inches wide by 20 inches deep) using French cleats made out of the offcuts of scaffolding.

It was my first use of French cleats, my research suggested 45 degree angles and everything was super secured to the wall and the back of the cabinet in my typical overengineer it way.

The problem I now have is that the unit is "falling" away from the wall, it does not look like any of the fixings have come apart but to be totally sure I know I need to remove it.

The unit is in a friend's apartment 100 miles from my workshop and whilst I know it is almost impossible to tell without taking apart I wondered if anyone had any thoughts before I have to do a couple of round trips?

Is using 1 inch thick cleats too thick? Should I have just stuck with a simple ply cleat? Is 45degrees okay?

Thanks for any and all assistance, found some great stuff on here already.
Sam

 

[j]

I've only seen them used on a tool cabinet I acquired.
On this cabinet, the cleat is 1 inch thick, and cut a t 45 degrees.
There is also a spacer block at the bottom of the cabinet to keep the bottom the same distance from the wall as the top.
Do you have one of these?

Just a thought.
J

 

[marshman]

I've only seen them used on a tool cabinet I acquired.
On this cabinet, the cleat is 1 inch thick, and cut a t 45 degrees.
There is also a spacer block at the bottom of the cabinet to keep the bottom the same distance from the wall as the top.
Do you have one of these?

Just a thought.
J

Ah Eureka! Or as Homer would say...Doh! I am actually with the unit at the moment and can feel that this is something that I appear to have omitted from the installation. Lets hope that it is something as simple as that.
Sam