Using a French cleat is probably the easiest way to hang a cabinet on the wall when working alone. You secure one half of the cleat to the wall and the other to the cabinet and then simply set the cabinet onto the cleat. Done! It is as simple as that — but I have a few tips to share because if you’re like me, you need a visual explanation.
How to Hang a Cabinet using a French Cleat
First: what is a French cleat? It’s simply a cleat (I used a 1×5 red oak hardwood scrap that is still in my workshop from tearing out my original master closet. You cut the cleat in half at a 45• angle.
One half of the cleat will be installed on the wall and the other on the cabinet. Make sure you put them in place with the angles facing the right direction. The angle on the wall part will face up and angle out. The part on the cabinet will angle down and out — so they slide together when you set the cabinet.
I find it easiest to secure the cabinet part at the top of the cabinet so I don’t have to do any extra math to figure out where to install the wall cleat. This is how I do it:
- mark on the wall where the top of my cabinet will be
- line the top of the “cabinet cleat” up with that mark and mark the bottom of that cleat
- then line top of the “wall cleat” up with that mark
- level that cleat and nail it into place — trying to hit the studs.
- secure that sucker to the wall with 3″ screws.
Now attach the cabinet cleat to the cabinet. The top of the cleat should be flush with the top of the cabinet.
Now you just have to lift the cabinet up past the cleat then let it slide down the wall and nestle into place. Get help lifting if the cabinet is heavy.
Do one more check to make sure you’re still level. If you put your cleats on level your cabinet should be level.
You will need a block of the same thickness as your cleat at the bottom of the cabinet to keep it plumb. It would be easiest to nail it to the wall before you install your cabinet.
Now you can secure the cabinet so it doesn’t move side to side or be allowed to be pushed up and off of the cleat. Put 3″ screws though the cabinet where the cleats are positioned so the screws secure the cabinet and cleats to the wall.
kim massa says
Hi Sandra,
Do you know what thickness of cleat is needed for different weights of cabinets? I was wondering if I could get away with a 1x on a footboard that I am making.
Sandra says
I used 3/4″ red oak for these cabinets. You are good to go with a 3/4″ hardwood cleat as long as it is secured to both parts really well.
Yvonne Lehring says
Perfect timing. I built a new window box that is 4 foot wide and I’ve been struggling trying to figure out how to hang it by myself. I’m on it now!
ST says
what a great idea-the french cleat and the window box. I want window boxes but didn’t know how to secure them either but now I do with your suggestion!
Mary Lira says
Thanks a lot Sandra!
I just came to your blog in order to consult how to hang my kitchen cabinets! As Yvonne said: Perfect timing! Grettings from Venezuela!
Rosicel says
I have to say. This would have helped a lot on my project. Will definitely use it for the next. Thanks!
Feral Turtle says
This is definitely one of the best ways to hang a cabinet. A great tutorial Sandra! Cheers.
Janet says
Doesn’t this leave a gap between the cabinet and the wall? Or have I failed to grasp something?
Sandra says
Yes it does and you wouldn’t use it in every situation.
Silvana Azevedo says
and after you done, you keep the cleat or not?
Sandra says
Yes, the cabinet is hanging on the cleat so it stays.
Silvana Azevedo says
Thanks!
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I am brasilian and i am going live there in USA.
I make furniture and you are my inspiration. Of course i cant compare my work with your..
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Rando says
If you design it so the cleat on the cabinet is recessed. the cabinet can be flush to the wall. This is how I hang mantel shelves. Most mantels are hollow which is where I glue and/or nail in a cleat. Then I install a cleat level on the wall and voila, easy to install the mantel which will be level. Then I secure the mantel to the cleat w/ screws from the top side. Great demonstration Sandra.
river says
can anyoe ask a question or is this strickly a female deal. I have aquest about the Fr cleaton kit cab the sides leave aspace in back would a fr cleat work if it was cut to fi in the space and the cleat bult out so the cabinet would be flush to th wall would this work or not? I have a whole set of kit cabinets to do by myself. I am looking for ways to hang them sceurely what about crooked walls that are out of plumb what do you do about that? just looking for answers is all. I don’t mean to intrude
Sandra says
Anyone can comment and ask questions and I do my best to answer. 🙂 If you are building your cabinets from scratch you can certainly just install a french cleat instead of a regular cleat and you could recess it by installing the cabinet back in front of the cleat in a dado. Or, if you don’t want to go to the effort of dadoing all your cabinet backs so you cleats are invisible from the side, you only really need to worry about the end cabinet. That’s the only one you see from the side. Right? Build that one differently so the side covers the space created by the French cleat.
Taylor says
What is the minimum thickness for the back of the cabinet to use a cleat?
Sandra says
I secure the cleat to the cabinet sides which are 1/2″ or 3/4″. I would only secure it to the back if the cabinet back was 1/2″ and secured to the cabinet with screws.
Taylor says
Thanks for the quick response!
I love your site.
Are you screwing the cleat directly into the end gain or the plywood or are you using pocket holes?
Rick says
May seem obvious, but steps 2 and 3 above assume that both parts are equal in height, true? Thus the instruction to move the top of the wall cleat to the mark at its bottom, essentially offsetting the cleat by the same height as the cabinet cleat.
We have an antique mantel that we want to stabilize (no fireplace – just decorative). Would you suggest pocket screwing the mantel cleat to the underside of the mantel top? This is just to avoid tipping – the mantel will stand on the floor.
Thanks for a great explanation.
Sandra says
It doesn’t matter if the cleats are the same size or not. You put the cabinet cleat in place (where it will be when it’s attached to the cabinet and setting against the wall. Then you put the wall cleat in place, based on the location of the cabinet cleat.
If you are building a mantel, you could certainly build it with a french cleat recessed. If the mantel is already built and you are thinking of attaching a french cleat to it, it will push the mantel away from the wall by the thickness of the cleat. Might not be the best choice in that instance.
Annie says
Sawdust Girl! Love the name of your blog and I am seriously inspired. I have built chicken coops and greenhouses and tables before, I have refinished everything under the sun including painting kitchen cabinets and always admire women who are just plain and simple- doing it themselves! Bravo!
suZ Mavey says
I bought a bed with 3 drawer high for the base of the bed. It was toooooo tall, so I did what any resourceful sawdust loving girl would do. I took a set of drawers off to lower the bed to a reasonable height. Then started the dilemma of what to do with 2 – 6 foot by 2 foot by 8 inch sections of drawers.
Then the light bulb came on, but started more questions. I am setting up our garage for a garage for a new car, storage for different things, and a sort of workshop. What better place to use a set, but as a work bench. It would have storage, a place to work, and still have things on the wall above.
Question 1. How do I hang it? Answer 1. French Cleat
Question 2. How big should both sides of the cleat be? Answer 2. ???
Question 3. I haven’t gotten there yet, but more will probably come up.
Thanks
Sandra says
Wow it sounds like you’re being really resourceful! Making things work and using things for other things… Not that this is the right answer for your situation, but I cut my French cleats about 3″ wide.
suZ says
Thank you for answering. I usually have to go to the box store for answers, but you can’t always rely on their expertise..
I had been on your site before, but didn’t realize you were in my backdoor, so to speak. I guess us Tennessee Girls aren’t afraid to work hard, and share what we learn.
What would you use instead of the French cleat? I want to make the bank of drawers like a floating set.
Also, when you say 3 inches, are you saying both sides make 3 inches for a total of 6, or 3 inches total?
Go Vols
Sandra says
There’s a few factors that would sway decisions: cabinet construction, how are you securing the French cleat, weight of loaded cabinets (what I can currently think of)??? I generally use a 2 1/2 – 3″ cleat on the back of my cabinets to secure them to the wall. If planning to use a french cleat system, I’d make that a French cleat and adjust how I construct the cabinet so the French cleat is secured to the cabinet without obstructions so it could be used to hang the cabinet.
Alternately, you can purchase metal french cleat cabinet hanging systems. Like what you use to hang IKEA cabinets.