# Recessed French Cleat?



## skogie1 (Sep 1, 2014)

I want to put a 4' board up (1"x4"x4') along a wall underneath a set of cubbies to mount hooks to for hanging up jackets and such. My first thought was to simply countersink some holes and mount it to the studs with screws and cover the holes with plugs. But then I thought it would be nicer to have no plugs and so I thought of using a french cleat system. However, if I'm going to use a cleat then the board will stand off the wall. I want the board to be flush. If I recessed the "female" cleat into the board then it would sit flush but this doesn't sound easy and with a 1" board I'm not sure it would be that strong as I couldn't go too deep. Any thoughts or suggestions on how to get this board flat against the wall without leaving visible drill holes? Thanks.


----------



## barada83 (Feb 25, 2015)

A couple of ideas:
1) make a cleat the width and length of your board. This would effectively make everything flush on the wall. It will still be offset, not sure how that works with your design. 
2) You describe an extended side panel with recessed cleat. It can be done but always much easier to mount the cleat then scribe a non-structurally essential side panel to the wall. 
3) What I would probably do is countersink the screws and mount the hooks for your coats over them. Simple, hidden, no plugs, no offset.


----------



## skogie1 (Sep 1, 2014)

Clever! Number 3 is exactly the kind of simple, elegant solution I knew was staring me in the face but that I could just not see. Thanks. That's what I'll do.


----------



## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

You could use the keyhole shaped hangers. You mortise them into the back of the board wherever you have a stud, insert appropriate screws into the studs, and you have an invisible flush wall mounting. You can mortise by hand, or make a template and rout them. The hangers are held to the board with a couple of FH screws.


----------



## skogie1 (Sep 1, 2014)

Thank you


----------

