# How to attach to a wall



## Derakon (Jun 19, 2012)

I'd like to make some shelves that attach directly to studs in the wall, but I'd like to not have any screws or nails showing in the piece, if possible. That would seem to require some kind of "hanging" mechanism (where there's a hook mounted on the wall, and the piece hangs from the hook), but I don't know how to go about designing something along those lines, especially since I'd want the piece to be flush with the wall and, ideally, fairly immobile. Not because I expect the shelves to take a lot of load, just because it'd seem sloppy otherwise. Does anyone have any advice?

The only idea I've had so far would be to route out a slot in the edge of a board, then glue in a thin strip over most of the slot, which would create an area that could be hooked into. I still don't know how the hook itself would work though.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

Google "french cleat", then ask any questions you still have. HTH


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## RRBOU (Feb 15, 2012)

I just completed some floating shelf's that were 24" long and 6" wide. I used sliding dove tails. This worked very well and they are very sturdy. I put the pins on the outer part of the shelf and then counter sunk the screw in the grove of the 1-1/2" inside portion of the shelf.


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## Derakon (Jun 19, 2012)

AandCstyle: thanks! Sometimes the problem is just not knowing the terminology…carpentry's had a long time to come up with different ways of naming things. 

RRBOU: that also sounds like it'd work well. I haven't done any dovetail work yet, though I do have the appropriate bit for my router.


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## woodworm (Jul 27, 2008)

Derakon, The french cleat looks like this:


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

+1 for the French cleat.

Nice diagram Woodworm.


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## woodworm (Jul 27, 2008)

Waho609, I should not get the credit for the diagram - I copied it from the web coz I could not paste the link.


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## woody123 (May 7, 2009)

+2 for the French cleat. The screws that hold the cleat to the wall can be plugged with decorative wood plugs.
I have a couple of shelves and cabinets around my house hung this way. They are very strong.
Just my .02


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## GrandpaLen (Mar 6, 2012)

Welcome to LumberJocks , a world of advise, opinions, and experiences, all shared without judgement.

If it's not a heavy shelving unit nor a heavy load you can use a 'key hole' router bit and this will hide your hanging solutions.

I have used this method on several 3 and 4 shelf units for Knick Knacks and DVD/CD storage, wieghing up to 25 - 30 lbs.

You will want to make the slot with the plunge hole at the bottum, (think tear drop shape) in the style frame. You can also make horizontal slots shaped like a dog bone, in the rail frame. - Len


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