# Thickness for a French Cleat



## MichaelJames (Jan 20, 2010)

Hey Everyone,

I'm trying to figure out how to attach a French Cleat to a mirror (yet to be built) for our home's entrance. I have the design in mind but am not sure how thin I can make the French cleat to ensure a solid attachement to the wall. I would really love for it to be hidden so I was thinking of trimming out the mirror with 1/2" strips around the parameter.

Can I go as thin as 1/2"? - I'll be using hard wood - probably Cherry.

I've looked at the Hangman products too, but they seem like they'll push out the top of the mirror too much.


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## sawdustphill (Jan 13, 2011)

hey Micheal you should be ok with 1/2 in. cleats I have used 1/2 in. cleats on a 30in. tall X 48in. wide X 12in.
deep open front oak cabinet and it has held up for years.
hope this helps.
Phillip from Ky.


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## therookie (Aug 29, 2010)

I dont see why 1/2" wouldnt work.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

1/2" will work. I have built many mdf frames for a local tile shop to display tiles. Pretty heavy and 2 mdf french cleats have kept them up for years. so any hardwood 1/2" cleat should be plenty thick enough. If you use two and your outer frame is thick enough the mirror should sit parrallel and flush with the wall.


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

Michael, here is another alternative that is available for mirrors. The hangman products are basically aluminum french cleats and are offset only 9/32". I have used them on several mirrors that I have made and they work just fine.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

I've used French cleats made from 1/4" material for mirror frames. As long as the cleats are firmly mounted, there's little issue with weight, IMHO. However, the problem is if the mirror is in a place that could be bumped. It wouldn't be hard to dislodge such a cleat. I used this method for my bath room mirrors, which are never really touched unless they are being cleaned.

If this is a concern, regardless of the size of material, you can just make wider cleats or increase the angle to 60/30 rather than 45/45 degrees.


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## JonathanG (Jan 18, 2010)

How big and heavy is the overall mirror going to be, roughly? If it's for an entrance, it doesn't sound overly large. I don't see why 1/2" wouldn't work for such a task? The larger/longer you make the cleat, the more you'll be spreading out the weight of the mirror, both for the cleat and mirror frame, as well as the span on the wall, preferably anchoring the wall cleat to 2-studs.


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## Radu (Jan 25, 2010)

Michael,

Here is another alternative: flush mounts. HD in your area should carry them. There is another type - I don't find a picture and I don't know their proper name. They are approx 3" long by 1/2" (or so) and they slide and wedge into each other - heavier duty.


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## MichaelJames (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your comments - great advice. I'm leaning toward the wooden french cleat but will investigate these other options. One thing I didn't mention was that it will have coat hooks along the bottom so it will also need to support those.


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## JonathanG (Jan 18, 2010)

In that case, since it'll get touched/bumped fairly frequently with the coat hooks, you might want to go with a steeper angle, as Jay suggested.

You may even want to consider gluing a thin strip of sandpaper along with edge of the cleat for friction to help prevent the mirror from sliding since it's going to be touched fairly frequently with the coat hook usage.


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## Radu (Jan 25, 2010)

Michael, here are the other type of flush months I mentioned about. I know you're leaning towards the wooden french cleat, but just in case.


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## EvanPDX (Aug 8, 2017)

Howdy Radu,
Where did you get that vertical oriented flush mount french cleat? 
Or is it something different? please send me a link if you can, Thanks!!!


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## Radu (Jan 25, 2010)

Evan
Here is a link to Rockler 
http://www.rockler.com/search/go?asug=&sli_uuid=c375553f-219d-4fa7-a7e3-67311f3bd348&w=Flush+Mount

You could get them off Amazon - search "flush mount brackets"


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## bc4393 (Apr 10, 2015)

1/2 should be fine. If you can get into 2 studs you're golden. I wouldnt waste money in Cherry if you don't need to. Poplar is plenty hard and cheap for that kind of job. I've good a couple mirrors hung like that that are 100 pounds or so.


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## EvanPDX (Aug 8, 2017)

Thanks for helping me track these down!
Radu, I went on Rockler (link and searched) and could not find ones that matched that photo from your 8/17/11 post? am I missing a key word? thanks =)


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## Radu (Jan 25, 2010)

Evan, sorry I linked the other ones. 
I bought the "wedge" style ones at Home Depot when I was living in Canada (10 years ago) - they where in those specialty hardware drawers. I've never seen them since then. 
After some more research I think I figured out their proper name - interlocking tapered fasteners 
Here is what I found 
https://www.hardwaretree.com/proddetail.php?prod=K-2020%2F4U
I hope it helps


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## Radu (Jan 25, 2010)

Rockler has them too
http://www.rockler.com/taper-connectors-choose-size


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

1/2" :<))


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