# Oddly angled french cleat



## GISer3546 (Jan 30, 2013)

I am building a ramp to go with an elevated dog bed. The bed is 26" tall and there is 40" of horizontal space in front of it, some math gave me a ramp length of 46 3/4" (when decreasing the horizontal run to 38.9"). My issue now is attaching the ramp to the bed. Call me crazy or old fashioned but I would very much prefer all wood joinery. My plan of action at the moment is to use a french cleat, which would allow it to be removed if needed. 








I have done a few french cleats, mostly hanging TVs, but never one at an angle like this. I'm wondering if it will hold or if i will just get splitting and tears. The ramp will have a flat rectangular frame of 2x4s, as shown from the side in the picture. Is there a better way to do this or should the french cleat hold?


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## builder64 (Jan 1, 2014)

Should be fine if the grain is going the length of the ramp. I would think the depth of the notch could be very minor, much less than the one in your picture.

Or have the piece on the wall match the angle of the ramp and tongue and groove it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*another similar way*

Use your plywood ramp as is. Then make a support rail using the french cleat right underneath. That will make it easier to create the joint on the tablesaw on a long strip/rail without having a large panel to deal with. :yes:


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## GISer3546 (Jan 30, 2013)

I think I managed to find a solution thats didn`t involve any stresses paralell to the grain. 










The... I guess its a stretcher... at the top is angled to be flat with the angled supports that rest against the bed and travel the length of the ramp. The bottom face of the stretcher is at a 45 degree angle from the angled surface. Not bad considering it was done without a table saw, and mostly hand planes.


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