# Need Help and ideas...closet shelf design question using easy track



## fcmcommw (Oct 17, 2011)

I'm building custom closet shelves/drawers for my wife using my own lumber and was thinking about how to attach such a system to the wall. For example, in my foyer closet. Most of these closet systems are hundreds of dollars but I can put these together in a few hours with well placed pocket holes and or dados for a lot less. My problem is hanging the thing.

I have researched closet systems and like the easy track idea that most of these closet systems use which is bascially the shelves have slot cut on an angle in the back of the shelf and the shelf system simply hangs on the track. Easy and simple.

I could buy the track online for a couple of bucks but I would need to cut an angle into the back of the shelving system so they would hang on the steel track. Any ideas on the best way I could do this? Router table or saw? I would like to have a jig setup and make this process as repeatable as possible.

Or are there better ideas on how to attach a shelving system like this to the wall?

Thoughts are greatly appreciated.

- Mark


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

If you are making the cabinets, what you are referring to is called a "french cleat". It's basically two pieces of wood that have a 45 and the cabinet member slips over and down on the wall member.
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In essence, one piece of wood or plywood can be passed through the table saw set on a 45 bevel, which will give both sections. 

Or, since the wall member has to be screwed to the wall, and the cabinet member is screwed to the cabinet, why not just install a hang rail in the cabinet that you screw to the wall. With the french cleat, you need room above to get the cabinet over the cleat, and then it drops, and seats. With a cabinet hang rail, the cabinet can be mounted right to the ceiling if necessary.

One advantage to the cleat system is that it's easier for one person to install a cabinet.












 







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## fcmcommw (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks for the illustration cabinetman.

The reason of not going with just a simple hang rail on the back of the cabinet is these are for closets for my sons room and for my foyer. Here is my issue for both my rooms. The closet doors are bi-fold doors that are standard height. However, the ceiling in the closet is something like 96"

I need to make sure the shelves/cabinets are low enough to be able to use baskets or something on top of them. If I butt them all the way to the ceiling then you wouldnt be able to get into them due to the small partition between the top of the door and the ceiling.

as for the hangrail would I just screw through the inside of the cabinet through the hangrail into the wall:blink: I want to make sure I dont see the screws from the inside so I guess careful consideration needs to take happen on placement of screws right?

Thanks again for the help. I will post pictures of before and after once I'm done.

- Mark


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