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What is a French cleat?
A French cleat is a two-piece hanging method: one strip with a 45 degree slope is fixed to the wall, a matching strip is fixed to the object, and the object is lifted on so the slopes interlock. Gravity holds it, which lets one person hang a heavy piece.
Diagram: cleat bevels. Schematic, not to scale.
Anatomy
| Part | Orientation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wall strip | Bevel slopes up and away from the wall; fixed into studs | TOH |
| Object strip | Matching bevel facing down | TOH |
| Material | Three-quarter inch plywood or a 1 x 6, ripped at 45 degrees and cut in two | TOH |
| Adjustment | A wall strip slightly shorter than the object lets it slide sideways | WFC |
| Weight | CPFH puts cleats above 25 lb in its body (its summary says over 20 lb) | CPFH |
How many studs does a cleat reach?
Studs are usually 16 inches on centre, and older homes are usually 16 (TOH); 24 inches is also used. A cleat of length L reaches at least floor(L / spacing) studs and at most floor(L / spacing) + 1, depending on where it starts. The cleat does not need to line up with every stud because the wall strip is hidden and can take a screw wherever a stud falls (Wikipedia).
| Cleat length (in) | cm | Studs at 16 in (min) | Studs at 16 in (max) | Studs at 24 in (min) | Studs at 24 in (max) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 61 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 32 | 81.3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 36 | 91.4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 48 | 121.9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 60 | 152.4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
How to hang a heavy piece with one is on the heavy canvas page.
Sources
- This Old House: how to hang something heavy (fetched 2026-11-12)
- Wikipedia: French cleat (fetched 2026-11-12)
- CustomPictureFrames: installing picture frame hanging hardware (fetched 2026-11-12)
- Picture Hang Solutions: a beginner's guide to 4 types of picture hangers (fetched 2026-11-12)
Figures from these pages are paraphrased and re-checked on 2026-11-12. Where two sources disagree, both figures are shown. Hardware and wall products vary, so follow the pack instructions.
Related pages
- Stud and stud finder
- Hardware by weight
- All framing and hanging terms
- Glossary: print, size and order terms