French cleats are the best storage system I’ve found. Simple to build, infinitely adjustable.
The Concept
Two pieces of wood with 45-degree bevels. Wall piece points up. Tool piece points down. Hook together. Done.
Rip a board at 45 degrees. You get both pieces from one cut. Screw wall piece to studs.
Why It Works
Move things anywhere. Tools, shelves, cabinets, whatever. Unhook, move, rehook. No drilling new holes.
Gravity holds everything. No hardware to fail. The angle locks pieces in place.
Building The Wall
Continuous strips work best. One long cleat at every height you want storage.
3/4 inch plywood is standard. Level matters a lot. One wonky strip throws everything off.
Space strips to match common heights. Every 4 inches is versatile. Every 8 is minimal.
Building Holders
Anything with a matching bevel on the back. Screw bevel piece to back of shelf, tool holder, cabinet.
Don’t overload. Wood has limits. Spread heavy loads across multiple cleats.
Material Choice
Plywood for most things. Stronger than solid wood when loaded across the grain.
Hardwood for visible pieces. Looks nice on shop tours.
Best Use
Hand tools on pegboard-style holders. Planes, chisels, squares. Everything at eye level, easily grabbed.
My whole shop runs on this system now. Never going back.
