Tighter French cleat


treesner

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Hey guys I've been using French cleats for some sculptural shelves but finding I'm getting some gaps in the back center against the wall. and on this taller one it seems to rock slightly. My cleat is two half inch pieces of Baltic birch glued together

 

Tall one that rocks:

90e8ca8adaa2fe2b3e03393f0bb2b1dc.jpg

 

c63205df1b95e7b40c4c76e42e0249a0.jpg (pushing on it)

 

Was thinking maybe if the wall mounted cleat came up like an L it might hold it more stable. Or maybe a magnet in the back and a screw in the wall(hard to line up ) 4f1cccb49c1ed4bdb67c8c069fed1185.jpg

 

This one has a reverse bow where the crack is on the outside

da922425936b067b81d1ee795dfa97f4.jpg

 

 

 

 

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Carve out the back of the piece enough that you can scribe it to the wall. Or build an extra layer or 2 on the back that's a ring shape next time. A deeper recess should leave you enough room to scribe and not have the cleat bottom out.

Or add a spacer to create a reveal/ shadow line. This might be so much easier.

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4 hours ago, Eric. said:

Keep in mind that stud walls are rarely flat. 

This is why so much trim is scribed to the wall irregularities.  Any correction to a shelf in one location would not work in another location.  Also bear in mind that your cleat, if only 1/2" ply, is likely conforming to the irregularity so that the cleat and fixture do not mate correctly.  You could add a thin piece of trim during installation but, that may take away from the look. 

If these items are for others, I would content myself with the fact that I cannot build something to fit every potential wall irregularity and leave it at that.  If they were in my home I would try to scribe it to fit using a method something like this.

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Carve out the back of the piece enough that you can scribe it to the wall. Or build an extra layer or 2 on the back that's a ring shape next time. A deeper recess should leave you enough room to scribe and not have the cleat bottom out.

Or add a spacer to create a reveal/ shadow line. This might be so much easier.

 

Not getting the ring shape idea but adding a spacer/ intentional gap from the wall might be the best bet

This is why so much trim is scribed to the wall irregularities.  Any correction to a shelf in one location would not work in another location.  Also bear in mind that your cleat, if only 1/2" ply, is likely conforming to the irregularity so that the cleat and fixture do not mate correctly.  You could add a thin piece of trim during installation but, that may take away from the look. 

If these items are for others, I would content myself with the fact that I cannot build something to fit every potential wall irregularity and leave it at that.  If they were in my home I would try to scribe it to fit using a method something like this.

 

It's 2 pieces of ply laminated together so 1" do you think making a cleat from a different material would be better?

 

People have contacted me to buy these pieces but I feel a little self conscious about the gap and lack of perfection that I've been holding off. Would like to figure out a solution either for these pieces or just for new ones

As Eric said the wall is probably not flat.  You could create a nice chamfer on the back that gives that shadow line micks mentioned Matt Kenny uses.

 

I'll try that on the next one to see if I like the look. First thought was 45* but maybe it can just be a light chamfer with a small shadow along the top and leave the bottom and sides flush to stay with the look in going for- blending into the wall

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2 hours ago, treesner said:

I'll try that on the next one to see if I like the look. First thought was 45* but maybe it can just be a light chamfer with a small shadow along the top and leave the bottom and sides flush to stay with the look in going for- blending into the wall

Yeah.  What I've learned to do is make it light and work down to it.  It's a French cleat so taking it up and down is no issue.  Do a little, put it up, look at it and determine the next step.  Expertise comes through experimentation :) 

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