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French-cleated hanging cabinet with doors. Every tool visible, nothing in a drawer where it dies.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carcass sides | 2 | 3/4" × 8" × 32" | Birch Plywood | ☐ |
| Carcass top and bottom | 2 | 3/4" × 8" × 30 1/2" | Birch Plywood | ☐ |
| Back | 1 | 1/2" × 31" × 32 1/2" | Plywood | ☐ |
| Doors Each door is a shallow tray — it holds tools too. That's half the cabinet's capacity. | 2 | 3/4" × 15 1/2" × 32" | Birch Plywood | ☐ |
| Door frame sides | 4 | 3/4" × 3" × 32" | Birch Plywood | ☐ |
| Wall cleat 45° bevel along the top edge, pointing UP and toward the wall. | 1 | 3/4" × 4" × 30" | Maple | ☐ |
| Cabinet cleat The mating 45°, pointing DOWN and toward the wall. Cut both from one setup. | 1 | 3/4" × 4" × 29" | Maple | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Birch plywood, 3/4", 4x8 Carcass and doors. | 1 sheet | ☐ |
| Plywood, 1/2", for the back | 0.25 sheet | ☐ |
| Hardwood, 3/4", for the French cleat (Maple) Hardwood, not ply. This strip carries the entire loaded cabinet. | 2 board feet | ☐ |
| Piano hinge or butt hinges Loaded doors are heavy. Piano hinge distributes the load and won't sag. | 2 each | ☐ |
| Magnetic catches | 2 each | ☐ |
| Wood screws, assorted | 50 each | ☐ |
| Lag screws, 3", for mounting into studs | 4 each | ☐ |
| Clear interior finish (hardwax oil or wipe-on poly) A light coat inside makes it easy to wipe sawdust out. | 8 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Combination Square, Drill / Driver, Router. Materials: Birch plywood, 3/4", 4x8, Plywood, 1/2", for the back, Wood screws, assorted
Rabbet the sides to receive the top and bottom, glue and screw. Rabbet the back edge for the 1/2" back panel.
Glue and screw the back in — it squares the case and it's what the cabinet cleat screws into. Check the diagonals.
Tools: Table Saw. Materials: Hardwood, 3/4", for the French cleat
Tilt the table saw blade to 45°. Rip both cleat pieces without changing the setting.
One setup guarantees the two bevels mate perfectly. Cut them separately and you'll get 44° and 46°, and the cabinet will hang with a gap at the top.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Hardwood, 3/4", for the French cleat, Wood screws, assorted
Screw the cabinet's cleat to the back panel, near the top, bevel pointing down and toward the wall, so it hooks over the wall cleat.
Use plenty of screws into the back and into the carcass sides. Everything the cabinet weighs passes through this joint.
Tools: Circular Saw, Table Saw. Materials: Birch plywood, 3/4", 4x8
Each door is a shallow frame — a plywood panel with a 3" lip around it — so it can hold tools on its inside face.
This effectively doubles your storage. Doors that are just flat panels are a wasted opportunity.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Piano hinge or butt hinges, Magnetic catches
Piano hinge each door to the carcass sides. Test the swing before you load anything — a loaded door is heavy, and a hinge that binds empty will tear out full.
Add magnetic catches.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Lag screws, 3", for mounting into studs
Find your studs. Lag the wall cleat into at least two of them, bevel pointing up and toward the wall. Level it carefully — the cabinet hangs exactly as level as this strip.
Drywall anchors are not an option here. A loaded tool cabinet is 60+ lbs and it will come off the wall.
Tools: Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Clear interior finish (hardwax oil or wipe-on poly)
Lift the cabinet and drop it onto the cleat. It self-aligns and locks under its own weight. This is the satisfying moment.
Now lay your actual tools on the shelves and doors, shuffle them until the arrangement makes sense, and then build the holders — sawn kerfs for chisels, dowels for saws, blocks for planes.
Building holders before you've arranged the tools is how you end up with a beautiful cabinet that doesn't fit your tools.