What's french cleat, why it's used for floating nightstands

how to mount a floating bedside table

If you love wall-mounted furniture, like floating nightstands or floating dressing tables, you have probably heard about french cleat – one of the most popular mounting methods of these wall units. If not, this article is just for you: discover the advantages of this simple and sturdy wooden mounting!

French cleat is an invisible way of mounting

French cleat is actually a simple piece of wood, cut in 45 degrees. One part is assembled to the back of the furniture, while the other part is mounted on the wall. The floating nightstand or other wall-mounted furniture simply hangs on the cleat, while the wall provides the back support. Here is a drawing that helps to understand the technique:

how to mount a floating nightstand

French cleats are ideal for floating nightstands

French cleats can really make a nightstand floating. But what is a floating nightstand? It is a wall-mounted bedside table that does not have legs, instead, it has an invisible mounting. While regular shelf brackets are visible from the outside, french cleat hides in the back of the shelf and you cannot see how the furniture is mounted – creating a perfect minimalist look for floating shelves and bedside tables.

Can I use french cleat for my wall type?

Yes. The important question is not whether french cleat vs. any other method, but the way you mount it to the wall: the type of screws and wall plugs you use. French cleats are compatible with any wall types as long as you use appropriate wall plugs, designed for your wall material. Today, special hardware is available even for the most unique wall materials – from concrete, brick, drywall, etc. You do not need to go far, simply order online or visit the local tools/hardware shop.

tools needed for french cleat installation

make sure to use a wall plug / anchor according to your wall type

Find out more about selecting the right wall plug type in this article.

How much weight do french cleats hold?

It depends on a lot factors, like how deep the shelf is you will mount, what your wall type is, etc. – but using the appropriate screws / wall plugs, the carrying capacity can be surprisingly high: sometimes dozens of kilograms. We, at mybettershelf, suggest putting no more than 10 kilograms on our floating bedside tables, to stay on the safe side (our cabinets hold much more, but the wall / screw / wall type is out of our control).

How to mount the french cleat?

Mounting french cleats is an easy task - all you need is a drill, a screwdriver and optionally a level. The process includes basically two steps:

1. Drill the holes, add wall plugs and mount the french cleat on the wall. Make sure to install it horizontally and using such screws and wall plugs that are appropriate for your wall type.

2. Simply just hang the floating furniture on it. It's done!

Would you rather see the process in a video? We are mounting our floating entryway shelf using french cleat here:

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Frequently asked questions

What is a french cleat?

A french cleat is a simple but highly effective mounting method — a piece of wood or metal cut at a 45-degree angle. One part is fixed to the back of the furniture, the other is screwed to the wall. The furniture simply hooks onto the wall-mounted piece and hangs securely, with the mounting completely hidden from view.

Is french cleat good for floating shelves and nightstands?

Yes — french cleat is one of the best mounting methods for floating shelves and wall-mounted nightstands. It creates a completely invisible mount, holds significant weight when installed correctly, and makes it easy to adjust or remove the furniture without damaging the wall.

How much weight can a french cleat hold?

When installed with the correct screws and wall plugs for your wall type, a french cleat can hold several dozen kilograms. At mybettershelf, we recommend keeping no more than 10 kg on our floating nightstands — not because of the cleat's limit, but because the wall, screws and plugs are variables outside our control.

Can I use french cleat on drywall?

Yes — french cleat works on drywall, but the key is using the right wall anchors designed specifically for drywall. Standard screws alone are not sufficient. Today, high-quality drywall anchors are widely available online and in hardware stores, and they make french cleat installation on drywall reliable and secure.

Can I use a french cleat for a headboard?

Yes — a french cleat can be used to mount a headboard to the wall, and it works particularly well because the mount stays completely concealed behind the headboard. This gives a clean, integrated look as if the headboard is built into the wall, with no visible brackets or fixings. The same wall plug rules apply: use anchors appropriate for your wall type.

What tools do I need to install a french cleat?

The installation requires only a drill, a screwdriver, and optionally a spirit level to ensure the cleat is perfectly horizontal. The process itself takes only a few minutes once the wall plugs are in place.

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