Tongue-and-Groove Wall Storage

For wall storage, traditional French cleats use rails and hangers with beveled edges that lock together. But I've found that the hanger sometimes lifts off the rail when removing a tool. To reduce this tendency, I use tongue-and-groove hardwood flooring to make the rails and hangers.

Start by ripping a strip about 1" wide from the tongue edge of the flooring. Use the remainder of the plank as the rail. Mount the rail on the wall with the groove side up. Attach a length of the tongue strip to the back of each hanger. You'll find that the hangers fit snugly on the rail yet remove easily when needed.

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