I'm planning to hang four 4x8 sheets of plywood on an exposed brick wall in my garage to create a tool wall. Half of this wall will likely have french cleats. My question is about whether or not to use furring strips. I'm located in Phoenix, AZ, so I'm not too concerned about cold or moisture issues. I'm thinking that attaching the plywood directly to the brick with concrete screws might be sturdier than using furring strips. If I do use furring strips, I'd need to install a lot of them at 16" on center, which means a lot more drilling into the brick—like 30-40 holes for the strips compared to just 24 for the plywood itself. What do you all think?
2 Answers
One thing to consider is moisture build-up. Even in a dry area like Phoenix, it might not hurt to put a vapor barrier between the brick and plywood. This could help prevent any issues in the future, just in case!
If you’re not planning to take down the plywood later and don’t need to run any wiring behind it, attaching directly to the brick with concrete screws seems like a solid choice. It would definitely be stronger that way! Just make sure you’re ready for that extra drilling though!
Thanks for the insight! I really want it to be sturdy, so I think I’ll go that route.