Repa Market 6-Pack 4.72 x 1.57 Inch Flat Brackets for Wood with Holes / Heavy Duty Steel Plate for Wood and Metal / Straight Flat Bracket Connector / Mounting Plate for Construction & DIY Projects

A compact, sturdy fix-it plate I keep reaching for

I’m a fan of simple hardware that quietly solves problems, and the Repa Market flat brackets have earned a permanent spot in my shop drawer. They’re straightforward 4.72" x 1.57" steel mending plates, 2 mm thick, with a grid of twelve 5 mm holes. Nothing flashy—just solid, repeatable performance across wood and light metal work. Over several projects, they’ve proved to be a reliable way to join, reinforce, and square up components without resorting to bulky angle brackets or custom fabrication.

Build quality and finish

Out of the pack, the plates are flat, cleanly stamped, and consistent in dimensions. Mine measured 2.02 mm on calipers, with square ends and holes centered accurately along both axes. The edges were smooth enough to handle without gloves, though I found a light pass with a deburring block made them nicer to the touch.

The finish on my set was a bright silver that looks like a thin zinc or similar plating. Indoors, there’s been no discoloration. For outdoor use, I added a clear coat after installation. After a few months on a garden gate splice and an exposed fence rail fix, there’s no rust bleed-through. I wouldn’t call these a heavy-duty outdoor structural connector, but with sensible prep and fasteners, they’ve held up well in normal weather.

Hole layout and hardware compatibility

The hole pattern is the star here. Twelve holes on a 120 x 40 mm plate gives you lots of options: full fastening for maximum grip in softer woods, staggered patterns when you’re spanning a split board, or alternating screws when you’re just preventing racking. The 5 mm hole size is a good compromise:

• #8 and #10 wood screws fit well. For most furniture and framing repairs, those sizes gave me a snug bite without cracking stock.
• M4 machine screws fit with a bit of play; M5 is possible but can be tight depending on the fastener’s actual shank diameter. If I needed M5 through-bolts into metal, I lightly reamed a few holes for clearance.
• The holes are not countersunk. That’s by design for a universal plate like this, but it’s worth noting. Pan head, wafer head, or hex-washer-head screws sit neatly; flat heads will sit proud unless you countersink the plate yourself.

Installation experience

The plates install quickly and predictably. A few tips from my use:

• Pre-drill in hardwoods and near edges. A 3/32" pilot for #8 and 7/64" for #10 worked well in oak and maple.
• Clamp before driving. The 2 mm thickness is stiff enough to pull joints into alignment, but clamping ensures the plate sits flush and avoids creeping as screws bite.
• Use as many fasteners as the job warrants. On a shelf splice, I used six screws per plate; on light duty furniture bracing, four per plate was plenty.
• For metal-to-wood, I’ve had good results with self-drilling pan heads into mild steel tubing on one side and traditional wood screws into a 2x on the other. Add washers if the machine screw head is small.

With careful screw selection, the plate sits nearly flush, and at just 2 mm thick it doesn’t telegraph under thin coverings or padding.

Real-world tests

• Splicing a cracked fence rail: I bridged a 2x3 rail that had split near a post with two plates, one on each face, using eight #10 exterior screws per plate. The rail stiffened considerably, and the joint hasn’t reopened through a season of temperature swings. I sealed the edges and plate with a rust-inhibiting clear coat.

• Stabilizing a bookcase: A tall, narrow oak case had a slight sway. Two plates across the back panel’s middle shelf—one horizontal, one diagonal—stopped the racking without installing a full X-brace. The thin profile keeps them unobtrusive behind books.

• Joining a headboard to a platform base: I wanted better vibration transfer for a pair of tactile transducers. Two plates neatly tied the headboard uprights to the bed base, eliminating squeaks and making the assembly feel like a single unit. The increased rigidity improved the “feel” without adding bulk.

On all three, the plates behaved as expected: they spread the load across multiple screws and provided enough stiffness to resist flex and creep.

Strength and limitations

At 2 mm thick, these plates are “heavy duty” in the context of mending plates, not structural framing brackets. They resist bending under hand force and everyday loads in furniture and shelving, and they’re robust enough to bridge cracked or joined boards without telegraphing movement. That said:

• They are not load-rated connectors. I wouldn’t rely on them for critical structural loads or to replace engineered hardware in framing. Use them as reinforcements and joiners, not as primary load-bearing members.
• The 4.72" length is versatile, but if you need to span a long split or distribute load across a wide joint, consider a longer plate or use two plates in tandem.

Durability

Indoors, they’re essentially maintenance-free. Outdoors, the bright finish has resisted initial spotting, but I treat any non-stainless plate as needing a little help in the weather. A light scuff and clear coat or a coat of exterior paint over the plate and screw heads makes a noticeable difference. Screws are not included, which I prefer—I can match the fastener to the substrate and environment rather than compromise with a one-size-fits-all screw.

After repeated installs and removals, the holes haven’t egged out or burred excessively. The steel feels tough and resists deformation under torque from larger screws.

What I’d change

• Countersunk option: A version with tapered holes would be handy for furniture or projects where a flush surface matters. I occasionally run a countersink bit on one or two holes, but it’s not ideal on plated steel.
• Optional longer length: A 6" or 8" variant with the same width and hole pattern would cover more scenarios without needing multiple plates.

Neither is a deal-breaker; they’re just logical extensions of a very usable design.

Value

The six-pack format hits a sweet spot: enough plates to handle a couple of projects, priced far better than buying singles. Per-piece cost is low, and the quality is consistent from plate to plate. Because screws aren’t bundled, you don’t pay for hardware you might not use.

Who they’re for

• DIYers and homeowners tackling repairs to shelves, frames, rails, and furniture.
• Makers needing quick, flat reinforcement where an angle bracket is overkill or gets in the way.
• Light metalwork projects where a slim joining plate simplifies alignment.

If you routinely work in wet environments or need code-rated connectors, look for stainless or certified structural hardware. For general reinforcement and joining, these plates are spot on.

Bottom line

The Repa Market flat brackets earn their keep by being reliably machined, sensibly sized, and adaptable. The 2 mm thickness and 12-hole pattern give you plenty of holding power without bulk, and installation is quick with off-the-shelf screws. They’re not a substitute for engineered connectors, and the lack of countersunk holes will matter in some builds, but for most repairs and reinforcements, they’re exactly what you want: simple, sturdy, and predictable.

Recommendation: I recommend these mending plates. They’re durable for indoor use, serviceable outdoors with a protective coat, and the hole layout works with common screw sizes for wood and light metal. If you need flush screw heads or a longer span, plan accordingly; otherwise, this six-pack is a cost-effective, versatile addition to any shop or toolkit.