Hanging a picture sounds simple until you are on your third hole in the wall. Getting a group of frames evenly spaced, a heavy mirror hung safely, or a floating shelf that actually holds books takes the right fixings and some patience.

Leongatha Handyman hangs artwork, mirrors, shelves, curtain rods and blinds in homes, holiday houses and businesses across Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North, Meeniyan, Inverloch and the surrounding towns.

What we hang and fit

• Paintings, prints and framed photos
• Gallery walls and grouped frames
• Heavy mirrors
• Floating shelves and bracket shelves
• Bookshelves and wall-mounted storage
• Curtain rods and tracks
• Blinds, including roller, venetian and roman blinds
• Coat hooks and hat racks
• Key racks and small cabinets
• Whiteboards and noticeboards
• Clocks
• Artwork in galleries, cafes and shops

Choosing the right fixing

The wall decides the fixing:

• Plasterboard: studs for heavy items, hollow-wall anchors rated for the weight for lighter items.
• Lath and plaster: studs where possible, as the plaster is brittle.
• Brick and block: masonry plugs and screws.
• Timber lining boards: screws into the boards or framing.

A heavy mirror on a picture hook is an accident waiting to happen. We match fixings to the weight of each item.

Gallery walls

Grouped frames look best with even spacing and a consistent centre line. We lay the arrangement out on the floor or use paper templates on the wall first, so you can see the layout before any holes go in.

Picture rails

Many older homes in Leongatha and Korumburra have picture rails near the ceiling, designed for hanging art without drilling walls. We can supply and fit picture rail hooks and cords, which is also a great option for rentals and heritage walls.

Floating shelves

Floating shelves need solid fixing to hold weight without sagging. We fix the hidden bracket into studs or masonry and check it is level. Load limits depend on the shelf and the wall, so we will advise what each shelf can safely carry.

Curtains and blinds

Curtain rods and blinds are often fitted badly, pulling out of plaster when curtains are drawn. We fix brackets into the window frame, studs or with suitable anchors, and make sure rods and blinds are level and operate smoothly.

Heavy curtains are worth it in a South Gippsland winter, as they help keep the warmth in. They also need solid brackets.

For rentals

Tenants need permission to hang items in many cases. Victorian rental rules allow tenants to make some minor modifications, such as picture hooks in certain walls, without consent. Check the current rules or ask your agent. Picture rail hooks and adhesive systems are an option where drilling is not allowed.

What you can hang on South Gippsland walls

Homes around Leongatha are a real mix. There are weatherboard houses from the early twentieth century with lath and plaster walls, post-war homes with fibrous plaster sheets, brick veneers from the 1970s and 80s, and newer estates on the edges of Leongatha, Korumburra and Inverloch with plasterboard over timber or steel frames. Each wall type needs a different approach.

• Plasterboard over timber studs is the most common in newer homes. We locate the studs and fix into them wherever possible. Where the item has to sit between studs, we use plasterboard anchors rated for the weight.
• Lath and plaster is found in older homes in Leongatha, Korumburra and Mirboo North. The plaster is brittle and can crumble if drilled carelessly. We drill slowly, find the studs and use fixings that grip the timber behind.
• Fibrous plaster is thicker and harder than modern plasterboard but can still crack. We treat it with care and fix to framing where possible.
• Brick and masonry need masonry bits and plugs or sleeve anchors. Feature walls of exposed brick are common in 1970s and 80s homes across the region.
• Steel frames in some newer builds need specific self-drilling screws or toggles.

We check before drilling for hidden cables and pipes with a detector, and we avoid drilling in line above and below power points and switches where cables usually run.

Things we hang

• framed art, mirrors and photos, including heavy or oversized pieces
• floating shelves, bracket shelves and bookshelves
• wall-mounted cabinets in bathrooms, laundries and garages
• coat hooks, key racks and hat racks in entries and mudrooms
• curtain rods, tracks and blinds brackets
• noticeboards, whiteboards and chalkboards for kitchens, home offices and small businesses
• clocks, wall plant holders and display cases
• garage storage rails, hooks for bikes, ladders and tools
• quilts, rugs and textile art on hanging rods

Gallery walls and grouped pictures

A gallery wall looks effortless when it is done well and messy when it is not. We lay the arrangement out on the floor first, measure the spacing, mark a centre line at a comfortable eye level and work out from there. Paper templates taped to the wall let you see the layout before any holes are drilled. We use levels and laser lines so that the tops, bottoms or centres line up as you want.

Heavy mirrors and big pieces

Large mirrors and heavy framed pieces need proper fixings. A French cleat (two interlocking bevelled battens) spreads the load across the wall and keeps the item tight to the wall. For mirrors without a frame, we use mirror clips or channels fixed into studs. We tell you what the fixing is rated for and, if the wall is not suitable for the weight, we suggest an alternative position.

Shelving that actually holds weight

Floating shelves are popular but they rely entirely on the fixing behind the wall. Into studs, with the right bracket, a floating shelf can hold books and kitchenware. Into plasterboard alone, it is only suitable for light decorative items. We will explain the limits honestly before you buy shelves, if you ask us early.

In pantries, garages and sheds, we fit adjustable track shelving and bracket systems that can be reconfigured as your storage needs change. In farm sheds and workshops around Dumbalk, Meeniyan and Koonwarra, sturdy timber shelving fixed to the frame is often the most practical option.

Rental properties and hanging

Many rental agreements limit what tenants can fix to walls. If you rent, check with your property manager before booking. Landlords and property managers often ask us to fit picture rails or hanging systems so tenants can hang art without making new holes. When items come down at the end of a lease, we can patch and touch up the holes.

Holiday houses on the coast

In Inverloch, Venus Bay and Tarwin Lower holiday houses, owners often want to update art, mirrors, hooks for beach towels and wetsuits, and shelving in bunk rooms. In salt air, we use stainless or galvanised hardware for anything in an outdoor shower area or on a verandah, so it does not rust and stain the wall.

Earthquakes, kids and safety

Tall furniture such as bookcases, wardrobes and chests of drawers can tip over if a child climbs them. Anchoring furniture to the wall with anti-tip straps or brackets is a quick and important safety job. We fix the anchor to a stud and to the solid part of the furniture. It is worth doing in any house with young children or grandchildren who visit.

Getting ready for the visit

Have the items you want hung in the room where they are going. If you have a layout in mind, a quick sketch or photo helps. Let us know the approximate weight of heavy pieces and whether mirrors have hanging hardware already. We bring the fixings, drills, levels and detectors, and we clean up the dust before we go.

Curtains, blinds and window furnishings

Winter in South Gippsland is cold and windows lose a lot of heat, so good curtains matter. Heavy, lined curtains need brackets fixed securely into the timber above the window, not into the plaster alone. Older homes often have a deep timber architrave or a lintel we can fix into; newer homes may need a stud found either side of the window or a timber batten installed first.

We fit single and double curtain rods, tracks with pelmets, blinds of most types supplied by you, and tension or recessed fittings inside window reveals. Where windows are wide, we add a centre support so the rod does not sag over time. If you have bought blinds online or from a local store, bring them along to the visit and we will fit them to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Mudrooms, entries and farm homes

Plenty of homes around Poowong, Loch, Nyora and Dumbalk work hard. Wet coats, hats, dog leads, torches and keys all need a place by the back door. We fit solid hook rails, boot racks, shelving above the hooks for gloves and beanies, and key cabinets. A well-planned entry keeps mud out of the rest of the house, which is worth a lot through a wet South Gippsland winter.

Workplaces and community spaces

We also hang noticeboards, signs, display shelving, whiteboards and art in small offices, shops, clubs and halls in Leongatha and surrounding towns. We work around opening hours where possible and tidy up so the space can be used straight away.

Our approach to holes

We measure twice, use the fewest holes possible and put fixings where they will be hidden. If you change your mind about a position after an item is up, we patch the old hole while we are still there so it can be painted later.

TV and soundbar walls

If you are hanging art and shelves around a television, we can mount the TV in the same visit and plan the whole wall together, so shelves sit at a matching height and nothing ends up off-centre.

Where we work

Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North, Meeniyan, Koonwarra, Dumbalk, Inverloch, Tarwin Lower, Nyora, Loch, Poowong and surrounding areas.

Frequently asked questions