Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
Subscribe
YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Amazing bedhead inspiration from Instagram

Amazing bedhead inspiration from Instagram

Build your own bedhead

Build your own bedhead

The 20 best sofa beds for every budget

The 20 best sofa beds for every budget

Reader reno: A calm and creative playroom that's easy to keep tidy

Reader reno: A calm and creative playroom that's easy to keep tidy

{headline}

{headline}

Reader reno: A bright, coastal bedroom makeover with a VJ feature wall

Reader reno: A bright, coastal bedroom makeover with a VJ feature wall

How to get the look of Big Little Lies homes

How to get the look of Big Little Lies homes

The amazing 12 foot co-sleeping bed that fits the whole family

The amazing 12 foot co-sleeping bed that fits the whole family

{headline}

{headline}

Designer creates custom fairy trees for kids’ bedrooms

Designer creates custom fairy trees for kids’ bedrooms

Affordable ways to make your bedroom feel like a hotel

Affordable ways to make your bedroom feel like a hotel

How to make your home feel bigger

How to make your home feel bigger

12 beautiful bedrooms

12 beautiful bedrooms

10 ways to dramatically change a room in 1 hour

10 ways to dramatically change a room in 1 hour

4 ways to store more in your bedroom

4 ways to store more in your bedroom

How to give your bedroom a makeover for free

How to give your bedroom a makeover for free

  1. Home
  2. Living Room Ideas

Hangin’ around

All you need to know to hang things around your home - by Greg Fahey
  • 02 Jan 2018
Hangin’ around

Working out what you’ll need to hang things around your home can be confusing. Not only does it depend on the wall type, it also varies according to the weight of what you’re hanging. Here’s a guide to the fixings you’ll need to hang anything around your home.

Types of walls

There are two types of walls, plaster and masonry, and there are different fixings for each. Interior plaster walls are built using sheets of plasterboard attached to a timber frame, leaving a cavity behind the plasterboard. The vertical parts of the timber frame are called studs and are the strongest place to hang things from.

Masonry walls are made use bricks or blocks. They either have the bricks exposed or covered with cement render, which is a smooth finish.

walls
Getty Images

Hanging a picture

In plaster walls, items under 4 kilograms can be hung using picture hooks. The small nail that comes with the hook is driven into the wall on a downwards angle, so it’s less likely to pull out. For slightly heavier items, use a fixing called a Wallmate. It screws into the plasterboard and you then screw into the Wallmate. There are various sizes to suit different weights up to around 10 kilograms.

In brick walls, you’ll need to drill a hole with a masonry drill bit and insert a tap in wall anchor, which is a nail encased in a plastic sleeve. Slip the anchor through a hook before you tap it in.

wall
Getty Images

Putting up a shelf

In plaster walls, the strongest solution is to attach shelf brackets directly into the timber wall studs using normal wood screws. To find the studs, tap along the wall until the hollow sound changes to one that is more solid or use an inexpensive stud finder. If there are no convenient studs where you want to put the shelf, use a heavier duty cavity fixing such as a spring toggle or Super Wallmate.

In brick walls use wall plugs. These are coloured plastic plugs which you tap into a hole drilled in the wall and then screw into. The size of the plug and the corresponding diameter of the drill bit you’ll need is determined by the thickness (or gauge) of the screw.

screws
Getty Images

Heavy duty hanging

In plaster walls, to hang the heaviest items, you will have no choice other than to go into the timber wall studs.

In masonry walls, you have more options. Dynabolts are expanding sleeves that go into a hole drilled in the wall. The nut on the end is tightened, pushing the sleeve out to grip the wall. If the wall is made from extruded bricks (the type with lots of holes in the middle) Dynabolts may not work. In this instance use heavy duty masonry screws. Use galvanised fixings if it’s outside as they won’t rust.

screw
Brent Wilson
  • DIY
  • Bedroom Ideas
  • Kids Bedroom Ideas
  • Living Room Ideas
  • Lounge Room Ideas
  • Master Bedroom Ideas
  • Office Ideas
  • Rumpus Room Ideas
  • Spare Bedroom Ideas
  • Study Design Ideas

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Amazing bedhead inspiration from Instagram

Amazing bedhead inspiration from Instagram

Build your own bedhead

Build your own bedhead

The 20 best sofa beds for every budget

The 20 best sofa beds for every budget

Reader reno: A calm and creative playroom that's easy to keep tidy

Reader reno: A calm and creative playroom that's easy to keep tidy

{headline}

{headline}

Reader reno: A bright, coastal bedroom makeover with a VJ feature wall

Reader reno: A bright, coastal bedroom makeover with a VJ feature wall

How to get the look of Big Little Lies homes

How to get the look of Big Little Lies homes

The amazing 12 foot co-sleeping bed that fits the whole family

The amazing 12 foot co-sleeping bed that fits the whole family

{headline}

{headline}

Designer creates custom fairy trees for kids’ bedrooms

Designer creates custom fairy trees for kids’ bedrooms

Affordable ways to make your bedroom feel like a hotel

Affordable ways to make your bedroom feel like a hotel

How to make your home feel bigger

How to make your home feel bigger

12 beautiful bedrooms

12 beautiful bedrooms

10 ways to dramatically change a room in 1 hour

10 ways to dramatically change a room in 1 hour

4 ways to store more in your bedroom

4 ways to store more in your bedroom

How to give your bedroom a makeover for free

How to give your bedroom a makeover for free

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Shop This Offer
Get your mag delivered!