Eight Ways to Hang Pictures Without Making Holes in the Walls
If you rent an apartment or live in a dorm, there may be rules against using nails or screws to hang pictures. Likewise, if your walls are made of concrete, stone or brick, it can be difficult to hammer hardware into the wall to hang artwork without causing damage. Luckily, there are some clever ways to display photos and art without having to hand over a deposit.
Use temporary glue
Using adhesive strips , similar to tape, that can be released without damaging the walls is one option for installing artwork without damaging it. The strips can be glued to a clean drywall surface and then the image can be glued onto them. When you’re ready to remove them, you can pull the tab, which will release the strips without taking any paint with it. These strips have a maximum weight listed on them, so be sure to read that before selecting the size strips you need. This type of adhesive can be used on most painted smooth surfaces, but does not adhere well to unpainted concrete, masonry, or unfinished wood.
Use command hooks
Command hooks work similarly to adhesive strips, except they come with a hook that you can hang a frame on instead of sticking the picture directly to the wall. These hooks come in different sizes to suit different size frames and can be removed by pulling a tab, just like the strips. You can also find picture stabilizer hooks that can be inserted into frames to keep them stable and level on the wall. Like duct tape, they work best on finished, smooth surfaces.
Post photos on the wall
If you can’t hang your photos, try tilting them instead. Using a table, chest of drawers, or other source, you can lean the frames against the wall to display them. You can also use this method with an existing wall shelf or mantle if you have one. Using solid molding for this purpose can also help you find places to lean without making holes in the walls.
Repurpose an old staircase
If you have an old ladder or a blanket ladder , you can use clips or tape to hang artwork from the rungs. Prop the ladder up against the wall and you’ll instantly have an artistic display without any holes in the wall. When making your stand, make sure the ladder you use has rubber feet to avoid damaging the floor.
Use an easel
If you have a larger object that you want to be the focal point, you can use an easel to display it. This method of displaying pictures can also give your piece some height and distance it from other furniture. Be sure to measure your piece and buy an easel that is the right size for what you want to display so that the easel doesn’t tip over.
Use ribbon or rope and a curtain rod.
For lighter images, you can pull string or tape from the curtain rod and use clothespins or paper clips to attach the images. You can also hang the ribbon or rope vertically, although you will need to tie loops on the ribbon or rope to have an attachment point for the clips. This display style is suitable for unframed photos only because the frame will likely be too heavy for the curtain rod and clamps.
Tilt the notice board
If you have a large bulletin board , you can turn it into a photo display by placing it on a desk or dresser and then adding your artwork to it using push pins . You’ll probably only want to do this with prints, since you’ll be making holes in the paper using thumbtacks. If you want to use the bulletin board method without making holes in the paper, you can use pins with clips to hang photos and artwork without frames.
Use cork panels
If you have furniture that you don’t mind sticking something to, you can glue self-adhesive cork panels to it to create a surface for displaying art. Using the pushpin method previously described, you can use cork tiles to transform the side or back of a bookcase or cabinet door into an art display without damaging it.