Hanging wall art is one of the easiest and quickest ways to make your space feel cosy and unique to you. But the idea of getting out the hammer and nails can put you off. Or perhaps you live in rented accommodation and you dread the thought of having to fill the holes and repaint when it’s time to move out.
Fortunately, thanks to Command Strips there’s now an easy and affordable alternative that can keep your walls pristine and doesn’t require you to dig out the toolbox. It will also give you the flexibility of moving your prints to a different place if you are indecisive, like me!
Command Picture Hanging Strips use a clever adhesive that holds strongly for as long as you need, then removes cleanly. Simply stretch off to remove - with no holes, marks or mess. (Remember to pull the tab slowly and straight down for damage free removal).
Image: command.com
How do Command Strips work?
The adhesive strips come in two halves, you simply attach the first half to the back of your picture frame and the second half is placed onto your wall. To make sure the frame is safe and sound use four strips per frame. A weight limit is recommended for each different sized strips, so check this before buying!
How to apply Command Strips
Start by deciding where you would like to position your artwork. For tips and advice on how to choose the best spot take a look at our other blogs.
To ensure that your Command Strips stick securely you’ll need to gently clean the wall where your frame is going to be placed. They recommend using rubbing alcohol for this.
Once the wall is dry, place the frame against the wall and using a pencil, make a small dot at each corner of the frame.
Separate the two halves of the strip and then click them back together, this may seem like an unnecessary step but it will make sense later!
Image: wikihow.com
Remove one side of the green liner and secure the strips in the two top corners of your frame. It’s essential the curved edges point downwards so that you’re able to remove them in the future. Refer to the package instructions for placement and weight distribution. Take a couple more strips and apply in the same way further down the sides of the frame.
Now it’s time to place the frame on the wall. Remove the remaining green liners and use the dots you made earlier to help you to line the top of your frame up on the wall and gently apply just a little pressure to allow the Command Strips to hold.
For now, the strips still have a little give so now is a good time to check you have placed the frame nice and straight - if you have one, use a spirit level to check. Once you’re happy with how it looks you need to firmly (but with care) press and hold the frame in its place for at least 30 seconds.
Using the bottom corners of the frame lift the frame from the wall by pulling it up and away.
Image: wikihow.com
Now press each of the strips onto the wall for 30 seconds, check to make sure that you are applying pressure to the whole surface of the strip. Wait an hour for the strips to finish bonding to the wall and then you can click and lock your frames back into place. It’s that simple!
How to remove Command Picture Hanging Strips
When you decide to change things around or you need to remove the strips hold the bottom corners of the frame and pull towards you in an “up and away” motion. This will separate the hook and loop component of the Command Strips.
Image: command.com
Hold the loose tab that is at the bottom of the strip and slowly but firmly pull down, keeping your hand as close as possible to the wall. Keep pulling downwards until the entire strip comes away from the wall.
To get the most from Command Strips
- Make sure you read the instructions in full before using the strips. Keep these so you can refer back to then when it’s time to remove the strips.
- Choose the appropriate Command Strips for the job. They do have weight and humidity limits so please be sure to check this before using.
- Clean the area with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) using a clean microfiber cloth to make sure that the wall is free from dust, and grime. Skipping this step may mean that the Command Strips do not stick properly to the surface.
- If you have recently painted your walls wait at least seven days before using the Command Picture Hanging Strips
- They are not suitable for use on wallpaper, fabric, or textured surfaces such as brick.