How to hang pictures without nails (and keep your deposit)

You've got the photos, you've got the wall, and you don't want to drill. Maybe you're renting and your deposit is on the line, maybe you live with face brick, or maybe you just don't own a drill. Here's what actually works, what each option can hold, and what to avoid.

What are the ways to hang pictures without nails?

The pattern: adhesives love smooth, clean, cured paint and hate everything else. Pick your method by your wall first, then by the weight of what you're hanging.

Do adhesive picture-hanging strips work?

Interlocking strips (Command is the best-known brand) stick one half to the frame and the other to the wall, and click together. They're the go-to for renters because, removed properly, they leave nothing behind.

• Check the weight rating on the pack and stay well under it. Ratings assume a smooth, painted wall at room temperature.
• Use enough strips: spread them to the corners of the frame so it can't tip forward.
• Don't use them on wallpaper, freshly painted walls, or in bathrooms. Steam and humidity weaken the bond.

Are peel-and-stick photo tiles a good option?

Photo tiles are your printed photos mounted in a light frame with an adhesive back, designed from the start to go up without tools. Because the frame is light and the adhesive is matched to it, they're the simplest way to build a whole photo wall: you press them on, step back, and peel and move any tile that isn't quite right.

Storytiles tiles start at R1 449,99 for a pair and ship free across South Africa. They're made in Cape Town, and you design the wall from your phone. If you want a staircase or an off-grid layout, the layout is printed for you, so there's no measuring.

How do you hang pictures on face brick or textured walls?

If your wall is face brick, rough plaster or heavily textured paint, adhesives will let you down sooner or later. Two things that never will:

• Lean a large frame on a sideboard, mantel or the floor. It looks deliberate, and you can layer a smaller frame in front.
• A picture ledge (a narrow shelf with a lip) needs two or three screws once. After that you can swap and rearrange frames forever without another hole. In a rental, ask your landlord: one ledge is far less damage than a dozen nails.

Is it safe to use nano tape, double-sided tape or Prestik?

• Nano or gel tape grips almost anything, which is exactly the problem: it can take paint with it. Keep it for very light items, and test it first.
• Double-sided mounting tape is designed to be permanent. Assume it will damage paint when removed.
• Mounting putty (Prestik in South Africa) is fine for posters and paper, not frames, and can leave oily marks on some paints over time.

How should you prepare the wall?

1. Wait 7 days after painting. Paint feels dry in hours but takes about a week to cure.
2. Clean the spot with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) and let it dry. Household cleaners leave a film that stops adhesives sticking.
3. Check the wall is smooth and dry. Run your hand over it. If it's dusty, chalky or damp, nothing will hold well.
4. Press firmly for 30 seconds per strip or tile, and if you're using strips, wait about an hour before you hang the weight.
5. Plan the layout on the floor first (or use a tile layout that's designed for you), so you're not peeling and re-sticking ten times.

How do you remove them without leaving a mark?

Hold the frame, then pull the strip's tab slowly and straight down, parallel to the wall, stretching it all the way. Pulling it towards you is what rips paint. Peel-and-stick tiles come off by lifting gently from a corner.

Which method should you choose?

• Renting, smooth painted walls, a photo wall in mind: peel-and-stick photo tiles, or strips for frames you already own.
• Face brick or rough texture: lean big pieces, or put up one picture ledge.
• One heavy mirror or large canvas: this is the one job for a proper wall plug and screw, with your landlord's OK.