Every homeowner wants to hang a variety of art in their home, but the thought of drilling a nail on the wall suddenly brings in an obnoxious feel. This is especially true if you are living in a rented home. If you want a way to harmoniously hang your favourite artworks or frames on the wall, this article is for you. Let’s start to understand each idea in detail.
Before we jump to the point of hanging pictures without nails, first understand why you must adopt a ‘no drill’ policy.
Why Should You Opt For No Drilling?
Following are the reasons why you shouldn’t opt for drilling in homes, especially in rented homes:
- Drilling weakens the wall. If you don’t have wall plugs, there is a chance that cracks will form due to wall holes, which can prove disastrous in times of major earthquakes.
- Drilling makes the wall look messy. If you want to hang your wall decorations somewhere else other than the previous place, then it makes the wall look untidy, which is very difficult to rectify later.
- Drilling makes a lot of noise, which can irk the neighbours.
- Drilling makes way for insects to enter the house. With drilling, insects like termites, ants, etc., enter the home and infest it, creating a nuisance and causing damage to wooden furniture.
- Often, the nails in the walls may weaken due to the weight of the wall hangings, which may fall, damaging the artefact while also possibly hurting someone.
Ways to Hang Pictures Without Nails
Here are some practical ways on how to hang pictures without nails on your house walls:
01. Command Strips Picture Hangers
- This is the most popular technique for hanging lightweight items like keys, a clipboard, string lights, and measuring cups. It leaves no marks on the wall.
- They come in different sizes to accommodate different loads, and you can even use multiples to strengthen a frame.
- These hooks and strips allow you to quickly and easily set up, take down, and alter your wooden display.
- The Velcro-like command picture-hanging strips are designed for hanging pictures, while the more basic adhesive command strips are ideal for hanging things like paper, poster board, and smaller frames.
- You can use multiple decorations on a single frame to increase its strength, and they come in various sizes to suit a wide range of loads.
- This technique is practically invisible, as it leaves no space between the wall and the artwork.
02. Hang Your Artwork on Picture Rail Moulding
- Even if your home does not have any pre-existing moulding, you can still add a picture rail.
- If you’re fortunate enough to live somewhere with picture rail moulding, use it to your advantage. Find hooks that are the same width as your moulding and some rope or string you want, and you’re ready to start decorating your walls.
- This approach is highly interchangeable, as you can swap other art pieces. And since the string serves as the unifying factor, you may use a variety of frame styles and even media types without worrying about the arrangement looking disjointed.
- With this, getting the picture to hang exactly where you want it merely requires purchasing some cheap, special hooks that go over the rail and adjusting the length of some frame wire.
03. Artwork Above Fireplace Mantel
- If your rental home has a fireplace, you can put your artwork on the mantle. This is unique way to hang pictures without nails.
- While most people fill the space above their fireplaces with photos and trinkets, the mantel may transform into a stunning gallery for striking art pieces. However, if you use your fireplace frequently, you should check that the heat from the chimney isn’t too high to damage any paintings or other decorative elements displayed on the mantel.
- It doesn’t have to be a hodgepodge of miscellaneous mementoes and stacks of old photos to be meaningful. Instead, it can serve as an elegant backdrop for a single significant work of art.
04. Using Magnetic Paint on Walls
- When you need a solution for how to hang pictures without holes, magnetic paint is a fantastic choice.
- A few gallons of magnetic paint for the walls, plus magnets and glue for the things you want to hang, are all required.
- If you want the paint to last, applying several coats, even if you plan to paint over it. Primers are available to enhance the effectiveness of some brands further.
05. Using Adhesive Hooks to Hang Pictures Without Holes
- The removable adhesive is the way to go when decorating an apartment wall without using nails.
- You can use removable adhesive to hang posters and picture collages. This adhesive is low-cost and convenient to use, and it does not damage the walls.
- Adhesive hooks and strips come in various sizes, and all of them can support the weight of a picture frame.
- Ensure you know the adhesive product’s weight limit before using it, and don’t be afraid to use more than one hook or strip.
- Before sticking the hook to the wall, ensure the spot is clean. Please wait a few minutes for before attempting to hang anything. You can strengthen it by installing more hooks to hold heavy things on the wall.
06. Show Artwork on Bookshelves
- Of course, bookshelves must hold books, but they are awesome spots to show off a collection of paintings.
- Empty shelves or spaces between groups perfectly display your carefully picked frames.
- It’s better to make room for your favourite images than to have a library full of books you haven’t read in years.
- If you’re worried about damage to your walls, consider clearing off your bookcases and using them as a dramatic, multi-level display for your smaller works of art. You may find bookshelves with movable shelves at numerous stores, giving you the flexibility to arrange your books in various ways.
Also Read: 10 Amazing Bookshelf Organization Ideas!
07. Artwork on Easel
- In addition to hanging wall art on the wall, you can also put it on an easel. This has been widely used approach in Europe for many years. It gives your artwork a more formal feel, brings in a new artistic element, and makes it the centre point of the space.
- You can easily change the location of your painting by simply relocating the easel. Keep in mind that an easel requires quite a lot of space, making this approach impractical for tight quarters. You probably don’t want a bunch of easels taking up space in your living room, but if you have a piece of art that you truly adore and want guests to admire, you could try displaying it on an easel.
- Also, since easels take up a fair amount of room, they might not be the best choice for a studio apartment. However, if you have enough room, especially in larger communal areas where a bold piece of art might serve as a focal point, consider displaying your work on an easel or pedestal.
- With this presentation style, the artwork will appear less flat and flatten out the viewer’s experience.
08. Press-in Hooks to Hang Pictures
- Hanging extremely heavy items is a breeze with press-in hooks because they do minimal harm to the wall. It is perfect for big mirrors and other ornamental elements.
- They don’t require locating a stud, and don’t require any special tools to install. A pinhead-sized hole is enough.
- They may appear too good to be true, but if the infomercials indicate, they do the job. These work with sheetrock.
- An opening is made in the wall, and the metal end is slid inside until it reaches the hook. Once you have the desired position, you may next fasten the hook by turning it upside down.
09. Picture Hanging Tapes
- You can hang lightweight decorations on the wall with double-sided tape. However, it may peel off the paint when you attempt to remove it from the wall.
- Sticky tack, also known as reusable adhesive, mounts lightweight artwork on walls. However, it can harden and become sticky over time. Although, they can support up to one pound.
- Reusable adhesives and tapes hold more weight than a few unframed photos or posters (0.45 kg). Using the adhesive side out, a strip of single-sided tape can be transformed into makeshift double-sided tape by forming a loop and then securing the two ends of the tape together.
10. Using Clips to Hang Pictures
- Try this tip if you appreciate the concept of permanent display spaces for your artwork but also value the freedom to switch things around.
- You can use decorative clips or clothespins to hang up prints along the line. Using clips in conjunction with command adhesives allows for a more direct presentation of the artwork.
- With this system, it is simple to switch out prints shown on walls. The nicest feature of this method is that you can rearrange the clips whenever you like.
- Arrange the clips on the wall according to your plan before hanging the artwork.
- Whenever you need to rearrange things, you may simply remove the artwork from its current location and clip in the new piece. Its greatest strength lies in the fact that clip arrangements can remain unchanged indefinitely.
Conclusion
With these creative ways of hanging pictures without nails, you can add elegance to your room without damaging your walls. From command strips to clips, hanging art without damaging walls has become simpler than ever. These strategies cater to diverse artwork types and preferences, so choose what aligns best with your needs.
You may also like to read the following article:
15 Wall Decor Ideas to Refresh Your Space!
Image Courtesy : Image 3, Image 4, Image 6, Image 11, Image 12
Author Bio
Nafisa Nazneen Choudhury – Nafisa Nazneen Choudhury is a Civil Engineer (completed B.E. from Assam Engineering College) and is currently pursuing M.Tech in Structural Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Silchar. She is a Technical Content Writer, having over 3 years of experience and has wrote many articles related to Civil Engineering. She is also a Book Author (Authored – “Dream Tales of NNC: Revenge By Murder”) and her book can be found on Amazon. She is also a Guest Author at Gharpedia. Moreover, she is a certified member at Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). She writes her blogs at her website – nnc2017.wordpress.com. She can be reached on LinkedIn.
