Maybe you rent, maybe you're in student accommodation, or maybe your parents have made it very clear: not one hole in that bedroom wall. The good news is there are plenty of ways to hang posters without damaging walls, and most of them cost next to nothing. The trick is picking the right one for your wall, your poster and your climate. Here's the full comparison, plus the small habits that prevent nasty surprises when it's time to take things down.
Hanging an Aurify poster
Ours skip the whole question. Each poster is 4K-printed on a rigid PVC board about 1 cm thick, with two double-sided EVA foam mounting tapes already on the back. No nails, no frame, no tape to buy:
- Clean the spot and let it dry: the wall should be clean, dry and flat.
- Peel the protective film off the two tapes.
- Position the board, then press it firmly against the wall for about 30 seconds.
Steer clear of damp walls and freshly painted ones. Everything below is for your other posters, prints and photos.
First, take a proper look at your wall
Every no-drill fixing relies on grip. Its worst enemies are crumbling surfaces, dust and paint that hasn't cured.
- Freshly painted: wait at least a week after the final coat before sticking anything up, or the adhesive may peel the paint away with it.
- Dusty or greasy: wipe the spot with a cloth and a little isopropyl alcohol, then let it dry. Skip household cleaners, which leave a slippery film behind.
- Powdery plaster or flaking paint: no adhesive will last. Go straight to a hanger with a single fixing point, or to clips on a string.
Climate matters too. In the Tunisian summer, heat softens some adhesives, and the humidity of coastal towns wears them down. Avoid walls in direct sun and, naturally, the bathroom.
No-drill options for your other posters, compared
Removable adhesive strips
These are the pull-tab strips from brands like Command, designed to release cleanly when stretched. The most reliable choice here, provided the wall is sound.
- Pros: strong hold, clean removal if you follow the technique, versions made specifically for light frames.
- Cons: pricier than putty, no good on fresh paint or crumbly plaster.
- Technique: clean the wall with alcohol, press firmly for 30 seconds, then wait an hour before hanging anything. For an unframed poster, one strip per corner is enough.
Poster putty
The classic blue or white tack, such as Blu Tack or Patafix. Cheap and reusable.
- Pros: very inexpensive, quick, perfect for trying out a position.
- Cons: can leave greasy halos on pale matt paint and on the back of the poster. It softens in heat, which lets posters slide.
- Technique: pea-sized balls at the four corners and halfway along the long sides. Six small pieces beat two big lumps.
Washi tape
Low-tack Japanese paper tape that comes in dozens of patterns. On a Japanese woodblock print, matching washi corners carry the spirit of the image right to its edges.
- Pros: peels off with almost no effort and doubles as decoration, whether as corners or full strips.
- Cons: limited hold, especially in summer or in a humid room. Best kept for unframed posters in a room that stays cool.
- Technique: test it on a hidden patch of wall for a few days first.
Magnetic poster hangers
Two magnetic wooden rails clamp the poster top and bottom, and the whole thing hangs from a cord. Choose rails at least 30 cm long for a portrait poster, or 50 cm for landscape.
- Pros: no glue touches the poster, a neat schoolroom-map look, and swapping designs takes ten seconds.
- Cons: you still need one hanging point, either a strong adhesive hook or a small nail.
Clips and string
A length of string between two hooks, plus wooden pegs or bulldog clips. Ideal for a wall that keeps changing, such as a run of tapes and mixtapes posters you rotate to suit your mood.
- Pros: relaxed, bohemian look, easy rotation, no contact between poster and wall.
- Cons: posters can ripple. Add a clip at the bottom to pull them taut.
Lightweight frames
A frame keeps dust, dog-eared corners and fingerprints off a paper poster. Choose acrylic over glass: it's lighter, won't shatter, and holds well with picture-hanging strips made for frames. Always check the maximum weight printed on the pack.
If one tiny hole is allowed
Sometimes a thin nail does less harm than an adhesive pulled off badly. A slim picture hook pin leaves a pinprick that a dab of filler hides in two minutes. On brick or hard concrete, an ordinary nail tends to bend, so use masonry nails.
If you change posters often, a picture rail fixed once near the ceiling, with cords and sliding hooks, saves you from making new holes every time. In a rented place, ask the landlord first.
What never to use
- Clear sticky tape and parcel tape: they yellow, lift paint and tear paper.
- Drawing pins through the poster: they punch holes in the corners and eventually rip them.
- Permanent foam double-sided tape: it holds far too well and never comes off cleanly.
Prepare your poster properly
Our boards need no preparation. If a paper poster from elsewhere came rolled, roll it gently the other way for a few seconds, then leave it flat under a few books for a couple of hours. Whatever you're hanging, handle it with clean, dry hands, holding it by the edges.
For a wall set, each panel is fixed separately with the same 3 cm gaps; our article on split wall sets and triptychs explains the full method.
Taking it down without a trace
- Adhesive strips: pull the tab slowly straight down, parallel to the wall, never out towards you.
- Putty: roll it off between your fingers rather than yanking it, then dab away any residue with a fresh ball of putty.
- Washi tape: peel it back slowly, folding it over itself, almost flat against the wall.
Wall ready, poster ready. Now find the right height with our poster size guide, pick your world from the 90s or anime, and enjoy the view.
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