Rewind the record around 64 thousand years, and you’ll find that even our earliest incarnations had a hankering for wall art. The theories go that cave paintings were used to document hunting expeditions, venerate certain animals, or even invoke some sort of magic. Fast forward to today, and that much might not have changed.
In the 21st century, posters and prints are a great way to document gigs and landmark moments in a band’s history. They’re the perfect way to capture the feeling of a specific moment in music or to invoke the sense of magic that surrounds a particular event or band member. Maybe we’re not that different from our early ancestors.
However, unless your landlord has a fondness for Neolithic art or you’re not that bothered about affecting the asking price for your home, splattering the walls with your own interpretation of a musical giant might not be such a good idea.
This is where our guide on how to hang prints comes in handy.
Art for Art’s Sake
Tommy Steele in 1958. Click on the image to find out more and buy this print
Whether you’re a student, a music fan, a serious collector or someone who wants to add something of their personality to a room, music prints are the perfect way to metaphorically (and semi-literally) nail your colours to the mast. However, the images that we want to hang on our walls tend to be a lot more intricate than those composed of charcoal and animal fat, and the walls of our homes tend to be a lot less forgiving of prints than rock was to Stone Age artists.
If you’re looking to capture those special memories or wear your musical heart on your sleeve, music prints are a great place to start. At Burst Gallery, we’ve been selling some of the rarest and most sought-after images of musicians and bands to fans and aficionados for over 40 years. We might not be able to guarantee that your posters will be uncovered intact by future archaeologists. But we can assure you that if you follow our tips and tricks, you’ll get the best out of your posters (without damaging the wall) for a long time to come.
How to Hang Prints on Your Wall without Damage: Back to Basics
While it might seem like a good idea to break out the Blu Tack and get the ball rolling, there are a few things to think about when learning how to hang prints to minimise the potential for any damage. The first one is the print itself.
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones Live at Hyde Park, 1969. Click on the image to find out more and buy this print.
It might sound a bit dull, but before you go anywhere near handling your piece of wall art, wash your hands. Grease, dirt and dust can all leave unsightly blemishes on the image, which are often picked out by the light in the form of shiny fingerprints and smears. In a worst-case scenario, if you have anything acidic on your fingers, it can cause the print to smudge, and your print will look far from its best.
There’s no need to invest in any magical sanitising liquid. A good wash with soap and water should cover all the bases, but do make sure your hands are completely dry before you do anything else.
Flat-Pack Philosophy
Unless you’ve specifically ordered a music print to be flat-packed, the chances are that yours will arrive rolled up. At Burst Gallery, we do everything in our power to ensure that your print or print arrives in tip-top condition, but we know that this isn’t the same everywhere.
If your print is rolled, you’ll need to take a little time to flatten it out. Not only does this make it easier to work with, but it helps to prevent it from slowly curling in on itself once you’ve put it up. The slow curling process has been responsible for many an image falling from a wall in the middle of the night. This can result in damage to both the print and any paint or plasterwork underneath.
How to Flatten Your Print
The flattening process is known as “curing” in the trade. For the best results, put your print on a flat surface, with the printed side facing up. Then, it’s simply a matter of putting weights on it, particularly on the corners, and allowing it to rest. Anything with a flat surface will do, such as heavy books.
The length of resting time will depend on how tightly the picture has been rolled and how long it has been stored in that manner. As a rule of thumb, eight hours should see it right, but if the corners are really curled up, you might want to leave it for around 24 hours.
Testing whether your print is ready is easy enough: just lift your chosen weights from the picture and see how much or how little it rolls back up. Once it remains flat, you’re good to go.
If your music print is already flat, skip this and move onto the next step of how to hang posters and prints.
Off the Wall
It’s not sticky tape time just yet. And, if you follow our advice, you won’t be using it anyway!
Next on the list is to prepare the wall that your music print is going to call home. Any oils on the surface, dust, dirt or grime will interfere with your chosen print-sticking substance. This means that while your Bob Marley or Noel Gallagher print might sit tight for a day or two, the chances of it staying put for any length of time are going to be significantly compromised.
How to Prepare Your Wall for Hanging Posters and Prints
Choose the spot where you are going to hang your print and then wipe it down. This part of the process doesn’t require any industrial cleaning — a little washing-up liquid and some warm water should be enough.
Once you’ve applied the soap, wipe the wall with clean water before drying it with a clean cloth.
To be on the safe side, you can leave it for an hour to make sure that any residual moisture has evaporated. We have heard stories of hardcore collectors waving a hairdryer over the area, just to be doubly sure. But as long as you’re sure the wall is dry, this shouldn’t be necessary.
You are now ready to move on to hanging your print.
Stuck Like Glue — The Way to Hang Prints
What to choose to stick your prints to a wall has been a bone of contention amongst music fans and collectors for years. However, we want you to enjoy your print for as long as possible, so we’ve done some serious digging on the subject. Whether you’re a debt-saddled student or money isn’t a question, we’ve come up with four options for hanging prints without damaging the wall.
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Poster Tape
Also known as mounting tape, this double-sided tape is relatively inexpensive and does the job quickly. Poster tape is specifically designed for hanging posters and has an adhesive surface on both sides. You can buy it in pre-cut strips or in a roll, which allows you to cut to size. Some prints tapes are a heavy-duty way to hang posters and prints, which won’t matter if you’re displaying a piece of lightweight wall art. Heavy-duty tapes are best avoided, as they stick hard and fast and may damage your wall or print when the time comes to take it down.
When that day arrives, many print collectors use a piece of string to ensure safe removal. Begin by gently peeling the print away from the tape at the corners. If there’s any resistance, use a thin piece of string like a cheese wire and gently manoeuvre it between the wall and the double-sided tape until the adhesive gives up its grip.
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Magic Tape
Magic tape has its pros and cons. Just like poster tape, it is double-sided, so you stick it to the back of the print and then fix it to the wall. Most magic tape is transparent, so there’s much less chance of you seeing opaque patches through the print.
On the downside, it’s not as long-lasting as poster tape and will eventually give up the ghost. However, if you’re looking for something to get the job done quickly and for very little investment, then this will do, even as a temporary measure. On the upside, its less-permanent adhesion does mean that it’s easier to remove from both your print and the wall, reducing the risk of damage.
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Velcro Tabs
Although Velcro tabs were initially designed for hanging light pieces of wall furniture, such as hooks and small mirrors, they’ve become a popular way to hang prints or display wall art.
Essentially, Velcro tabs are two Velcro strips, each with an adhesive surface on the opposite side. Press them together and remove the cover strip from one, which you then fix to your print. Once you’ve fixed the right number of tans to the back of your print, remove the set of cover strips facing you and pop your picture in place.
Velcro tabs are better for more heavyweight prints, perhaps those on a cardboard mount or laminated in heavy plastic. They make it easy to separate the print from its fixings and the flexible fabric they’re made from, so it is much simpler to remove from walls and the back of the image.
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Mounting Putty
Mounting putty or removable putty has been the saviour of teenagers for decades. However, it’s not for everyone. If you just want to get your print up quickly and you’re not too fussed about keeping it looking pristine, then it certainly does what it says on the tin. However, if you’re looking for a more professional finish, there are some things to think about.
Putty of this sort is malleable and tacky and will stick to most surfaces, although not forever. After some time, it loses its tack, generally from the upper corners. While cleaning your wall in advance can help, it won’t prevent the inevitable. The result tends to be that you find yourself looking at the back of your print as it falls down over itself, suspended only by the bottom corners.
The other problem is that it is putty. As most of us know, you’ll see it through the print’s surface in the form of lumps. Add to this the fact that you’ll have to give it a press to ensure it sticks as well as it can, and it’s the perfect recipe for finger-stains and marks on the printed surface. In addition, if your print is lightweight, there’s the risk of the print snarling up at the corners, as the putty contracts in colder temperatures.
Mounting putty isn’t particularly friendly to poorly painted or plastered walls. There can’t be many of us who haven’t pulled away a blob of the blue stuff, only to find some emulsion or plasterwork has come away with it. However, if you’re not too worried about this side of things, mounting putty is a quick, simple solution and a great way to hang your print up on the wall in next to no time.
As you can see, there are many aspects to consider before you hang up your prints. This is why we recommend that you read our guide on how to hang prints before you start sticking your fancy new print up in the pride of place.
I Heard It through the Grapevine
We’ve heard endless ways to hang prints up on walls. The two that we don’t recommend are toothpaste or shampoo. Believe it or not, there are countless stories of people putting blobs of toothpaste on the backs of prints to act as a temporary glue. Similarly, the stuff you wash your hair with has somehow found its way onto some people’s lists of alternative adhesives.
In our experience, these simply don’t work. There’s also the risk of chemicals either damaging the print or bleeding through the paper and causing damage to the image itself. While you might get a minty-fresh smell or that out-of-the salon sheen out of it, our advice is to steer clear of these ideas.
The other solution is the humble drawing pin. While there’s no doubt that these work, puncturing both your print and your wall might be something that you later regret. There is a lot to think about before you start hanging your print.
How to Hang a Print Aesthetically
Prints can enhance the aesthetics of your room when hung correctly. However, before you start hanging your print, you should take a little time to plan it. Think about the space, take into account the lighting, the colour scheme and the mood of the room. Once you have all these in mind, then place your print on the wall without sticking it and work out the optimum height to display your print to its best advantage.
Every Photo Tells a Story
To preserve, protect and show off your music print at its best, the ultimate way to hang prints is to have them mounted and framed. Framing transforms an image from a simple picture to something more sophisticated and timeless. On top of that, all you need is some picture wire and a hook or two, and your print can take pride of place on your wall.
Buy your prints at Burst Gallery and follow our tips on how to hang them. We supply music prints, pictures and wall art from some of the best bands and music photographers on the planet. Because we use cutting-edge technology to ensure that the images you receive are reproduced to the highest standards, we’re always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to show them off. If you’ve got any ideas that we’ve overlooked, get in touch or let us know in the comments below.
Find your favourite music artist or band and order your high-quality print at Burst Gallery. Order now and get free UK delivery on orders over £35.