You will find many products out there that can be utilized for hanging posters without frames. Some of the products you can try include but are not limited to poster tape, velcro tabs, sticky tack, and so much more.
Posters come in many styles, designs, and sizes, making the perfect type of decore for just about any home. In this article, we will give you all of the information you will need to hang your prized posters without the hassle of frames.
How to Hang Posters Without Frames
If you are trying to hang posters in your home but don’t have any frames around, you can utilize a variety of options to keep your favorite posters in place, and you may even have some of these things already sitting in a junk drawer at home.
Velcro Tabs
Velcro Tabs are an excellent option for hanging larger, heavier posters in place as long as you don’t mind the residue leftover from removing these tabs once the poster comes down.
You can easily place velcro tabs on each corner of the poster and one in the middle for more significant items and maximum hold.
Poster Tape
Poster tape is a double-layered extra strength coated clear tape made explicitly for hanging posters to the walls. This tape is easy to apply and just as easy to remove from most surfaces, including wood, primer, glass, tile, painted walls, etc.
Sticky Tack / Removable Putty
Sticky tack was used for tons of things in the past and hadn’t recently started to make a come back with many companies upgrading their products to provide a stronghold without leaving a mess or ruined walls once removed.
Command Strips
Command strips are another option for hanging things on your wall without worrying about peeling paint left behind. This tool allows you to stick a poster to any smooth surface, then quickly release the adhesive product by pulling the lower tab, leaving no gooey residue in its wake.
Double-Sided Tape
Double-sided tape is a great product if you use a quality heavy-duty option. You can line all sides of the poster with double-sided tape and quickly stick it into place wherever you would like.
All of the above products are fantastic tools to use when hanging a poster to any wall; however, you have to consider that each of them may pull, tear, or leave residue on your poster once you decide to take it down or change its location.
DIY Displays For Frameless Posters
If you want to hang a poster without any type of adhesive, you should consider taking a crack at a DIY option. There are a bunch of nifty tricks out there that are pretty easy to create and can make a fantastic display option for your favorite pictures.
Hanging Lights
Whether you choose holiday lights or bedroom wall lights, hanging posters from the cord in between the glowing bulbs is a great way to showcase your pictures for everyone to see, and the lights will illuminate them, making them even more amazing to look at.
Clothespins
Using yarn, rope, or twine, create a “clothesline” the same length as the poster or posters you are attempting to hang up. Then, using clothespins, hanging the poster onto the rope. This way, there is nothing sticking to the poster to ruin it, and it can be removed quickly.
Binder Clips
Using a form of adhesive, attach a few binder clips to the wall moving in a horizontal row or one for each corner of the poster. You can use the versatile black or silver binder clips, or you can have fun with them and use different sizes and color clips.
Washi tape
Washi tape is an adhesive material with a bunch of different designs and colors, giving you a bunch of ways to be creative when hanging pictures and posters on the wall. A good way to use this tape is by creating a make-shift border around all four sides of the board.
Magnets
You can use magnets if you plan to hang posters on the refrigerator or other metal objects. But the options do not stop there. You can also purchase magnetic strips to attach to your walls and then use magnets to hang your poster there.
Cork Boards
Corkboards are no longer only used in office settings or to hold to-do reminders and grocery lists. You can easily purchase cork boards in a ton of different sizes and shapes to hang on your walls, then hang your poster with push pins to showcase it to the world.
Clothes Hangers
This method may not seem a little strange but hear us out. Using a clothes hanger, clothespin your poster to the main areas of the hanger from the back, only allowing the hook to show at the top, then hang the clothes hanger on the wall or from a rope attached to the wall.
Driftwood
Driftwood is naturally beautiful and can be used in so many different crafting projects. One of those projects included making a DIY hanger for your poster. Find a nice thick piece of driftwood and attach one piece of rope to both ends. Use double-sided tape to stick your poster to the wood, then hang it on the wall.
Window Frame
An oil rustic wooden window frame is a great DIY photo frame in the making. Sand it down or paint it up, add your poster, then secure it to the wall.
Ladder
If you enjoy the rustic look, another way to utilize this old country theme is by bringing in an old wooden ladder and sprucing it up. Then hang all of our posters and pictures to each rung.
Decorative Duct Tape
Just like the Washi tape, you can use decorative duct tape to hang your posters in any room. You can do this by creating a border around the poster, attaching it to the wall, or you can fold the duct tape, making it half sticky and half not (doubled up).
Stick the remaining adhesive side to the wall, then slide the poster into the folder portion of the tape, so it doesn’t stick to the paper.
Clip Boards
Using clipboards to hang posters may seem a little silly. However, some people have managed to make it look pretty interesting. Attach clipboards to your wall with a screw or heavy-duty adhesive, then clip your poster into place.
The Cheapest Way to Hang a Poster
Many times people have posters hanging in their rooms because it represents a brand, character, celebrity, etc. Often these posters are on the cheaper side and do not require advanced hanging technology to keep them in place.
The cheapest way to hang up these types of posters is by slapping some double-sided tape of masking tape on the back of the poster and hanging them wherever you would like them to go.
If you are looking for a cheaper option for a nicer poster and tape just won’t do, your next best option is command strips. These are nowhere near as expensive as poster frames and will do a pretty good job holding any size poster in place without destroying it or the wall.
Go Thrifting For Old Frames
If you want to hang your poster in a frame but can’t afford a new one or want it to look antique, you can always go shopping at a thrift store and upcycle an old used picture frame.
You can do many different things to spruce up an old picture frame; the possibilities are literally endless.
- Use chalkboard paint and change up the design every once in a while
- Use decorative duct tape and wrap it around the sides
- Spraypaint the frame edges
- Glitter glue goes a long way
- Sticker it up
How to Frame Large Posters
Are you a movie buff who just came into possession of the latest Avengers movie premiere poster or a Willie Nelson fan who just had a huge poster (like the one you win at the fair) autographed by the legendary country singer himself?
If so, you probably want to hang these prized possessions somewhere in your home for all who visit to see.
Unfortunately, hanging large posters can become complicated, especially when they are made from heavier materials.
To hang these types of posters, you may want to consider creating a DIY frame to provide extra strength and stability once it is secured to the wall.
To do this, you want to purchase a large piece of cardboard that will fit the entire length and width of the poster itself. Then using a spray adhesive or double-sided tape, stick the poster to the cardboard adding support.
Be very careful if you choose to use glue to adhere the poster to the board; too much or too thick can ruin the poster by soaking through.
How to Hang Posters Without Damaging the Walls
Many people have trouble finding ways to hang posters in ideal locations because they are afraid of damaging their walls. This is especially true for those who are renting their home or anyone hanging things up in an office space, where destroying the wall could cost them money in the end.
Luckily there are many products out there designed with this issue specifically in mind. Most command strips will easily stick to just about any smooth surface and will release easily after you are ready to take the picture down.
Another good option is the adhesive putties. Roll this adhesive into small sections and stick them to the wall; after the poster has become outdated or you are ready to move, the putty should come off with ease after a bit of manipulation.
Unique Ways to Hang Posters Without Frames
Who says you have to hang your posters off a wall or in a certain way? There are tons of great ideas when it comes to displaying your favorite posters, and some have nothing to do with a wall.
Make a Collage
A fun way to display posters in your room or space is by combining a bunch of them together to make a collage.
There are many ways to mix and match posters to create a fun and unique collage to decorate an entire wall.
One of the best ways to put multiple posters and pictures together is by mixing a slew of them up combining different sizes and shapes to create one large uneven cluster.
Sit on Top of a Holding Rack
Instead of hanging your posters on a wall, try setting them up on a rack. Purchase some wall shelves (or, if you are feeling crafty, make your own), then glue your posters to cardboard, so it is flat and sturdy, then set them up on the shelves, creating a fabulous display.
Create a Geometric Shape From String
You can really have fun with string, creating different shapes and designs all over the wall. Using strings or rope, create geometric designs and hang posters and pictures from them with clothespins or mini binder clips.
Where is the Best Place to Hang Posters
The best places to hang your posters around your home depend on the type of posters you have. You don’t want celebrity posters or band pictures hanging in your living room. These are ideally going to be placed on the walls in your bedroom.
High-quality movie posters or expensive novelty posters would look fabulous hanging in a home office or entertainment area. Old movie posters from the black and white days may even be a great way to decorate your living room.
If you want to hang posters of famous paintings or abstract designs, these could be great decor in your office or den.
DIY Poster Frames
Just because you don’t have an “actual” poster frame doesn’t mean you can’t be creative and make a poster frame for yourself. There are many great items and DIY tutorials out there that can help you come up with some of the coolest designs.
Old Wooden Door
Upcycle an old wooden door by refinishing or painting it, and then hang your posters on it in a fun assortment or use the panels as a frame inside a frame and keep your posters nice and neat while on display.
Poster Board
You can pick up a poster board for next to nothing at just about any store you head out to. If you want a massive variety of color and design options, go to your local craft store. Purchase a poster board that is an inch or so larger than your poster on all four sides.
Piece of Wall Pannel
There are a lot of great wall panel designs at your local home improvement store that can be used to hang your poster for all to see. It may be a little heavier than other options, so it will definitely need to be placed on the floor or shelf.
Paper Powel Rolls
Yep, paper towel rolls can be repurposed into a fantastic (and cheap) way to frame your posters. All you have to do is paint the cardboard or use decorative tape and slice open one side of the roll.
Then place the poster into the slits. You can use toilet paper rolls using two on each corner or use wrapping paper rolls for large posters.
Popsicle sticks
Popsicle sticks are a great crafting tool and can be decorated and set up in many ways to create a unique poster frame. Use different colored stains of the sticks and stack them all together to create a rustic-looking frame, paint them black for a modern option, stack them unevenly, making a wavy and unique border.
Painting the Wall
Why waste time making a frame when you can simply pretend one is there. Paint a background onto the wall where you want to hang your poster and center the item on top of it after it dries.
Wine Bottle Corks
Wine bottle corks can be used to create a frame just by lining them all up together and gluing them with a hot glue gun. Stick the border to the poster using double-sided tape and then hang it on the wall.
Old Glass Panel
We love repurposing and upcycling, and finding a great way to re-use an old panel of glass from a window or door is a great way to keep it from ending up in the landfill. Make sure you wash the glass really well, or else you will have streaks.
You can paint on top of the window in the corners labeling the poster, or add some designs to match the surround decore.
Now, we just gave you a ton of options to consider, but this is just the beginning. If you can think outside the box and get super creative, there are many ways to make your own frame, and many of them won’t require you to purchase a single thing.
How to Remove Tape and Glue Residue From Your Wall
Although posters have a way of bringing a room to life, they are also known for leaving residue or gunk still stuck to the wall after the poster is gone. This can be a big pain when trying to remove, and too much rubbing and scrubbing will leave your walls scuffed, scratched, and missing portions of pain.
Luckily, there are a few products out there that you can buy or even make yourself that work wonders for stuck-on adhesives.
Goo Gone/Gunk off
Goo Gone and Gunk off are two of the most widely known solution that works wonders on stuck-on adhesives.
Apply a small amount of the product to the trouble area and then gently rub the spot with a soft washcloth until it is completely gone. You should then wipe down the wall with a little soap and water to remove the leftover product, so it doesn’t eat away at the wall.
Apply Heat
Using a blow dryer can warm up and melt the adhesive from leftover tape and glue. You should only have to hold the blow dryer to the affected location for a minute or so, then use a putty tool to scrape the rest off.
Warm Soapy Water
This method does the same thing as the heat (or should), using warm soapy water (or warm water and baking soda); gently scrub the mess with a toothbrush until the adhesive is gone.
Rubbing Alcohol
What can’t rubbing alcohol do right? Apply a small amount of alcohol to the adhesive will dry out and destroy the sticky substance in glue and tape residue. You can also use an acetone nail polish remover, but be very careful with these options and rinse the solution away as soon as the adhesive is gone; these will eat away at the paint.
WD-40
Another go-to oldy; spot a little WD-40, do the residue, and let it sit for a small amount of time, maybe a min or so, then with a terry cloth, scrub away at the spot until all the residue is gone.
After, use grease-fighting dish soap like Dawn and warm soapy water to remove the oil from your wall completely.
How High Should You Hang Posters?
Once you have your poster looking spiffy and ready to hang on the wall, it is essential to know where you want it and how it will look once it is in place.
Most professional interior designs will tell you that posters and pictures should be hung on the wall at around the 5 to 5 ½ foot level because this is right in the direct line of eyesight for most people.
Measure your posters and divide them by two to determine where the center of the poster is. The center of the poster is where you want the 5-foot mark to line up.
Final Thought
Poster frames can be very expensive, and unless you want to customize them, they can also be dull. There are many ways listed above to hang your posters creatively, providing your favorite pictures with the borders they deserve.
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