A poster without a frame is the cheapest way to get art on a wall. It is also the easiest to get wrong. Ordinary tape tears paint off. Pins leave holes in the wall and the poster. Putty leaves greasy marks. The right method depends on your wall, how long the poster is staying, and whether you care about the print surviving to be hung again.
Here are seven methods, with an honest account of each.
Before you start
- Flatten the poster. A print that has been rolled in a tube will fight any adhesive. Unroll it on a clean table, image side up, lay a clean sheet of paper over it, and weigh it down with books for a day.
- Clean the wall. Wipe the area with a dry cloth, or one lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol, and let it dry. Adhesives fail on dust and grease.
- Check the paint. Fresh paint needs a few weeks to cure. Flat or cheap paint is more likely to lift than satin or semi-gloss. If in doubt, test your adhesive in a hidden spot first.
- Handle the print by its edges. Fingerprints show on matte paper.
1. Removable poster strips
These are small adhesive strips made for hanging posters, with a stretch-release tab. You stick one near each corner, press the poster to the wall, and when it is time to take it down, you pull the tab straight down, parallel to the wall, and the adhesive lets go.
Good for: most smooth painted walls, most poster sizes. This is the best all-round method.
Watch for: pulling the tab outward instead of downward, which can take paint with it. On large posters, add strips along the top and bottom edges as well as the corners.
2. Mounting putty
The classic reusable putty. Knead a small ball until it is soft, press it to the back of the poster at each corner, then press the poster to the wall.
Good for: small and medium posters, textured walls where strips won't grip, short-term displays.
Watch for: it can leave a faint oily mark on matte paint and on the back of the paper if left for many months. It softens in heat, so posters can slide in a warm room. To remove it, roll it off with your thumb, and dab any residue with a fresh piece of putty.
3. Washi tape or painter's tape
Low-tack paper tapes come off most walls cleanly. Washi tape comes in colours and patterns, so you can run it along all four edges and make a border of it. It turns the tape into part of the look.
Good for: small, light posters and a casual, creative style.
Watch for: low-tack means low strength. It won't hold a large or heavy print for long, and it sits on the front of the poster, so it may mark the paper when removed. Never use ordinary clear tape, duct tape or packing tape: they damage both wall and print.
4. Magnetic poster hangers
These are two pairs of wooden bars with magnets inside. One pair clamps the top edge of the poster and the other clamps the bottom. A cord on the top bar hangs from a single hook. The weight of the bottom bar keeps the poster flat.
Good for: making an unframed poster look finished. This is the smartest-looking option on the list, and the kindest to the print, because nothing sticks to it.
Watch for: you need the right width of hanger for your poster, and you need one hook in the wall. A removable adhesive hook works for small and medium posters.
5. Clips on a line or on hooks
Fix two small removable hooks to the wall and hang the poster from them with bulldog clips or binder clips. Or run a length of string or wire between two hooks and clip several prints along it.
Good for: changing your display often, and an informal studio look. The clip holds the paper without adhesive.
Watch for: clips can dent the top edge of the paper. Slip a small piece of card between the clip and the print to protect it.
6. A clipboard or a ledge
Not every poster has to be stuck to a wall. A small print on a wooden clipboard hung from one hook looks deliberate. A picture ledge, or the back of a desk or shelf, lets you lean prints against the wall with no fixing to the poster at all. Lean a few at different heights and overlap them slightly.
Good for: small prints, and anyone who likes to rearrange.
7. Pins, if you must
Thumbtacks and map pins hold well and cost almost nothing. They also leave holes in both the wall and the poster. If your walls are already full of old pin holes, or you have a cork board, they are fine. Put the pins just outside the corners of the print, so the heads grip the edge without piercing the paper.
Good for: cork boards and walls where small holes don't matter.
Which method for which situation
- Rented flat, smooth walls: removable poster strips.
- Dorm room: strips or putty, after checking the housing rules.
- Textured or brick wall: putty, or clips on removable hooks.
- A poster you want to keep in perfect condition: magnetic hangers.
- A display you change often: clips on a line, or a ledge.
- A large poster, 24 × 36 inches: magnetic hangers, or strips along every edge.
Getting it straight
Fix the top two corners first, check with a level app, then smooth the poster downward and fix the bottom. For a row of posters, run a strip of painter's tape along the wall as a guide for the top edges, and remove it when you finish. Leave two to three inches between prints.
Taking posters down without damage
- Strips: pull the tab slowly, straight down along the wall, until it releases.
- Putty: peel the poster away gently, then roll the putty off.
- Tape: peel it back on itself, slowly, at a low angle.
- Stubborn adhesive: warm it for a few seconds with a hairdryer on low to soften it first.
Store posters rolled, image side out, around a tube, and never folded.
When a frame is worth it
If a poster is staying up for years, hangs in a living room, or gets sun, a frame protects it and looks better. You can buy a frame for a standard size, or order the same design as a framed poster that arrives ready to hang. Our comparison of canvas, poster and framed poster covers the trade-offs, and the poster size guide will help you pick a size.
Browse every design in the poster prints collection.