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They don't work for more than a couple weeks.

My boss had me use these to hang pictures in her rental - I'd have to go over every couple of weeks to rehang pictures, etc. (They weren't even heavy, and I used two per picture!)

We finally gave up and used proper picture hangers.

I use these strips to hang artwork in my motorhome. The walls are too thin for nails to work and, really, I don't want to make more holes than strictly necessary in the paneling. I hung a glass covered 13"x15" framed print on one wall a year ago and it has not shaken loose in 10,000km of driving.

Fourth pic down: http://travelswithmiranda.uskeba.ca/?page_id=293

I have other frames scattered throughout the rig, but this was the most precious and a daring experiment that worked!

Finally, testimonial about this product! I've read alot of articles suggesting the use of these things, but I haven't heard from anyone that actually used them. I am definately going out this weekend to get some so I can finish decorating my studio (which I've been in for about 4 months now). I can't make holes in my walls, physically that is, not because of lack of permission. There is about an eighth of an inch of glossy paint before I hit what seems to be either cement or brick. I bent 3 nails before I gave up and just assumed that's what all my walls were.
Does anybody have suggestions for hanging heavier items, like wall mirrors and larger framed art?

I love those strips, they work great. I've hung quite a bit of stuff with them and have never had anything fall off (make sure you use enough for the weight, and it's always better to add another if you're unsure) even after two years in my last apartment. If they are on there a long time, you do want to be extra careful to pull gently when you remove it, I did remove some paint with one of them.

Interesting. What is the weight limit recommended on the packaging?

They do work okay if the picture/frame is very, very light and/or small. Otherwise in two weeks you will have artwork on your floor.

Where they work GREAT is small picture frames on wood paneling. Those suckers have been hanging in there for 4 months.

Hmmm, my experience with these hasn't been good. In my apartment, despite proper curing, my precious framed postcards from my great-grandparents' honeymoon to Brussels came crashing to the slate floor.

Where Command *has* done me right is in my new shower. Since we knew we were moving, we installed a Command hook and shower basket (rather than drilling into the new marble subways). The basket holds 3 different shampoos and conditioners, shower gel, my scrub, the back brush... Plus the brushed nickel finish hides the horrors of hard water.

i don't use the velcro style ones burt instead the kind that allow you to use either a regular sawtooth or wire hung picture,

the advantage being part of it is reusable where as the velcro ones you toss the whole thing.

I have these up all over my house and none of them have come down. i have a 24x27 frame hung by one, and it hasn't budged. The only thing in my apartment that gets a nail in the wall (actually 3 nails with a 100lb ooks hook) is my giant 33x47 frame with glass...

oh and what's with losing your deposit over some nails holes? Even when i have used nails, that has never happened to me. My rule of thumb was always "smaller then a dime, and you'll be fine". Never lost one deposit...

To those who have had the strips fail:

1) Did you use the correct number of strips? My heaviest piece weighs about five pounds and I used four strips for it (one in each corner).

2) Proper application is key, as evidenced by one (non-fragile and super light) frame that occasionally falls off the wall. Washing the surface with rubbing alcohol is key! Then follow the instructions exactly, including pushing the frame against the wall for a full minute, removing it, and allowing the strip against the wall to 'cure.'

Yes! I used these to hang a mirror on my hollow-core bedroom door and it's been there for a year and worked great. Never thought of using them for artwork, but I might have to try this for some of my smaller frames.

My mom uses the hook ones to hang her large framed pictures and hasn't had any trouble. Even during earthquakes. I keep meaning to buy some of these since I have plaster walls and nails and screws just pull right out of them.

Seems like needless frippery to me.

What I do:

Buy Ook or other good-quality picture hanging hooks and nails -- the kind with nice sharp points and the nurled nail heads for twisting out to remove. Put a piece of Scotch tape where the nail is going to go. Drive the nail into the hanger, and hang as normal.

When I move out, I twist out the nail, pull up the tape, and, if I'm feeling especially anal, spackle the itty bitty teeny tiny hole that remains. I've never been dinged for holes in the walls.

we used these in the basement to hang a framed screenprint on a painted cinder block wall and it only lasted a couple of months. luckily it fell on a sofa and didn't break.

I tried and one of my professionally frames original art came off the wall, thankfully just the corner was slightly damaged. I would never use something like this for a piece like that again, dam gave me a heat attack.

You know you can patch holes in walls. If you use joint compound instead of spackle, the grey color blends right in with most rental's off-white walls. You can wipe away any excess with a damp sponge after the spackle as dried, so it only fills the actual hole.

3M's recommended application instructions says to wash the surface with rubbing alcohol: Be sure to test this in an inconspicuous spot first!

I forged ahead with this once, not realizing it could cause damage to some types of paint, and was shocked to find the rubbing alcohol dissolved the paint. Now there's a permanent smear mark - so much for using these in an attempt to NOT damage the wall.

I've used the larger version of these -- with hooks on them -- to hang all kinds of things, including a shower caddy. It's been there for a year, in a hot, wet, shower, holding up multiple bottles of shampoo, conditioner, etc.

When you use the velcro ones, you do have to throw away the side that was on the wall, but the ones on your picture/frame/etc are still good for the next time.

Also, one thing I love about the velcro ones is that you don't have to level them perfectly on the first try. If it isn't level, just pull it off and re-stick it.

If you don't clean the wall or if it's too humid and moist then these might not stick as well. If you have pricey art, then I would say put a nail in the wall and cover the hole if need be when you move out.

I just moved to a rental and might not be here too long, so I Taped (double sided hardware tape) everything to the walls! What's all you readers experience with this? hard taking it of? will my paintings crash to the floor in a couple of weeks?

New at grown up-your own place life! thanks!

ok... I see... alot of mixed feelings about it.

Love them. Completely. We use some of the larger hooks to hang our bathrobes behind the bedroom door, and they have no problem with the weight. And they really do come off that cleanly. As a renter myself, I know what a big deal that is.

pok, I hate to be the one to tell you this but you are totally screwed. Your paintings will not crash down, they will be stuck there...for life! But seriously, that stuff will probably take the paint right off the walls, it just depends what you stuck the tape to.

I consider holes from hanging pictures to be normal wear and tear and not deductible from the deposit.

"I Taped (double sided hardware tape) everything to the walls! What's all you readers experience with this? hard taking it of? will my paintings crash to the floor in a couple of weeks?"

I have a collection of Dutch tiles in my kitchen that i've double-sticked (the thick foamy stuff) to the wall - Never had a problem w/ anything ever falling or paint coming off when i've rearranged.

I used these for various purposes (hanging artwork, towels, etc.) on drywall and had a horrible time getting them off. They took off a lot of the drywall and paint. I wouldn't recommend them.

ive only used them for small cheap things but they have worked well for me.

My only failure with these so far is I did try to hang a paper towel holder thing with these onto a cement column because the spot was really convenient in my kitchen and that didnt work, but I didnt really expect it to either... it actually held but with tugging on the roll it would fall off.

Pok, it probably really depends on the brand of tape and the type of adhesive. My uncle used some super-sticky hardware tape to set up a temporary sleeping porch for me and my sister to stay in on the porch of their cabin. Super-sticky stuff, but it came right up off the laminated wood walls and the sheets. I guess it's so sticky, it sticks to itself even better than it sticks to the objects.

If you want an idea of how much trouble it will be before you move, experiment with it on the back wall of a closet.

I recommend caution. Formerely I was using another 3M product...not the velcro but the picture hangers.

They hung well throughout the winter and spring (Chicago). As soon as the air got moist as it does most summers one fell down and my heirloom was destroyed. I immediately changed to proper hangers on all of my fine artwork.

I should add that the velcro strips are what I use for photographs and have had no problem for a year plus so I think that they're good to go.

These are very useful. I have a single large hook command strip holding up my small ironing board next to my washer...it's been there for over a year now, even through the humidity. They are especially nice for cinder block dorm rooms.

We used the small hooks to hang some framed photos. They stayed put until we pulled them off without any damage to the walls 7 years later when we moved out. Just make sure you follow the directions, i.e., press in place for 30 seconds and wait an hour before putting any weight on the hook.

I would imagine concrete or cement is not ideal, as the surface is not smooth and you'll have only a fraction of the surface area available to stick to the 3M strip.

pok-

I just took down some award plaques at work, preparatory to a move. They were hung with screws, but the carpentry shop used heavy-duty double stick tape to secure the bottom edges. Every single one of them ripped not only the paint but also chunks of the plasterboard off the wall when it was time to take them down. So, I'm not saying your experience will be similar, but in our case it was pretty bad.

@autobot77: You probably have cinder block walls. You need a pwr drill, a masonry drill bit, lead anchors and screws. Lead anchors will hold when plastic will not. Just keep them away from kids/pets. Warning: this will make rather largish holes, but can easily be filled when you move. I did this in out last place and hung mirrors and heavy picture frames w/ no problem. Also, you want to be careful about hammering. Some cinder block walls are covered in plaster which can crack if you hammer nails (screw instead)

oooh yay! I've been wanting to create a picture wall in my living room but I cannot for the life of me decide how to hang the pictures... now I can, without the fear of commitment!!!
http://www.notyourgoddess.blogspot.com/

Landlords, who needs 'em? People hang things on walls and leave holes. They should spackle them when they move out to make it easier for the landlord to paint,but most landlords (scratch that, ALL landlords I have ever had) are too cheap to re-paint between tenants. I am very glad to be out of the reach of landlords.

I've used these for several years (the sawtooth and wire hanger kind mostly - just tried the Velcro type this year) on flat-latex-painted drywall and they've worked perfectly. I rearrrange a lot, and it's nice to be able to move art without having to patch and paint. Out of about 70-80 of them, I've only had one fail. I think I exceeded the weight limit on that one, and used two on the re-hang. I've only used them for art, not for mirrors, and not for anything over 15 lbs.

I've been using the sawtooth, poster strips, velcro type, you name it, for years and I love them. As TravelingRae said, you have to follow the directions exactly, and I check them every so often to make sure they're not coming loose. They've allowed me to hang sheer roller shades from my cement ceiling and all my artwork--all of it; in fact, the only thing I don't have on command strips are shelves.

I appreciate that this topic is important to so many people, but I feel that the title of the post was misleading, and that there's a pretty big difference between an how-to and a product review. More directness about post subject-matter before the jump would be awesome.

Similar products were stuck all over our unit when we first moved in. They were impossible to remove without damaging the paint and in some places taking chunks of plaster with it. Not sure if what you're using is the same product, but they caused quite a few headaches for us. Just a caution.

I had a hook where I pulled too fast on the adhesive tab and it broke off...my husband thought the only thing I could do was pry it off the wall and take the drywall with it. Instead I took a very sharp pocket knife (would have used a long razor if I could have found it) and gently worked it behind the adhesive strip and rocked it back and forth down the length. It came off without so much as a paint chip being removed from the wall. I love 3M command products, being ADD and not being able to commit to artwork in any one place in my house they really come in handy!!

I've had terrific results with the 3M strip-type products, especially their hooks. For pictures, I'd recommend using their picture hanger hooks in order to adequately support their weight. For light items, the poster strips work fine. And for moist environments, I believe they've got a series of outdoor hooks as well.

I love the 3M range as a renter who likes her artwork.

Reading the instructions is essential - and definitely follow the weight guidelines if you're planning on hanging heavy (and breakable) artworks.

I used a 5kg hook for my full length mirror, and it's still going strong, 3 years later.

If peeled off the wall correctly, they won't leave a mark.

I'd recommend it to anyone!

I love these! I work in an art shop, and recommend the 3M hooks (not just the strips, they make normal hooks as well, to hang larger works) to everyone who mentions they are renting and don't want to damage walls.

I'm also an artist, and the best way to keep canvases and paintings from getting knocked about on the floor, is to hang them up of course. :) I had a painting 1m x 60cm over my bed for over 2 years, hanging on a 3M hook, and it hasn't fallen on my head yet!!

Have to make sure that the object you're hanging matches the weight range that the hook can support, though, so weigh your artwork then buy the appropriate hook. Then you're good to go.

"Similar products were stuck all over our unit when we first moved in. They were impossible to remove without damaging the paint and in some places taking chunks of plaster with it. Not sure if what you're using is the same product, but they caused quite a few headaches for us. Just a caution.
posted by s_boston"

Yes there are similar products by different companies out there. 3M is the one that both holds the best and is easiest to remove - in my experience as a renter and artist with random canvases everywhere. Someone before you may have been using something different?

I love that little mirror with the hooks. Where can I get one like that?