Keeping the Paint on the Walls

Does this sound familiar?  Instead of using oil-based paint to paint over existing oil-based paint, the contractors decided to use cheaper, latex paint to pad the budget.  Now, if you so much as put your hand on the wall for too long the paint peels like sunburned skin. 

I'm right there with you.  Duct tape doesn't come off clean (or at all in most cases).  There are only so many tack marks you can leave in a wall.  Masking tape and plasti-tac come off clean, but they can take the paint with them and, even if they leave the paint, they often leave behind a grease mark.

So, here are my two solutions......

Removable Poster Tape (Mavelous Tape)

Pros:  As advertised, it comes off clean on even the most horrible paint jobs.  It's cheap and disposable, so you only have to store the clean rolls (instead of dirt laden balls of old plasti-tac).

Cons:  While its great for hanging short term projects, it doesn't last forever and, like regular tape, it picks up debris, and looses its adhesion, very easily.

Command Hooks Replacement Adhesives

Pros:  These little bits of wonder will stick FOREVER and remove cleanly from any surface, as long as you follow the directions. 

Cons:  $3.00-$4.00 isn't a bad price, but if you're using them to hang student artwork, papers, etc. the cost can add up.  I'd save these little gems for the posters you're going to keep up all year.