How to Hang a Poster Without Damaging It

While looking through a collection of albums I’d recently purchased, I found a copy of John Lennon’s Imagine LP with the poster insert. You remember the poster – Lennon’s sitting at the white grand piano, singing what can only be the song “Imagine”.

The poster was mint, obviously never used or even unfolded. I wanted to put it up on the wall of my music room without bending, tearing, or putting holes through it. How could I do that, you may be wondering? I’m glad you asked, because it’s pretty simple, simple enough that you’ll slap yourself in the forehead after and wonder how you’d never thought of it before.

Don’t Use Tape or Tacks in the Corners

That’s how I used to put up all of my posters when I was a kid – hold the poster to the wall and tape or tack it. And it worked well, I have to admit. Those old Motley Crue and Heather Thomas posters stayed on my bedroom walls for a lot of years. The problem was, the posters were ruined afterward. The tacks put holes through the posters (and walls) and sometimes would rip around the edges. And the tape peeled off sections, sometimes large, of the poster when removed.

Roll Up Tape

The answer, my friends, is to roll up tape. Not exactly the lyrics Bob Dylan used, I know, but Dylan wasn’t trying to hang posters. Roll up 5 pieces of tape into circles, with the sticky edge on the outside. Apply them to the back of your poster – one in each corner and one in the center. When you hang your poster, there are no rips, tears, holes, or any other kind of blemish. And when you remove the poster, there will be no damage to it. Very simple, but also very efficient.