Hide-a-hook?

[SpiritDragon]

Hey team,

I would like to find a solution to an issue we have. In between our living room and dining room we have a nice archway that is a great place to hang garland at christmas time. The issue is that when it's not christmas we don't want nails or hooks sticking out of the wall from hanging it up, and it's quite a hassle to patch the holes and repaint each year - making that an unrealistic option. Does anyone know of a way to "hide" hangers in the wall so they aren't an eye-soar the rest of the year?

[Guest]

I haven't used these myself, but my sister (who moves a lot) swears by them: 

 

Command damage-free hooks

[SpiritDragon]

4 minutes ago, Eowyn said:

I haven't used these myself, but my sister (who moves a lot) swears by them: 

 

Command damage-free hooks

Thanks, I may have to give them a try. My past experiences with adhesive hangers has always been that they don't hold well and fall off - or they stick too well and don't come off, leaving a large clean up that never seems to ever completely get the residue off...

But who knows these might be awesome and I thank you.

I thought I'd also throw it out there that the house is 106 years old and the walls are lath and plaster - just in case it makes a difference in some suggestions.

Thanks again, Eowyn.

[Guest]

I don't understand how these work, so I'm not sure whether they'd be safe for your walls. When we were in the real estate game, we looked at some houses with lathe and plaster walls and they scared the heck out of me because they seemed hard to repair. 

[Guest]

Yep, Command hooks will do the trick, we use them each year to hang our stockings and other christmas decorations. Make sure you read the instructions on how to remove them. They will come off easily and will not cause any damage.

Edited December 12, 2016 by miav

[pam]

Command hooks are awesome.

[NightSG]

What about some decorative hand forged iron hooks that can stay up all year?  Maybe find other seasonal things to hang on them the rest of the time.

 

Or do it my way and just leave everything up.  Dust it in late November.  Don't forget to vacuum the tree annually as well.

[zil]

Yeah, why not just display something else there the rest of the year?

[anatess2]

I have combination of both.  I use the command hooks (they really work - yes, please read the instructions and try it on first on a not-as-obvious-place to see if it won't peel off your plaster) and regular hooks.  The regular hooks I paint the same color as the wall and become a permanent fixture.  Sometimes I hang something else on it the rest of the year (like tournament medals and such), and sometimes they just stay empty.

[SpiritDragon]

Thanks, Everyone.

I'll need to try those command hooks I guess. I have considered finding something to leave up all year, but so far haven't found any suitable option that my wife would approve of - and although I'm less fussy, I'm not convinced I've seen something I'm sure of. I was starting to consider putting in molly bolts year round and only attaching hooks around christmas but that still leaves a screw sized hole most of the year - so I think I'll really have to give the command hooks a try.

[bytebear]

I use the Command hooks all over the place.  The very small ones work the best.  I have garland over every door and window, and never had a problem with them. You do need to double up on places where garland meets, and if you are using artificial ones that are chained, loop one end into the other, and then only hook the one end up, so you don't double up on the hook.  Oh, and maybe buy some double sided sticky foam mounting tape in a roll for extra tape. 

http://www.command.com/3M/en_US/command/products/~/Command-Decorating-Clips?N=5924736+3294529207+3294772782&rt=rud

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/234567/Scotch-Foam-Mounting-Tape-1-x/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Tape_Adhesives-_-234567-VQ6-155515518920-VQ16-c-VQ17-pla-VQ18-online-VQ19-234567-VQ20-271575499913-VQ21--VQ22-177839036-VQ27-35273413665&adpos=1o3&creative=155515518920&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CKyX97Pv79ACFcNafgodahMAOw

Edited December 13, 2016 by bytebear

[anatess2]

7 hours ago, bytebear said:

I use the Command hooks all over the place.  The very small ones work the best.  I have garland over every door and window, and never had a problem with them. You do need to double up on places where garland meets, and if you are using artificial ones that are chained, loop one end into the other, and then only hook the one end up, so you don't double up on the hook.  Oh, and maybe buy some double sided sticky foam mounting tape in a roll for extra tape. 

http://www.command.com/3M/en_US/command/products/~/Command-Decorating-Clips?N=5924736+3294529207+3294772782&rt=rud

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/234567/Scotch-Foam-Mounting-Tape-1-x/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Tape_Adhesives-_-234567-VQ6-155515518920-VQ16-c-VQ17-pla-VQ18-online-VQ19-234567-VQ20-271575499913-VQ21--VQ22-177839036-VQ27-35273413665&adpos=1o3&creative=155515518920&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CKyX97Pv79ACFcNafgodahMAOw

Did I understand you correctly... use the Scotch foam tape if you run out of command tapes?  

If so... I wouldn't recommend it.  The command tape that goes with the hooks is specially designed foam that has elasticity.  This then comes with a pull tab so that if you want to remove it off the wall, you pull on the pull tab which stretches the foam so that it gradually loses its grip of the wall until it eventually comes off but the foam doesn't tear.  This is why it comes off the wall clean.

The Scotch foam tape, on the other hand, doesn't have that kind of elasticity so, removing it off the wall is kinda tricky... a lot of times, you pull it off and the paint comes off with it.  Or you pull it off and it tears leaving pieces of foam on the wall that you kinda have to remove with some kind of solvent.  Yeah... ask me how I know... I got 2 boys....

[bytebear]

Well, I used it on painted wood.  I have found the sticky tape doesn't stick to wall paint (probably because it has all sorts of anti-stain chemicals).  So I use it on door frames, underside of banisters, etc.  In fact, I was thinking if you are worried about damaging the walls, but still want to "deck" them, I would put small strip of wood (maybe 1" x 1/10" and use it like a chair rail, or picture rail, then you can use the hooks on that, and not damage the wall.  It does change the style of the room, but if it's an older home, it should be architecturally appropriate.

 

[bytebear]

And, yes, I use the sticky foam tape in a pinch and because it holds better.  I also put the hooks on the top of the door frame or the underside of the stair rail, to hide them from view the rest of the year, but they are cheap enough that you can remove them every year.  I do a little of both, depending on what sticks and what doesn't.  I do fall garland in October.

Edited December 13, 2016 by bytebear

[SpiritDragon]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone and give an update. I was able to pick up some Command hooks and by all indications they'll be great. the garland is hung, and one came off without harming the wall.