Tips for Keeping Your Paint Safe From Holiday Decorations

It’s that time of year again – time to get your home ready for the holidays! If you’re like most people, you’ll be spending a lot of time indoors over the next few months, which means your paint job is at risk of being damaged by holiday decorations. Here are a few tips to help keep your paint safe:

Be careful when using tape or glue on decorations. Never use products like duct tape, double-sided tape, or other adhesives that are not specifically made for walls. If possible, use painter’s tape or low-tack adhesive rather than traditional duct tape or hot glue. These products are less likely to damage your paint job. You can also use removable, self-adhesive hanging strips or hooks that can be securely mounted to the wall yet easily removed.

We recommend using a product that is rated for the weight of the item you plan to hang. You also want to make sure you clean the wall and properly prepare the surface for the adhesive to ensure it sticks.

Take care when hanging lights and garlands. Use plastic or rubber hooks rather than metal ones, and be careful not to put too much weight on any one hook. It’s also a good idea to use zip ties to secure lights to frames or other support structures. To secure your garland to your mantel, you can use a clear fishing line and self-adhesive hangers to support the weight of the garland. If you plan to use garland on the staircase banister, we recommend using zip ties.

Take your tape of choice, such as painter’s tape, and place a small amount of tape on the wall in a subtle spot. Press down on the tape firmly and then remove the tape. If there is no damage to the wall, then you will likely be safe to use this type of adhesive; however, if it removes the paint or damages the wall in any way, avoid using it.

It is also recommended that you only use as much tape as you need and do not press down the tape any firmer than necessary. This will help minimize the damage to the paint should any occur. When it comes time to remove the decorations, remove the tape or other adhesive carefully and use warm soapy water and a soft cloth to remove any residue left behind.

If you find that your paint job has been damaged by holiday decorations, give us a call. We’ll be happy to come out and touch up the affected areas, so your paint looks good as new! Contact us today to learn more!