How Long Do Command Strips Last?

Hanging decorative or handy objects without having to drill your walls sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? Well, you’ll be happy to know you can easily do it with the help of a few command strips. Setting them up doesn’t require any tools and the process is rather intuitive.

Even if you decide to take those objects later on, the strips will come off easily and will cause no damage to your walls. That’s right; there will be no nail holes, cracked plaster, or sticky leftovers for you to fix. But are command strips a good alternative to nails and how long do they last?

If you ask command strip manufacturers, they claim that their product can last as long as you need it to, provided that you have observed the given directions. But that doesn’t really say much, does it? Generally speaking, most command strips were designed to last indefinitely — though a few years might sound more realistic.

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The Truth Behind the Lack of Stickiness

If you did any research into this matter before, you probably saw more than a few customer reviews that said the strips weren’t sticky enough. As you can probably imagine, the lack of stickiness in command strips can be a huge problem. After all, it most often leads to expensive frames and pictures falling off the wall and getting damaged.

However, the manufacturers usually explain it with the clients’ failure to follow the instructions such as:

Attaching Command Strips to Inappropriate Surfaces

Command strips adhere to many surfaces, but not all of them. For example, you can put them on smooth surfaces such as painted, stained, or varnished wood, tiles, glass, plaster, or metal. However, make sure you don’t stick command strips on freshly painted surfaces. Wait for it to get dry enough before you do so.

Not Cleaning the Walls Before Attaching the Command Strips

Make sure to remove any dust and debris from the wall with rubbing alcohol before trying to apply the command strips. If you don’t do it, the chances are that the strips will fall off the wall shortly after being attached.

Hanging Oversized or Overweight Objects

Exceeding the recommended weight is one of the most common reasons command strips come off any surface. So make sure the objects you want to hang are not too heavy.

Not Leaving Enough Time for Strips to Stick to the Surface

Being impatient and not leaving the time necessary for the adhesive to dry before attaching the desired object on the hook might lead to a fallen object or even paint damage.

How Long Will Command Strips Last if You Follow the Instructions?

In ideal conditions, the command strips should last you a couple of years at least. However, there’s still a slim chance of the strips losing their stickiness. To prevent it, try to maintain stable room temperature and moisture levels.

Provided that you do everything right — clean the wall first, use the appropriate number of strips, apply pressure before hanging, observe the recommended weight — you’ll significantly reduce the risk of strips detaching from the wall.