Plenty of collectors have their favourite cards ready to hang – and get stuck at the same point: “I don't want to drill holes in the wall.” In a rental especially, that's a real barrier.
The good news: getting cards visibly onto the wall works entirely without a drill these days. The slightly more honest news: it depends on the wall. Let's look at both.
Why drilling isn't an option for most people
A hole in the wall is permanent. In a rental that can mean trouble at handover; in your own home it at least means filler work when the collection moves. And anyone who likes to change their arrangement – new card, new pattern – doesn't want to drill again every time.
That's why residue-free mounting for card displays isn't a gimmick, it's the norm.
How magnetic mounting without drilling works
The principle has two parts. A flat wall mount is attached to the wall with strong adhesive – on our Hex Shapes®, with original Tesa Powerstrips®, made for exactly this job. The display itself then holds magnetically onto that mount.
The advantage of this split: you stick the mount on once, and after that you can take the display off, rotate it or swap it for another motif at any time – without touching the wall again. The arrangement stays flexible, the wall stays intact.
What matters about the wall (honestly)
Adhesive mounting doesn't hold equally well on every surface. It works best on smooth, clean, load-bearing surfaces: painted walls, wallpaper with a firm surface, smooth furniture backs.
It gets trickier on heavily textured woodchip wallpaper, freshly painted walls (paint needs weeks to fully cure) or crumbling, chalky surfaces. Here the adhesive holds less well – not because of the display, but because of the wall.
In short: smooth and firm = ideal. Very rough or freshly painted = take care.
How to mount it well
Three things make the difference: clean the spot with a little alcohol before sticking (grease-free is crucial), press the mount on firmly for a few seconds, and give the adhesive some time before the first load. Our displays are deliberately lightweight anyway – printed on rigid foam rather than heavy material – so the mount holds securely.
And what if I move later?
That's exactly what the system is made for. Good adhesive strips can usually be removed without residue if you pull them slowly and straight downward. The card was never attached to the wall in the first place – it sat protected in the display, the display on the magnetic mount, the mount on the adhesive strip. All separable again.
Our Hex Shapes® and Frames® come with a magnetic wall mount and matching adhesive strips. Not sure which system suits your wall and collection? The display finder helps, and there are more answers in the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Does the mounting really hold without drilling?
Yes, on smooth, clean and load-bearing walls. The displays are deliberately light, and the magnetic mount is fixed with strong adhesive strips. On very rough or freshly painted walls, take care.
Does it leave residue on the wall?
Usually not. High-quality adhesive strips can be pulled off slowly and straight without damaging paint or wallpaper.
Can I change the arrangement later?
Yes. Because the display sits magnetically on the mount, you can remove, rotate or swap it without working on the wall again.
