For about 95% of the time we put up art on the walls of our living (and working) spaces, holes are made—good-sized holes, single holes, pin-sized holes, screw holes, etc. For some, it’s a tradeoff they’re willing to make for a well-decorated space, albeit quite an eyesore when the pictures are removed.

Others are yet more hesitant. These include people who occupy rentals, those who aren’t willing to damage and spackle their walls, and those who want the flexibility of always being able to move things around in their decor without adjusting to holes.

Of course, there are many ways to hang pictures without nails, so you can avoid making a single dent in the wall. These alternatives are no-nail, hole-free, and wall-friendly, allowing you to enjoy your bare walls whenever you want.

Without further ado, here’s how to hang pictures without nails.

Hanging an art piece doesn’t necessarily have to be on the wall. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be hung, so long as you display it. You’ll see what we mean in the next several ideas.

We start with one of the most fuss-free ways to display art anywhere: propping it against the wall or some solid, even surface. However, depending on the value of your artwork, you might be apprehensive about this method.

However, you can let your artwork lean without leaving it on the floor and putting it in harm’s way and still give it ample visibility so it can be appreciated as it deserves—unless it’s a larger piece, in which case resting it at foot level instead of the standard eye level would work nicely.

Lean pieces on the fireplace mantel, which is already a popular place for wall hangings and decor. You will need to take care that temperatures do not reach damaging levels for the art. You can also choose to lean them on shelves, such as floating shelves or ladder shelves. Make some space in an existing bookshelf or dedicate a whole row just to art—it’s up to you. A large dresser, entertainment system, or television stand are also great spots that can use some decor.

If the problem is not wanting to drill a hole in the wall, why not completely steer clear of the wall and look to the ceiling instead?

Here are three ways how:

• Drop ceiling hooks. These are two-part picture hooks that you clip onto a drop ceiling grid and hang artwork up to 15 lbs using picture wire.

• Bullet hanger. A bullet hanger has a swivel mechanism that allows you to hang art from ceilings and on sloped walls while ensuring pictures rated at up to 25 lbs hang straight.

• Gallery system. If you happen to have one of those old homes with pre-installed picture rail molding, all that’s left to do is install some gallery rods and hooks so you can make your own no-nail gallery system.

Explore this article for a more detailed guide to hanging art from the ceiling:

Now, here’s a really interesting way to display art without any impact on walls. An easel seems like a classic way to display artwork, but it tends to be uncommon. Easels take up quite a bit of space, so they’re great in bigger rooms where they can effectively create a focal point. They also offer a literal new dimension to the viewing experience of an artwork as opposed to hanging it on the wall.

If you’re working with limited square footage, easels may not be for you. However, we think it might still be worth a shot if you’re looking to mount only one main piece, say, a statement piece or the pièce de résistance of your decor. You can also opt for a tabletop easel, which turns small to medium-sized artwork into portable decor for any part of a room, from a coffee table or shelves in a living room to kitchen counters and work desks.

For paper-based art such as prints, posters, and photographs, washi tapes are an experimental way to hang pictures without nails. Washi tapes come in numerous colors and designs, and you can use them to stick your art directly onto the wall. This type of tape is less adhesive than others, so your wall paint wouldn’t be at great risk of chipping. This is a fun idea where you can indulge your creative side and design frames for each artwork. 

We’ve covered how to hang art without nails and without making a hole in the wall, but there’s only so much you can do without drilling. What if you have artwork on the larger side that requires more support? What if you have children at home who can easily knock over an easel or mess with suspended paintings? Or what if you can’t afford to have washi tape ruin your pictures?

For that, we have some ideas using wall-friendly picture hangers that might be the right solution for you—don’t worry, they’re still no-nail methods (for the most part).

Push pins don’t need additional tools like nails or screws—just push them into the wall and hang your picture directly on the hook. These push pins are a fresh alternative to regular wall tacks, and they only leave a tiny pin-sized hole on the wall afterward.

Maybe you may not even be looking to hang framed art, but other mediums such as sculptures and ceramics that are not so easily displayed on the wall. If you have some decorative plates that have been waiting for their time to shine, plate hangers are designed specifically for that purpose. 

There are a host of adhesive hangers, from strips to hooks, that support very lightweight art and leave minimal to no damage on walls. Instead of nails, picture hooks are the recommended tools when hanging with adhesives. 

If not adhesives, you can take some picture wire and assemble a collection of pictures and art using binder clips, clothespins, bulldog clips, and even paper clips. This approach makes any gallery arrangement easily adjustable, and you can minimize the number of screws or picture hooks that puncture your wall.

A pegboard is another easily customizable setup for your art wall. The drilling part is reserved only for the pegboard itself, and once that’s up on the wall, you can hang any artwork you want on the pegs. It’s great not only for decorative purposes but also for practical use.

Hammering nails into the wall to hang art can be problematic—the holes they leave are not the prettiest to look at, and they’re often too long, which can cause damage to electrical wiring and plumbing in worst-case scenarios. For people who rent, it’s a complete non-option.

But there are no-nail ways around drilling and nailing, some hole-free and some that get away with the smallest and fewest holes possible. All it takes is some wall-friendly picture hangers and a bit of creativity.

Do you prefer an avant-garde way of hanging, or are you willing to spackle? Share your thoughts below, and happy hanging!