>I have used 3M double coated foam mounting tape for over 20 years to mount
>small exhibit labels to painted walls, but am increasingly impatient with the
>cleanup necessary.  We are an art museum with changing shows that rarely last
>over 10 weeks.  The labels are prepared on a word processor, laser printed,
>mounted on scrap mat board, and bevel cut.  They are light weight, easily
>replaced, and not expected to have a long life anyway.  The foam tape is great
>for mounting them to the walls, but even when cut into bits 1/8 x 1/2" the
>tape leaves its back half and adhesive on the wall when the label is removed.
>This requires much scraping and burnishing of the wall surface to clean off. I
>prefer not to repaint the walls between shows, the turnover is so great, and
>even touchups show too much.  I wonder if the stuff is available in a low tack
>variety, or what other preparators are using in similar low budget situations
>to mount this type of exhibit label to their painted walls.
>Let's have a discussion...
>

We are a university gallery/museum and make wall labels very much like the
ones you described, only ours are foam core board instead of mat board.  We
also have a gallery of student work, much of which is mounted on the wall
with two-faced tape.  Foam mounting tape is absolutely banned from our
galleries, for the very same reasons you cited.  We found a two faced tape
that is strong enough to hold good sized pieces to the wall for long
periods of time (up to 3 months in our student gallery), but can be removed
without damaging the wall or leaving a residue.  We have found nothing else
to compare.

We use Permacell Double-Faced Paper Tape, (the 1/2" width), which costs
about $5.00 per 36 yd. roll.  You can order it from Ridout Plastics in San
Diego, at (619) 560-1551.  Good luck!



Stephen Nowlin
Vice President
Director, Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery
Art Center College of Design
1700 Lida Street
Pasadena, California 91103  USA
(818)396-2397vox (818)405-9104fax
[log in to unmask]