This is a problem we've been tossing around for years. There seem to
be many options, none of which are without specific imperfections -- ahh
such is life! We have actually ended up with foam-core tape as our most
recent solution. We used to use mat board (which warps) and stick it to
the wall with that white gummy stuff that students use to put posters up
in their dorm rooms. It leaves a little smudge, but otherwise comes off
pretty clean. The problem we had was that it did eventually dry up and
the label would fall off. So we decided that a little scraping was not
bad compared to falling labels. I found a single edge razor used
carefully is effective in removing the tape goo, and a final clean-up
with mineral spirits does the trick, but we almost always paint between
shows. Different colors add a lot of variety to your exhibition space - a
relatively inexpensive and labor light way to give your show a little
pizzazz. We always make sure we have a bit of extra paint for touch-ups.
For longer-term labels we often use a small mitered piece of masonite
screwed to the wall with a corresponding piece glued to the back of the
label to use as a hanger. This works pretty well; It's easy to adjust for
level and only leaves one little screw hole to be (unfortunately) patched
and sanded and touched up. Some day I'm sure we'll have cyberlabels and
all this will be mute! Good luck.

On Wed, 30 Aug 1995 [log in to unmask] wrote:

> 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...
>
>    ==============================================================
>    Stephen B. Ringle, Registrar/Preparator    [log in to unmask]
>    University of Maine Museum of Art
>    5712 Carnegie Hall, Room 109                vox: 207-581-3257
>    Orono, Maine   04469-5712                   fax: 207-581-3083
>    ==============================================================
>