Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Hot Glue Hot Hassle

Hmph! Way back in forever this year, I was so excited about finding something that finally worked to put things up on the walls - hot glue. I tested it out; I put some on the wall; I waited; it didn't fall down; the next day it peeled off easily. I was set to hot glue to my heart's content.

This week, the chickens have come home to roost ... or the eggs have hatched in the basket ... or the 2 bushes ... or hands ... or whatever.

It's TAKS week (tres exciting), and so everything that is mathy or school-y must come off the walls in my room and in the hallways. I had posters of Thomas Edison. I had smaller paper posters of logic problems. I had globs of hot glue that stuck to the stucco, and still remains long after the papers are gone.

It is now my daily meditation: I will chisel off at least 4 globs per day until they are all gone. Hmmmm, math problem, If Ms. D. put up ___ this many posters and used 4 globs per poster and there are about 5 weeks left of school and she wants to tackle 4 globs a day, will she be done by summer? Follow up question. For the love of all things scholastic, is there anything out there that will stay up and not peel off the paint and be easy to remove? Bonus points for a correct answer.

Ackh! I just realized I have WAY more globs than that. There are still tons of "artsy" things in my room that have been globbed on. Depressed. Must. Administer. Ice Cream. Therapy.

7 comments:

  1. First: there is NOTHING wrong with ice cream therapy. Ice cream (and cookies) make EVERYTHING better...

    Second: I have been using "mineral tack" which another teacher within my school orders once or twice a year and sells to all of us hopeless poster posters. I have found that it sticks well to the concrete block walls that form my classroom. (Apparently this mineral tack is what rock collectors and museums use to keep their minerals in place...) As long as the wall is "clean" (read: dust-free) when you post your objects, it sticks very well. If you are interested, I will see if I can find out from where he orders it...

    Good luck with your "project." ;-)

    ~Jen

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  2. I suggest a Google search (for remove hot glue). I know you can remelt hot glue with either the glue gun or an iron (put a towel or something between the glue and the iron, and melt the glue onto the cloth, and wipe up). It looks like isopropyl alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover) make it easier to peel off. I predict there's an easier way than your chisel. Good luck!

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  3. I think you just found your "activity" for the last minute of class every day..."Quick, everyone peel off one glob!" "See if you can spot one that looks like Jesus!"

    I use hot glue, too, and usually don't have much of a problem just kind of "popping" the globs off, but I'm on painted cinder block, so YMMV. Maybe I don't use as much as you, because mine always fall down when the weather changes. Good luck!

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  4. I use the 3M Command Poster Strips. They come off cleanly on everything I have used them on. You pull them straight down and they won't take the paint with them.

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  5. Low temp hot glue isn't bad to take things down. I have had to re=tack a few things over the year.

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  6. Holy Guacamole (another good therapy tool)! Thanks for your funny and helpful advice.

    Maybe I have to try all of them because who can resist looking for Jesus, remelting, minerals, and commands!

    And I guess I must have a heavy hand with the hot glue, or maybe I pressed really hard when I put it on because those suckers are clinging within an inch of their lives to the wall.

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  7. Anonymous7:35 PM

    I thought that everybody who went to college learned how to hang posters without incurring landlord/dorm fees for wall damage.

    There are many products available in art supply stores and college bookstores. Ask the retail staff for help.

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