Recently, LED strips have become popular. Despite their small size, they illuminate the space well. However, many are interested in the question, of do LED light strips damage walls. More about LED lights will be discussed in this article.
LED strips and glue
Before proceeding to study the issue, do LED strip lights damage walls, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of the tapes and their fixation.
On market, you can find different options for LED strip lights, which differ in size and shade. You must stick LED strip lights with 3M glue.
In the manufacture of glue, high-quality and effective granite is used, which helps to firmly fix various tapes. The glue is distinguished by a thick liquid, and when solidified, it becomes hard and flexible.
This helps the coating slide over the surface of the walls and provides a secure fit.
It is impossible not to mention several disadvantages that this glue has. The effectiveness of the coating weakens over time. That is why people try to purchase several glue options at once. Some of them may leave marks on the surface of the wall.
They may completely change the shade of the wall. There will be no problems when you want to restick LED light strips only if the wall is covered with wood, plastic, or tiles. But with drywall and wallpaper, everything will be much more complicated.
Can LED lights strip paint?
Almost all owners of LED strip lights are faced with the fact that lighting contributes to painting damage. It is impossible to answer exactly why this happens and how to get rid of strip lights without damaging in your case. After all, it all depends on certain factors.
Often the paint peels off because it is of poor quality. Various shades and finishes of paint are on market. If you cover the walls with thin paint, after you remove LED strip lights from the adhesive backing, a trace will remain. If the paint has been on the walls for a long time, it will completely peel off.
If you have recently painted the wall, then during the curing process, glue should not be applied so that it does not become part of it. Leaving the paint and LED lights together for too long will make the coating more brittle.
It is important to pay attention to what surface the paint was applied to. If you have not previously cleaned it and removed the dust, then the LED strip lights will spoil the coating more intensively.
Which walls are damaged by strip lights?
As you know, interior design does not stand still and is constantly evolving. You need to understand that today people prefer those options that are significantly different from those that were in demand a few years ago. Therefore, LED strip lights constantly need to be shifted to update the design.
Often people wonder how to properly pull the tapes off the wall. If there is tiled masonry on the wall, or if the decoration was done with wood or plastic, then there will be no problems during the work. You can remove LED strip lights easily and do not damage the finish.
Traces of glue may remain. However, they can be easily cleaned. If the walls are not covered with anything, or drywall was used to finish them, then the surface will be more vulnerable. This also applies to cases when wallpaper is glued to the walls. As you know, wallpaper is made of paper.
Therefore, glue adheres to them quite quickly and effectively. If you want to remove the LED strips, then it will be quite difficult to separate the adhesive from the wallpaper. There is a high probability that the wallpaper will tear or crack.
This can irritate, especially if the wallpaper is made with drawings.
After all, ugly gaps will begin to form. It is impossible to hide such damage with paint.
Safe LED strip lights
If you look for safe LED strip lights that won’t damage your walls, you have many options. Therefore, when choosing, you should focus on shade, light intensity, and size.
LED strip light from Govee
This is one of the most practical and safe solutions. The ribbon is 33 feet long and saturates the room with 1080 lumens of light.
It is possible to customize the color options, of which there are about 16 million in total. You can sync the strip with your phone or voice assistant for easy control.
You can turn the light on when you enter a room and turn it off when you leave. You can also change the hues with your voice.
The power of such a tape is only 40 watts. You can set the schedule on your phone. You can set the tape to change colors with pops or sounds. There are built-in microphones for this.
The LED strip lights have excellent adhesion to surfaces, excellent color, and planning.
You can run them under kitchen cabinets, and you don’t have to turn on the chandelier to cook food afterward. The light intensity will be more than enough.
Support clips included. They will be fixed in the electrical cord. Thanks to this, the structure will withstand heavy loads.
Advantages and disadvantages of the LED lights
The main advantages of this LED light strip are:
- ease of operation due to the application;
- possibility of different management;
- excellent fixation;
- different length options, depending on your budget;
- in a set, there are arms for support.
Of the minuses, it should be noted that there may be difficulties in controlling the voice.
LED Strip lights Functions
As already mentioned, you can combine the LED strip lights with voice assistants. Synchronizing the ribbon with the application opens up the possibility of different methods of management.
There is a built-in microphone, so the LED light strip will adjust to the music.
You can use the lamps only in a dry room because they do not have protection against moisture. The kit includes an adapter that has passed certification, glue, and several clips for support.
Nexillumi Safe LED Strips
This option is complemented by lamps with a power of 540 lm. Thanks to them, you can place accents in the room.
The kit includes 2 light strip lights that are 25 feet long.
There are also straight and L-shaped connectors, so you can fasten the tape in different places in the room.
The requested power is only 27 watts. For ease of management, you can download the application.
Thanks to this, you can adjust the hue, response to music, and brightness intensity. If you do not want to use the application, there is a remote control included that has the same capabilities.
Due to the lack of coating, the LED light strips are quite light, so you don’t have to worry about the glue not holding them.
Such tape options are not too intense. However, they will be enough to create accent lighting, and you can see well.
Advantages and disadvantages of the LED lights
The main advantages of LED lights are:
- ease of tapes;
- the correctness of the application;
- ease of installation;
- adhesive strength;
- reliability.
The minuses of the LED lights are that the tapes do not give intense light. And voice control is possible if you are close to the tape.
Design functions of the LED lights
The LED lights kit includes a switch with three buttons that help not only turn the light on and off.
In the event of a short circuit or network overload, the system will automatically shut down for safety reasons. There is a special protection scheme for this.
It is possible to use a timer that will allow you to start and turn off the light in the desired shade.
It is possible to control the phone if you are within 50 feet of the tape. There is a built-in microphone inside, so the lights will glow and pulsate to the music.
Tenmiro safety LED strip lights
These LED strip lights would be appropriate if you want to relax. With their help, you can transform rooms in different ways, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere in them.
A similar version of the tapes will be appropriate not only in the bedroom. They can complement the kitchen or highlight the TV.
With these ribbons, you can decorate your home for the holidays. The peculiarity of this product is that you can remove LED strip lights easily from the wall and not damage it.
Therefore, you can easily re-glue the tape several times. If you are planning to change the design, these ribbons are a great option.
All bulbs are at the same distance. It comes with a remote control for easy setup. It is possible to install various programs. It is possible to adjust the brightness as well as the tint.
Advantages and disadvantages of the LED lights
The main advantages of LED lights are:
- ease of use;
- in a set there is a strong glue;
- the paint will not be damaged when removing the LED lights;
- bands can be connected or used independently.
The only negative of the LED lights is that they can be difficult to manage remotely.
Design functions of the LED lights
The tapes from this manufacturer are so long that they are enough to fully illuminate the room.
The design is foldable so you can adjust the length. The tapes are made of high-quality lamps that will give intense light. At the same time, they are durable.
The tape is self-adhesive, so it is easy to use. It is enough to apply on a flat and dry surface. In the kit, in addition to the coils, there is a power adapter, remote control, instructions, and various accessories for installation.
What adhesives should be used to mount LED strips?
Regardless of which LED strip lights you choose, they must all be fixed with glue.
3M is considered the gold standard. It is highly durable because it is made based on high-quality acrylic.
The tool is quite viscous, however, it becomes very durable. Thanks to this, the glue will not slide on uneven surfaces. In doing so, it will create a strong bond so that the LED light strips do not fall off.
If you fix the LED strip lights with such glue, they will be durable.
It doesn’t matter what surface it is applied to.
The fixation will be excellent, even if you apply glue on glossy or oily surfaces. Difficulties can arise only if the surface was greasy. Glue must be constantly protected from moisture.
How you can remove LED strip lights without damaging them safely?
If you fixed the LED strip light with 3M glue on a pre-prepared surface, then there will be no problems. If you later want to remove LED lights, you will need to follow a few important rules.
If you want to cut LED strip lights, you must:
- Disconnect the LED light strips from the power supply. This will prevent electric shock or fire.
- To make the glue move away from the surfaces better, heat it with a regular hair dryer. This will greatly simplify the removal process. However, do not need to heat the LED lights much, because they can accelerate the deterioration of the luminous flux. Therefore, the hair dryer should be kept on for no more than 2 minutes.
- Install the bank card from one end, and pry off the LED strip light with it.
- Begin to shake it to make the tape easier to detach from the surface of the LED strip light. With your other hand, begin to gradually tear off the tape.
- Work until the LED strip light is fully removed. Remember that you can not rush, because you can damage it.
- If there is some adhesive backing left on the wall surface, it can be removed by rubbing a little with your fingers. The glue will roll into round balls, which can then be easily removed.
If that doesn’t work, you can soak a washcloth in a hand cleaner that contains citrus acids. Then start rubbing the area until the traces of glue are eliminated. If the wall is painted, then working with a hair dryer is not advisable. Especially if the coating has not yet hardened.
FAQ
When it comes to using LED strips on walls, many questions can be asked. The answers about removing strip lights without damaging will be presented below.
How do you remove LED lights without damaging walls?
If the walls were painted using latex paint and you want to remove LED strip lights without damaging the walls, then rubbing alcohol can be used.
This will help dissolve the adhesive and leave the wall undamaged. After you need to the surface with a clean and dry cloth to remove residue.
How do you remove LED strip lights without removing paint?
You can get rid of the LED strip lights without removing paint if you heat them with hot air from a hair dryer. This will heat the glue and tear off the tape.
After the remnants are easily removed with compounds that contain alcohol. In this case, the paint will not lose its shade.
Is it OK to have LED lights in your room?
Yes, the use of the LED light strip is very safe. The downside is that some options may emit an excessive amount of blue. This can cause sleep problems. However, you are already exposed to blue light when you watch TV or use your mobile phone.
Results
As you can see, LED lights can only damage walls if you fix them incorrectly or use low-quality glue. It is important to consider what material the finish is made of to avoid unpleasant situations when LED strip lights ruin your covering.
