As a parent, I was excited to decorate my daughter's nursery. I decided to use alphabet letters so she could learn her letters, spell her name etc. and I chose to secure them with "no more nails" 50 lb tape to ensure they wouldn't fall and hurt her. Which I am glad I did, because I've lost count with the amount of times I found her using them to rock climb. 
Fast forward 6 years, and it was time to remove the letters. As I tried to peel them off, I quickly realized that the tape was not coming off easily. The letters had been so securely attached to the wall that I had to use a lot of force to remove them.
Unfortunately, when the letters finally came off, they left a sticky residue on the wall. Even worse, most had caused damage to the paint and drywall underneath, leaving unsightly holes and gouges. I was dismayed to see the wall in such a state, and we knew we had my work cut out for us.
To repair the wall, Josh showed me how to use a skim coat to patch the holes and smooth out the surface. I applied a thin layer of joint compound over the damaged area, and Josh repeated the process several times, sanding the wall between each coat to ensure a smooth finish. It was a tedious and time-consuming process, but we was determined to restore the wall to its former glory. This did mean a few sleepless nights though, because we had to move my daughter into our room to avoid all the dust, which also meant my son had to come too.
Now that the wall is thoroughly skimmed and sanded, we plan to prime it to prepare it for the new wallpaper from Rocky Mountain Decals. (Once you see it, I know you will want to order with them too, so use this code: TIMBERWOOD to save 12%!) The primer will help to ensure that the wallpaper will adhere properly, but it will also help to seal any remaining adhesive residue and stains that may have been left behind from the tape. 
While decorating my daughter's bedroom with alphabet letters was a fun and creative idea, it also taught me the importance of being mindful of the products I use. If you're planning on using a strong adhesive like "no more nails" tape, be prepared for the possibility of damage to the wall when removing it. However, it’s the price I paid for peace of mind knowing they wouldn’t fall down and with a little bit of patience and some elbow grease, a damaged wall can be restored to its former glory.
