How To Remove Nanoleaf From Wall? – Fool Proof Guide

How to remove Nanoleaf from wall? That depends mainly on the solution of keeping the Nanoleaf panels/lights on the wall.

Most commonly, to remove Nanoleaf from the wall, you will need to remove the adhesives that hold the mounting plates. Alternatively, you will have to unscrew the mounting plates or detach the magnetic plates from the panels and then take care when removing the adhesive.

As you can see, you will often have to deal with adhesive. Depending on which adhesive you’ve used, it can take a bit to remove it entirely.

Thus, we recommend you have a good adhesive remover at hand. 

How To Remove Nanoleaf From Wall – Everything You Must Know

How to remove Nanoleaf Light Panels from wall? That will depend on the method you’ve employed when first installing them.

The most common method to place Nanoleaf on the wall is using command strips or 3M double-sided tape. Other people also use magnetic systems or mounting screws.

Check below for the best info on how to remove your Nanoleaf panels without damaging the wall or without damaging it too much.

Method #1: Detach The Command Tabs

Suppose you are reading this because you are mounting your panels and want to do it in a way that is easy to remove later.

In that case, you must expose at least a few of the command tabs. That helps when it is removal time.

Here is how to take the panels out when they are attached via command tabs:

1. Use a hair dryer or heat gun to warm the adhesive
2. Gently pull the tab away from the wall.
3. Hold the panels while doing that, so they don’t fall on the floor.

Do the above for each panel and piece of the command tab holding the panels. Heating is not extremely necessary, but it surely helps.

If, for example, you are removing from a wooden wall with old paint, you will want to use heat to avoid chipping the paint off.

Next, you want to clean the wall:

1. Use a damp cloth or sponge to clean the wall surface
2. If the adhesive has attached too hard to the wall, use Goo Gone or some other adhesive remover

Note: If you don’t have a hair dryer or heat gun, you can skip that step. However, you must be extra careful when pulling the tabs away.

Method #2: Detach 3M Double-Sided Tape

Although Nanoleaf comes with standard command tabs so any customer can easily mount them on the walls, it is also common to use 3M double-sided tape.

That is because such a product is highly resistant and is already famous because of LED light strips. 

However, because it is more resistant, detaching the Nanoleaf panels and removing the adhesive from the walls is also more difficult.

Fortunately, there is more than one method to remove the panels without damaging the walls.

✅ Use A Putty Knife/Butter Knife

3M has a better effect when you want to place Nanoleaf firmly, but removing it requires more care.

Thus, you should use a putty knife or butter knife at hand.

If you don’t have any of that, any other item that is metallic and flat-edged can be used, as long as used gently.

1. Use the knife to gently pry the panel away from the adhesive
2. Use the knife again to pry the adhesive from the wall
3. Use a damp cloth/sponge to clean the surface
4. If necessary, use an adhesive remover

Tip: When removing the adhesive with whatever item you are using, try to do it slowly so the most adhesive can detach in one piece.

✅ Use A String 

A different yet highly functional method of removing Nanoleaf panels from the walls is getting some sort of string behind the panels.

Unfortunately, that will weaken the attachment between the panels, adhesive, and wall.

So what sort of wire should work?

• Fishing wire
• Gardening metal wires
• Dental floss (it is a bit weaker but gentler)

Once you have one of those items in your hands, do the following:

1. Hold one piece of string and stretch it well
2. Put it behind the panels
3. Make a seesaw motion right where the adhesive is

It is recommended to do the above slowly, as the panels could come off the wall. If that happens, you will need to catch them lest they fall to the floor.

Other times, all the above does is weaken the adhesive grip. From there on, you can use your bare hands to start removing the panels. 

Note: Afterwards, use an adhesive remover to remove the leftover tape.

Method #3: Remove A Screwed System

Another alternative for Nanoleaf panel systems is using screws. Such an option is more guaranteed since the panels are unlikely to fall off.

But, on the other hand, it will damage the wall, and it is harder to change the setup whenever you like.

When it is time to remove your firmly screwed Nanoleaf panels from the wall.

Here is how to do it:

1. Snap each panel from its mounting plate
2. Remove each panel once you feel it is free from the plate
3. Remove the screws that are holding the plates to the wall 
4. If the screws are difficult to remove, use a drill with a Philips head and set it to reverse
5. The mounting plate should come off by itself; if it doesn’t, simply pull it from the wall

✅ Choose What To Do With The Holes

The following steps are up to you. If you plan on using the open holes again for repositioning the panels or installing a different gadget, leave them. 

However, you must know that leaving open holes can also accumulate dirt or become home for small insects.

In that case, you should do the following:

1. Use a putty knife to apply spackling compound on each hole
2. Let the spackling compound dry (it could take several hours)
3. Use sandpaper to make the surface smooth and even
4. Paint over

Alert: If you will use the drill to remove the screws, ensure not to damage the screws and mounting plates. You can use them again later in another room/house.

Method #4: Remove The Magnetic Mounting Kit

Suppose you used the best way possible to mount a Nanoleaf panels kit: the magnetic mounting kit.

Such a kit makes it very convenient to put the Nanoleaf lights on a wall with a metallic surface. 

However, you might want to change your approach. That could happen because you are changing the Nanoleaf lights to some room or house with no room for metallic surfaces.

Then here is what you need to do:

1. Turn off the panels
2. Remove them from the wall
3. Peel off the double-sided tape that holds the magnetic plates

✅ Get Rid Of Adhesive Residue

Now it is time to remove any adhesive residue from your panels. It is trickier than removing adhesive from usual mounting plates.

After all, you don’t want to damage an electronic item like the panels.

1. Scrap off the adhesive residue with a credit card
2. Use a cloth with solvent to gently remove the leftover stickiness
3. Dry the panels with a cleaning cloth

When removing the leftover stickiness, the recommended solvents are alcohol, vinegar, or acetone.

Just ensure you don’t use too much, as it could enter any unprotected part of the panels and get into the electric components.

Alert: Never dry the panels with a heating gun or hair dryer. A hairdryer can remove adhesive from the walls or mounting plates, but it could damage the panels.

What We Learned

How to remove Nanoleaf from wall? When it is time to dismount your Nanoleaf system, you must remember what solution you used to hang it in the first place.

Then you must get a few tools to do the process correctly and not damage the Nanoleaf panels.