How To Remove No More Nails Adhesive

This is a tricky topic. No More Nails is an adhesive made by Unibond that's designed to, well, make it so you don't need to use nails. It's extremely strong when used properly, making its removal much more difficult than, say, wood glue. Generally used to secure heavy objects to things that can't safely have nails or screws in them, it's strong . That means that knowing how to remove No More Nails will serve you well if you plan to use it.

How to remove No More Nails? Do it with a combination of heat, a blade, and mineral spirits.

This isn't a super complicated topic, so it shouldn't be a super long one today. Let's get right into it!

READ NEXT: How to remove green mould on skirting boards.

No More Nails - What, Why, and How?

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First things first - what exactly is No More Nails? As mentioned in the introduction, it's a specialised adhesive. It's specifically designed to attach to porous materials, such as:

• All wood
• Most plastic (not PE, PP, or Teflon)
• Brick
• Ceramic
• Plaster
• Glass
• Skirting boards
• Dado rails
• coving
• Architraves
• Polystyrene mouldings (one surface must be porous)

It's great for DIY projects that require a strong attachment, without the use of traditional mechanical attachments, such as nails and screws. It's generally safe and easy to use (like most adhesives), and has incredibly high bond strength. One reviewer said:

I used this product to glue a thin plastic sheet to a piece of old chip wood from the 80’s just to keep it from falling apart. It worked, and if I was to pull the plastic sheet from the wood, it would split and destroy before the glue will let go. The glue dried in about 20 hours.

My other job, I used this glue to stick a small tab of metal to a metal table. It would stick, but can be pulled off with medium force. In comparison, I used some old kitchen silicone sealant to do the same and it is stuck on there and almost is impossible to remove without ripping my finger nails off. I guess it depends on what you are sticking, for me old wood with many grip points and a clean non smooth surface seems to be the best for glue to bite into. Smooth surfaces not too great.AstroblemeYT

So we know why and how to use it - but how do you get it off? Well, that's simultaneously easy and a bit complicated, depending on what it's attached to.

How to Remove No More Nails

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This is going to require a bit of finesse and attention, but it won't be actively hard , per se. To remove No More Nails, you'll need the following:

• A utility knife
• Heat gun or hairdryer
• Mineral spirits & rag
• Hands - you do have those, right?

Now - how to remove the adhesive? Do the following:

If you have No More Nails strips , on the other hand, things change. For the uninformed, these are essentially Command strips on crack - they will hold most things that No More Nails will in glue form. To remove No More Nails strips, simply grab one end and twist. It should pull away from the surface with minimal effort.

Read Next: How to remove coving.

Final Thoughts

No More Nails is an awesome adhesive when used on the proper material. Surfaces like metal and Teflon won't take well to it, but porous surfaces will hold that sucker like nobody's business. Trying to remove it by hand is a surefire way to have sore hands and a still-glued surface. Instead, use the method above.

Heat the adhesive gently, scrape it with a utility knife, and repeat until it removes. Once done, wipe the area with a mineral spirit soaked rag to remove any leftover residue and clean up. Be sure to pay attention to the medium to which the adhesive is applied. If it's on glass or ceramic, you need to be extra careful with all of the above steps to prevent scratching or breaking the surface.