How to Stretch a Canvas Painting
If you purchase a canvas painting that is not already mounted on wood you will have to stretch it yourself so that you can frame it and put it up on the wall. It's a lot cheaper than buying a painting that is already prepared and it is fairly simple once you get the hang of it. You can also use this technique with a blank canvas and then create your own painting on it.
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Things You'll Need
- Four stretcher bars
- T-square
- Canvas
- Stapler with staples
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Staple remover (optional)
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Measure your canvas painting lengthwise and widthwise. Buy a set of two stretcher bars (flat pieces of wood used to form frames for canvas) that are the length of the canvas minus half an inch so you have room to fold the canvas over. Do the same for the width.
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2
Lay the stretchers on the table in front of you, placing them so that the corners meet to form a rectangle. (The stretchers are angled and notched at the ends and will fit together just like the four sides of a regular picture frame.) Use the T-square to make sure each corner is at a 90-degree angle after you slide them into place.
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3
Put the canvas on the table, painting side down, and place the frame on it, as centered as possible. Fold the top edge of the canvas over the top stretcher and staple it to the side, facing upward. Put one staple in the center of the canvas, then one each 1 inch to the left and 1 inch to the right of it.
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4
Pull the canvas tightly. Then staple the bottom edge of the canvas to the bottom stretcher in the same manner. Repeat this process for the left and right edges.
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5
Secure the canvas more tightly by working the diagonals. Begin adding more staples (one every half inch) to the top left corner of the frame. Then go to the bottom right. Next, add more staples to the top right and then the bottom left. Constantly pull the canvas taut as you go, but be careful not to tear it or create any bulges. Staple the canvas in the corners to the frame by folding the two edges that meet in and overlapping them.
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6
Turn the frame over and check to see whether the canvas is flat, tight and even. If not, take out the staples with the staple remover and start again at Step 3. Trim off any excess canvas if needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Stretchers are die cut to snap together and do not require nails. If you can't get the canvas tight enough on your own, ask a friend to help you pull it.
