Guide to Stretching a Canvas!

Really, it's not as hard as it looks. Swear. With some elbow room and the right tools, you can stretch your own canvas in a matter of minutes!

You will need:
Canvas, Stretcher Bars, Glue, Staples, Hammer

Or

Canvas, Lumber, Glue, Staples, Nails, Hammer

Stretching a canvas is simply and sometimes less expensive than purchasing one ready-made especially if it's large. Here are a few simple steps on how to successfully build the surface on which to create your very own work of art!

1) Purchase either (4) premade stretchers bars and a support bar, or (5) pieces of wood at the lumber yard, your preference. Make sure the measurements are correct and that the pieces will fit together properly.

2) If you are using premade stretches, you can simply match up the correct edges and wedge them together snugly. Sometimes it is useful to do this against a wall, sometimes with the assist of a hammer, or get a perfect angle. Decide where you want your support bar to be placed. In my experience I have had the best luck by using wood glue and a heavy duty nail gun to keep it in place. Make sure the bar is flush with the other pieces and will not stick out into the canvas when completed. Allow glue to dry.

If you are using wood from the lumber yard, get your nails and hammer out. Balance the edge of one piece perpendicular to the wall with the thin side of the wood on the floor, and place the flat side of the opposite piece (keep track of what pieces are going where) to the first edge. Nail in. Be careful not to split the wood. Follow this step all the way around. This style will give you a very large edge to your painting (my preference). Lay your frame flat on the floor, with one side against the wall to brace it. Lay your support bar flat on the floor, not in the same manner as the others, so that it will not stick out into the canvas, and give you an easy edge to grip and carry your work. Nail in place.

3) Time to stretch! You can use the same approach to stretch premade bars or lumber. Lay the canvas flat on the floor, with the frame in the center with the back side up. Make sure there is enough room around the edges to pull over and around the wood. Working on rotating sides, pull the canvas tight and staple a few at a time, making sure the front is even and flat. At the corners, carefully fold the edges down like you would a gift and tuck back and around as flat as possible. Try to keep all corners generally the same.

If you notice lines in your canvas afterwards from folding, don't worry! Gesso causes the canvas to shrink, so once you cover with a coat of paint these should disappear (unless the canvas was not pulled tight enough). Pull it too tight, and you could warp or damage the frame. For a smoother surface, use multiple coats and sand, if preferable. If you choose to remove your painting from its stretcher frame, it is recommended you purchase stretcher pliers for when you decide to replace it. Due to the painted surface, the canvas will be much tighter and more difficult to stretch around the frame the second time around.

If you decide to keep your canvas off the stretcher for a long period of time, be careful. Keep it rolled, and in low humidity. Unwrap and rotate your roll with the painting inward and outward on a regular basis, to prevent the paint from cracking. If you keep the painting rolls inward for too long a time, the paint will adapt to the new shape, and can crack if you attempt to stretch it.

Remember to take care of your work on a regular basis to keep it in good condition! And have fun with it!