Anyone know the best way to stretch canvas over a wooden frame?

In the past I've used hardboard for painting in oils,but this has become an
expensive way to paint and I've now had to resort to canvas as its cheaper
this way now.

The canvas has to be taut on the frame otherwise the oils will crack if its
loose

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:

Anyone know the best way to stretch canvas over a wooden frame?

In the past I've used hardboard for painting in oils,but this has become an
expensive way to paint and I've now had to resort to canvas as its cheaper
this way now.

The canvas has to be taut on the frame otherwise the oils will crack if its
loose

I haven't done it in years, but there are special, very wide,
pliers-type tools used for this.

Cut your canvas a few inches wider than your stretchers.

Mark the centres of both frame and canvas.

Staple the centre of one side.
Stretch canvas taut, using big pliers-thing; staple opposite centre.
Repeat for the other two sides.

Again pull canvas taut, and staple about halfway between a corner and
the centre staple - repeat for all four sides.

Pull canvas and staple between the staples just put in, and the centres.

Pull canvas and staple midway between corner and nearest
staple....continue as needed, depending on size of frame.

The idea is to stretch evenly all around, finishing by mitreing the corners.

S Viemeister wrote:

I haven't done it in years, but there are special, very wide,
pliers-type tools used for this.



Don't suppose you can remember the name of the pliers or a URL to go to to
see whether I can knock up a similiar tool?

Cheers for the info.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

"S Viemeister" wrote in message
...
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:

Anyone know the best way to stretch canvas over a wooden frame?

In the past I've used hardboard for painting in oils,but this has become
an
expensive way to paint and I've now had to resort to canvas as its
cheaper
this way now.

The canvas has to be taut on the frame otherwise the oils will crack if
its
loose

I haven't done it in years, but there are special, very wide, pliers-type
tools used for this.

Cut your canvas a few inches wider than your stretchers.

Mark the centres of both frame and canvas.

Staple the centre of one side.
Stretch canvas taut, using big pliers-thing; staple opposite centre.
Repeat for the other two sides.

Again pull canvas taut, and staple about halfway between a corner and the
centre staple - repeat for all four sides.

Pull canvas and staple between the staples just put in, and the centres.

Pull canvas and staple midway between corner and nearest
staple....continue as needed, depending on size of frame.

The idea is to stretch evenly all around, finishing by mitreing the
corners.

I thought that picture frames were also slotted along the mitre and held in
alignment by a loose wedge. Once the canvas was initially tightened, driving
the wedges home would then stretch it that little bit more.

Colin Bignell

nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"S Viemeister" wrote in message
...
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:

Anyone know the best way to stretch canvas over a wooden frame?

In the past I've used hardboard for painting in oils,but this has become
an
expensive way to paint and I've now had to resort to canvas as its
cheaper
this way now.

The canvas has to be taut on the frame otherwise the oils will crack if
its
loose

I haven't done it in years, but there are special, very wide, pliers-type
tools used for this.

Cut your canvas a few inches wider than your stretchers.

Mark the centres of both frame and canvas.

Staple the centre of one side.
Stretch canvas taut, using big pliers-thing; staple opposite centre.
Repeat for the other two sides.

Again pull canvas taut, and staple about halfway between a corner and the
centre staple - repeat for all four sides.

Pull canvas and staple between the staples just put in, and the centres.

Pull canvas and staple midway between corner and nearest
staple....continue as needed, depending on size of frame.

The idea is to stretch evenly all around, finishing by mitreing the
corners.

I thought that picture frames were also slotted along the mitre and held in
alignment by a loose wedge. Once the canvas was initially tightened, driving
the wedges home would then stretch it that little bit more.

Colin Bignell


wet canvas shrinks on drying too, if thats any help.

In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
Anyone know the best way to stretch canvas over a wooden frame?

Search the web for tutorials on silk screening.
A similar technique is used to stretch the
screen onto a frame.

--
Tony Williams.

Tony Williams wrote:
In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
Anyone know the best way to stretch canvas over a wooden frame?

Search the web for tutorials on silk screening.
A similar technique is used to stretch the
screen onto a frame.

Sussed. :-)

4' piece of wood with a wood clamping bar underneath,and a 1" half round
wood bar ontop of the 4' piece of wood to aid the stretching of the canvas
and the pin/staple it when stretched taut.

I'm a genius
Bloody magic!

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:

4' piece of wood with a wood clamping bar underneath,and a 1"
half round wood bar ontop of the 4' piece of wood to aid the
stretching of the canvas and the pin/staple it when stretched
taut.

I'm a genius
Bloody magic!

Did you see in the silk screen tutorials that they
wet the fabric during stretching?

--
Tony Williams.

Tony Williams wrote:
In article ,
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:

4' piece of wood with a wood clamping bar underneath,and a 1"
half round wood bar ontop of the 4' piece of wood to aid the
stretching of the canvas and the pin/staple it when stretched
taut.

I'm a genius
Bloody magic!

Did you see in the silk screen tutorials that they
wet the fabric during stretching?

Sorry Tony didn't search for silk screening tutorial,searched for
stretching canvas and came across this.

http://canvasstretcher.com/howto.html
Then me mind started working overtime on this concept.
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite