Stretching a Rolled Painting
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Beth E Peterson
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Awhile back, I was asked this question: Someone has painted a picture for me on canvas, and they sent it to me rolled. Can I stretch this canvas? How would you recommend preparing this for framing? You can go about this two ways: the "art" way, and the "quick-n-dirty" way. Method 1: the ‘Art Way’: In order to stretch the canvas, you will need (preferably) 2 to 3 inches of canvas PER EDGE. It can be done with as little as an inch, but you almost certainly won't be able to get the canvas completely taut. Check your painting and see if it has a margin of unpainted canvas. Measure it, if it does. I would suggest that if the unpainted margin is less than 2 inches, you get some very strong 2 or 3" cloth (cotton duck) tape. The kind that fabric/craft stores sell for purse shoulder straps. Using a very strong thread, such as carpet or coat thread, sew this cloth tape unto the edges of the canvas. You need this margin in order to gain the purchase and leverage needed to stretch the painting. Now, measure the width and length of the actual painting. You will need stretcher strips for it that match those measurements as closely as possible. Stretcher strips are purchased by the length, which is almost certain to be an even number of inches (e.g. 12", 14", 16", and so on). You can usually find them at any art supply store. If you need to, you might also be able to find some odd-inch sizes through art supply catalogs if you search long enough.(With luck, the painter was using normal even-inch stretchers when they painted the piece!) If the picture is slightly smaller than the stretchers’ outer dimensions, that’s okay. When you frame it, the frame’s overlap will cover up to 1/4 inch per edge. If the painting is larger, you can either 1. bend the painting around the stretchers’ edge IF the painting is flexible enough, or 2. you can go up a size in the stretchers and paint or stain the edges of the exposed unpainted canvas in a color which harmonizes with the painting (a dark neutral grey will often work well). Lay the painting over the put-together stretchers and center it. With the painting right-side up, set your first staple or tack, so that the painting is still centered. And now set a staple or tack on one of the sides diagonally across. (So, let’s say the first staple was on the left-hand side and the second is at the top.) These two staples will help keep the painting centered on the stretchers as you continue working around the rest of the edge. Okay, now you’ll basically just want to follow the instructions given in the article on stretching canvas here in the art section. The only difference is that you won’t be able to put as much tension on the canvas fabric...the painting makes it too stiff. Once it’s stretched, you can frame it like any other painting. :-) Method 2: the ‘Quick-n-Dirty Way’ Measure the width and length of the actual painting. You will need an margin of unpainted canvas of at least ½ inch for overlap. Go to the lumberyard and pickup a sheet of 1/4 inch masonite (smooth, not pegboard) which is as big or bigger than the dimensions of the painting. Carefully cut the masonite to the dimensions of the painting. Mark out an inner rectangle on the masonite, leaving a minimum of 2" of masonite between the inner square and the outer edge. Using a drill, bore at least one hole into the middle area near one of the lines for the inner rectangle. Using a saber saw (aka jigsaw), cut out the interior area of the rectangle, using the hole as the starting point and be certain NOT to cut through the masonite to the outer edge. ...The masonite will be acting as your stretcher and must be whole. (The hole in the middle is to allow the canvas to breath, preventing rot.) You will need to seal the masonite, as much as possible, so either apply a housepaint primer, several coats of polyurethane, or some other appropriate sealant. Allow the sealant plenty of time to dry completely. Carefully center the painting on the masonite and, being sure to use short-legged staples or tacks, place the first two staples or tacks the same way as above. (Yeah, I know it will be awkward!) Then finish off with the alternating style as described in the article. Problems with this method: the masonite will be touching the canvas, so may cause the canvas to deteriorate relatively quickly. (Stretchers have a ridge which keeps the canvas up off their surface.) Also, the painting will HAVE to be framed with a sturdy wooden or composite frame, because the masonite will warp. And third, if the painting is ever to be sold, the price will probably suffer because it’s not on stretchers. Again, frame it like normal. |