If a pre made canvas gets damaged beyond repair but the frame is
still OK, what do you do? One option is to strip the damage canvas and
stretch your own.
People often stretch their own canvas because it
can prove cheaper than buying pre made ones and you can make it to the
size that you want.
For this you will need the following:-
- UN primed Cotton Canvas
- Four stretchers or a pre made frame (the wood that makes up the frame, you can make these yourself)
- Staple Gun (or carpet tacks and a hammer)
- Corner Keys (the wedges used to tighten your finished canvas)
- Canvas Pliers
First of all join the stretchers together. Lay them out
and push the corners together. Check that the corners are at right
angles with a book or something similar.
Roll out the canvas and
put the frame on top of it, then cut it to size bearing in mind that the
canvas has to fold over the frame to be stapled on the back. Be
generous with the canvas you can trim excess off later when you've
finished stretching.
When stretching the best technique is to
start at the middle and work out in opposites. So starting in the middle
on any side, staple the canvas to the back of the frame. Now put two
more staples in about two inches apart, don't worry if you use more
staples, practice will give you a better idea on how many to use. Move
to the opposite side and while pulling the canvas tight with the canvas
pliers, staple as you did before. Repeat this with the other two edges.
Now
staple from the middle to the side, remember to pull the canvas tight
as you go. If you have any problems get a friend to help you out, an
extra pair of hands is useful. Then do the same on the edge that is
diagonally opposite. Continue until all edges are done.
When you
get to the corners fold the edges of the canvas neatly and staple
through the fold. Repeat for all the corners. Once done check how tight
the canvas is, if it needs a little tightening use the corner keys to
add the extra tension. If you find the tension isn't very good remove
the staples and try again. Remember the side where the staples are wont
be seen when the canvas is finished. And you can always use Framers Tape over the staples to give a professional finish when done.