How to Stretch Your Own Canvases (and Stop Getting Robbed at the Art Store), by Thomas Minnick on YouTube. 16 min 16 s.
- Video length
- 16 min 16 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Lay the four stretcher bars out and push the joints together to form a frame. Measure both diagonals to check it is square, then tap the corners fully home with a mallet.
Roll out your canvas and cut it about 3 inches (7 cm) bigger than the frame on every side. Extra spare canvas makes the corners much easier to fold.
Place the canvas face down on a clean floor and centre the frame on top. Fold the first edge over and staple once in the middle, then do the same on the opposite edge, pulling firmly.
Staple outward from each centre point, spacing staples every 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 cm). Work in rotation, one edge then its opposite, so the tension stays even.
Keep the weave threads running parallel to the bars as you go. If a line starts to bow, pull the canvas back and re-staple that section.
Fold each corner like a present: tuck one flap under, pull the next flap tight over it and staple it down. Trim excess fabric to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) first if it helps.
Press the canvas with your palm. It should feel firm and give a soft drum sound, not sag or pucker. Re-staple any loose stretch before you go further.
For a painting surface, brush on two or three thin coats of gesso, letting each coat dry and sanding lightly between them. Thin the first coat slightly so it sinks into the weave.
Add a cross brace or corner braces on frames wider than about 36 inches (90 cm) to stop the bars bowing.
Tips and common mistakes
Face the bevelled lip of the stretcher bars inward so the canvas only touches the outer edge and leaves no line in your painting.
Canvas pliers grip the fabric and save your fingers, but pull with steady pressure rather than yanking.
Over-stretching distorts the weave and can pull the canvas off the bars later, so stop when it is firm, not rock hard.
Keep your fingers behind the nose of the staple gun and unplug it before clearing a jam.
Questions
Do I have to prime the canvas before painting?
Yes for oil and acrylic. Two or three thin coats of gesso give the paint a surface it can grip and stop it soaking straight into the fabric.
What staples should I use?
Use a heavy duty staple gun with 1/4 to 3/8 inch (6 to 10 mm) staples. They need to go through the canvas into the wood without poking out the other side.
Can I stretch a canvas without canvas pliers?
Yes. Grip the fabric with both hands close to the staple line and pull evenly, though pliers make it easier to keep the tension steady.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
