How To Stretch a Canvas - FAQ:

• It is often possible to tighten part of a canvas, eg. a "dent" or dip by damping the back of it. As it dries the area will shrink a little. Use this tip with caution,  or you can end up with a drum-tight canvas if you dampen the entire back!  Controversial but widely used trick of the framing trade.

• Your canvas is not supposed to be "tight as a drum"  but just tight enough so that it does not sag.

• If hanging your canvas un-framed, it is best to use the "gallery wrap" method so that unsightly staples are not visible. A gallery wrap is simply stapling to the back of the stretcher bars instead of the sides.. This is actually the method preferred by most picture framers nowadays providing there is adequate spare canvas around the image area.

• Cutting corners - yes or no?  In theory no. Because you only get one go at it, if you get it wrong, that's the artwork ruined.  "Hospital corners" are an easy way of making a neat corner as shown in the video. But in practice many people carefully trim the surplus corner material out and stick down the canvas with PVA  to achieve a smooth seam-free gallery wrap look, particularly on the "wedged" or reversed gallery stretcher frames. so it's up to you.

• Some cheap canvas prints use low quality cheap inks.  Be very careful that they do not rub off, specially on the edge folds.  This is not usually a problem with original paintings or varnished/laminated or treated canvas prints.

• Our stretcher bar frames arrive ready assembled. They are very strong and due to their special shape and design they are very resistant to twisting or warping in larger sizes than cheaper offerings. Ours are fully glued and assembled, no wooden "keys" or messing about. Any size available online up to 1 metre x 1 metre.  Need bigger?