Can you frame stretched canvas

A front loader, or float frame, receives the canvas from the front of the frame and it is held in place, usually by screws through the back of the frame and into the stretcher bar. Metal frames receive the stretched canvas by sliding the stretcher into channels in the sides of the frame.

Here are a variety of canvas float frames. The canvas is loaded from the front and sits on that bottom lip. Pre-drilled holes are drilled into the bottom lip and the canvas is secured into place with screws. Here is an assemblage of standard metal and wood frames with varying rabbet depths. Canvas stretchers come in a variety of thicknesses as well.

This image shows the differing thicknesses of two stretcher bars. The thickness of the stretcher bar will play a role in determining which frame to choose. First, measure the thickness of the stretched canvas. Next, find the rabbet depth of the frame. This can be found by measuring from under the front lip of a frame to the back of the frame. This canvas fits snugly inside the channel of this metal frame.

Since the canvas fits inside so tightly, no spring clips will be needed to secure the canvas in place. However, if using a metal frame that has a rabbet that is deeper than the thickness of the canvas, spring clips will need to be used to hold the canvas in place.

Can you put a canvas painting in a glass frame? There is no need to frame an oil painting under glass if it's painted on canvas, panel, or board. Glass is used in framing to protect the artwork from moisture and harmful UV rays which can fade the colors. The oil paint itself does not need the protection, but the paper does. What is a canvas print with no frame? Unframed canvas means that the artwork is not set into a frame. The unframed canvas art can still be hung on your walls without a frame because the canvas comes pre-stretched and stapled onto wooden bars that create a simple internal frame.

Unframed gallery wrapped canvas with painted sides. What is a canvas floater frame? Floater Frames are used for works of art that are painted or printed on a canvas. This style of frame is particularly popular among photographers and painters. A Floater Frame provides extra space around the canvas and can make is seem like the artwork is floating, hence the name. How do you hang canvas without frame?

If your art piece is completely flat on the back — without a visible frame or indentations for hanging — you can always install a wire hook on it yourself. How do you hang an unstretched canvas? Unroll the canvas, if necessary. Hold the flattened canvas against the wall to determine the hanging location.

Mark the wall with a pencil at the center and both corners of the canvas' top edge. Hold a straight-edge level up to the wall to make sure the three pencil marks are even. If you can't get a good fit at your mitered corner, you have two options: cut a new piece to fit, or work the two pieces you have to fit together so that at least the front visible corner looks good. You can also use some wood filler to fill in any gaps. Continue steps 1 through 7 to fit and nail all four of your frame pieces together.

Use your reserve paint to touch up any areas and cover your nail heads if necessary. Materials for hanging your stretched canvas you can use these materials and process whether your canvas is framed or not :. Place your canvas face down on your work surface with the top away from you and the bottom of the canvas closest to you. You may want to put down a towel first to protect your artwork.

Starting on the left hand side, use your pencil to make a mark on the center of the stretcher that is one third of the way down the height of your canvas.

Repeat this process on the right hand side. Use your awl to create a starter hole in each of these marked spots. Now insert a screw eye in each of these holes. Screw the eye in completely, finishing with the eye in the vertical position see photo. Wrap your wire ends with tape; that way, they won't scratch the wall. Cut your wire so that it is long enough to span between your two screw eyes, plus add an additional 8 inches. Put the wire through one of the eyes, with a tail of about 4 inches.

Bend back the tail and twist the end back onto the wire for three or four twists see photo above. Leave any excess wire in place for now. Put the other end of the wire through the other eye and pull it taut. Bend back this end and twist the tail back onto the wire for three or four twists.

Now trim any extra wire at the end of your twists with wire cutters. Wrap your wire ends with tape so that they won't scratch your wall. Hi Barbara - So sorry to hear about your sister, but it's wonderful that you have one of her paintings to remember her. I'm glad this tutorial will help you frame and enjoy her artwork. My sister passed away from cancer and I have one of her paintings that isn't stretched. I'll have to use your hub and try to do it myself. Thanks for some information that I will use.

Thanks, Lorelei! Stretching a canvas is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I'm sure you can find some tutorials online. Also, pre-stretch canvases are pretty inexpensive and can be found in a number of different sizes, shapes, and with different edges.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Your painting is beautiful. My granddaughter is quite a unique artist so I was looking for ways to stretch and build her own canvas from the rolls. Hi Ann - Thank you for reading and commenting. Framing with glass is certainly more complicated - and I'm no expert - but there are a few options to do it yourself. Craft stores sell frame pieces as separate sets, where you buy the top and bottom lengths separately, then put it together yourself with glass, a mat, and backing.

Or you could buy some L-shaped moulding at the home improvement store and build your own frame. You'll probably need miter vice to fit and nail the corners of your frame together, then fill in any gaps with putty and paint. Lastly, craft stores or frame stores should sell framing clips for a frameless design.

These clips hold your backing piece, artwork, mat, and glass together for a clean display without a frame. This would probably be the least expensive option. Hope these ideas help you out! In addition to these instructions, do you have any recommendations for making frames that hold glass and mat layers?

I have some watercolors, prints and drawings that I'd like to make frames for since custom, and even pre-made frames, are simply not an option for me.

Thanks, Ann. Hi teaches - I hope this tutorial offers an inexpensive and easy framing option for those who are looking to frame a stretched artist canvas. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.