Canvas Stretcher Strips

How to Use Canvas Stretcher Strips: Canvas stretcher strips are used to create a frame for your finished canvas, providing a finished, gallery look that you’ll love. Stretching your canvas using canvas stretcher strips is not hard, but does take a bit of trial-and-error to get used to.

Best Key Corner System, Pkg of 4		Best Medium Duty Stretcher Bars		Best Medium Duty X-Braces		Best Pro-Bar System
Price: $12 - $18		Price: $6		Price: $38		Price: $38
Brand: Best		Brand: Best		Brand: Best		Brand: Best
Use these key corners as an optional feature with the BEST Pro-Bar System, or with any other wooden stretcher bar for quick, easy canvas adjustment.		These high quality stretcher bars are more than just a piece of wood!		Cross braces are made with the same quality and care as stretcher bars.		Prevent the bending, warping, and twisting that results from humidity or dryness with BEST unique museum-quality Pro-Bar System.
Blick Heavy Duty Cross-Braces		Blick Heavy Duty Stretcher Bars		Blick Precision-Cut Stretcher Strips		Creative Mark Stretcher Strips
Price: $10		Price: $29		Price: $2		Price: $0 - $50
Brand: Blick		Brand: Blick		Brand: Blick
These heavy duty cross-braces are available to add extra strength and stability to large canvas frames.		Known as the Super Bar for its strength, our heavy duty stretcher bar is made of kiln-dried, knot-free pine from Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified suppliers.		We use only sap-free, kiln-dried wood for all of our stretcher strips.
Cross Set		Fredrix Heavy Duty Pine Stretcher Strips		Jack Richeson Best Masonite Corners		Jack Richeson Best Masonite Corners For Stretching Canvas Frames
Price: $13 - $24		Price: $13
Brand: Masterpiece		Brand: Fredrix
One set comes as a pair of braces, which fit between the stretcher strips and the internal Straight Brace.		Fredrix Heavy Duty Stretcher Strips feature tongue-and-groove design, and are made of the finest SPF kiln dried ponderosa pine lumber.

To begin:

• Select stretcher strips that fit the size of canvas that you are using. Assemble the strips. Use a carpenter’s square to be certain that the strips are “squared”. Staple each corner of the strip to secure the frame.
• Be sure to cut your canvas to be two inches wider and longer than you plan on the finished size becoming.
• Use your thumb and index finger to guide you as you pull the canvas over the stop of the canvas stretcher strips. Allow about a quarter-of-an-inch of canvas to extend past the back edge of the canvas stretcher strips. You should have around an inch of canvas showing on each side at this point.
• Hold your canvas in place on top of the stretcher strips and then staple the canvas at the strip’s center. Use a hammer to tack the staple into place securely. Turn your canvas over so that the stapled edge of the canvas is against your work surface.
• Using stretcher pliers grasp around a half-inch of the canvas and pull down against the stretcher strips until you can see stretch marks in the canvas’ face. Repeat the process at the other end of the canvas. This will give you a smooth canvas without any stretch marks. Rotate the canvas ninety degrees, working around to the point where you began.
• Grasp your canvas around two inches from either end at the center, pull the canvas down, and staple. Work outward, stapling at two inch intervals until you reach the end of the stretcher strip. Apply this process on the opposite edges. When you reach the end of a side, fold the canvas neatly and staple. All ends should be finished in the same way.
• Fold the corners tightly and then staple them to the stretcher strips.
• You can then choose to fold the surplus canvas over and staple it into place on the back of the stretcher strips, or you can use a sharp Exacto knife to trim it until flush with the strips.