How to Make Your Own Mounted Canvas
You can save a lot of money by making custom mounted canvas for yourself and they look just as good - if not better - than readymade mounted canvas.
07/09/2022
I know that I have previously posted on how to make mounted canvas for your art, but this time I have made it even easier for myself by investing in a pneumatic stapler and compressor. The last time I made these canvas frames, I used a stapler to attach the canvas to the frame and, while it wasn't too difficult, it was definitely far easier and faster using a pneumatic stapler.
The Aircraft Stapler (from Vermont Sales and available at retail outlets countrywide) is a very affordable tool and it complements my pneumatic nailer, also Aircraft. To run these two pneumatic tools, you will require a compressor of some sort, but once you have the compressor you can use it for a variety of pneumatic tools - all of which will made your life easier whether it be for crafts or DIY projects.
Click here for more information on the Aircraft Pneumatic Stapler.
Making the frames for the canvas is a simple process of screwing together the 22 x 44 PAR pine planks for the size of frame that you want. You can use screws to make the frame, or you can use a pneumatic nailer and wood glue. Both works extremely well and make a sturdy frame. It is the triangular corner pieces that add strength to the frame, and these can be glued, screwed or nailed into the corners to keep the frame square and true. You will find detailed instructions for making the frames in this article.
The trick to making a wooden frame for canvas is to stretch the fabric as taut as possible. When you tap on the front of the canvas it should sound like a drum. If it doesn't, you haven't stretched it enough. Spraying the canvas with a fine mist of water helps to make it easier to stretch much tighter and when it dries, it shrinks tight on the frame.
It is important to take your time folding the corners because you want these to be as neat and professional as possible. It takes a bit of fiddling around until you get it right, but once you do, all the corners will look professional. Now that you have seen how easy it is, you can save a fortune by making frames for canvas. I estimated a saving of around 60% on readymade canvas frames and that means you only need to make a few frames to recoup the cost of the pneumatic stapler and compressor.
The wood for the frames and the canvas mounted onto the frames can be purchased at any Builders store. The canvas I use for the frames is actually a canvas drop cloth that is 3 metres x 4 metres and that makes a lot of frames. The Bedrock Canvas Drop Sheet retails at around R635 at Builders and I have calculated the cost of this into the saving I make when making canvas frames for myself and friends.