Restretching a Painting

Restretching a painting is a task that requires a reasonable amount of skill and planning. If the canvas is only slightly loose one of the two following options of tightening a canvas may be considered first.

A slightly loose or sagging painting on a Stretched Art Canvas can usually be tightened with the help of bits of wood called canvas tightening keys which are usually supplied with stretched canvas. The keys only need to be wedged into the openings in the corners of the stretcher bars to make the canvas tighter and firmer. Spraying or applying hot water with a sponge to the back of the canvas would also make it tighter. While these methods usually provide good results, canvases sometimes tend to become too loose for these techniques to work. In this case you’d have to re-stretch the canvas.


Points to Consider Regarding Restretching a Painting

Canvases are generally re-stretchable on their original frame. However, you might sometimes have to re-stretch the painting on a smaller frame if there isn’t enough excess canvas left. A smaller stretcher bar frame may be required for the purpose, which may not produce a desirable appearance when displayed. Most stretched canvases though, come with excess canvas that would help restretching on the original frame.

The tools needed for restretching a painting are:

• A flat-head screwdriver
• A heavy duty staple gun and staples
• A pair of canvas pliers
• A small hammer (sometimes needed)


Removing the Canvas from the Frame

Restretching a canvas involves firstly removing the canvas from the frame. With the screwdriver, Lever-up the staples at the rear of the canvas. Once all of the staples are removed the canvas can be separated from the frame.


Stretching the Canvas onto the Frame

Place the canvas material on a large work top or on the floor with the painted side down and carefully position the stretcher frame on top making sure the beveled edge is against the back side of the canvas. To check the position of the stretcher frame, briefly pull the canvas up over the edges of the frame one side at a time and reposition the frame slightly if necessary.

Once the frame is in the correct position its time to staple the canvas back onto the frame. Starting midway along the stretcher bar on one side, grab the canvas with the canvas pliers and gently pull the canvas fairly tight and put in the first staple. Working 2 inches either side of the first staple pull the canvas tight with the pliers and put in another staple. You should now have 3 staples in one side of the canvas 2 inches apart. Depending on the quality of the stapler and the hardness of the wood in the stretcher bars, if the staples which you have put in the back of the stretcher frame are slightly raised, tap them in gently with a hammer until they are fully in.

Working on the opposite stretcher bar to the one you have just stapled, repeat the process putting in 3 staples stating form the middle of the stretcher bar, but this time you can pull the canvas tighter with the pliers as you work. Repeat the process again on the two remaining sides placing 3 staples in each side again.

Working along each side, pulling the canvas tightly with the pliers put in staples approximately 2 inches apart all the way along to each corner. If you are stretching a large canvas don’t do all of one side in one go. Instead put in 2 staples and alternate the side you work on. At each corner, neatly fold the edge of the canvas and put in a staple over the folded canvas.

Restretching a painting on stretched canvas is an important task that demands careful attention and precision, especially when it involves finished artwork. But the results of the effort taken are clear for all to see.

Tightening a Loose Artists’ Canvas Using Canvas Tightening Keys

If your art canvas is beginning to sag over its frame, tighten it up and make it stiff with the canvas tightening keys.

Canvas keys usually come with stretched canvases; they serve the purpose of tightening a canvas if and when it sags on the stretcher. Canvas keys are the 8 little wedges of wood or plastic that are either available in a packet when you buy the canvas, or are fixed already into the corners of the canvas frame or the stretcher bars. If they’re not already fixed to the edges, all you need to do is insert them into the slots provided in the corners of the stretcher bars if your canvas becomes loose.

Two canvas keys should be slotted into each corner of the canvas. Slot them tight and wedge them deep into the holes provided making sure the same amount of pressure is applied for each of the pairs of keys in each corner to prevent the stretched canvas form buckling. A small hammer can be used to gently tap in the keys, but be careful not to split the stretcher. This Expands the stretcher bars a little and makes the canvas rigid.

You can also buy artists’ canvases that are already tight and don’t require keys to be wedged in. These canvases don’t come with the keys and also don’t have any holes in the corners to slot them in. It must be ensured that these canvases are tight enough when purchased. If you’re making stretcher bars for the unprimed canvas you’ve bought use the keys to tighten the canvas only if you find it necessary after priming it, this is because the priming process will tighten the blank canvas.

Tightening a loose artists’ canvas using the tightening keys can help you concentrate more on the painting you are working on, without worrying if the canvas would sag. Your finished painting can also be mounted on the wall and displayed without the canvas appearing loose. These tiny pieces of wood or plastic can make all the difference in making your canvas and your painting look great.