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Writer's pictureRachel Crotty

How to Stretch Frame a Canvas

Here's how to stretch frame a canvas! These steps can be used to stretch any canvas on any wooden frame. Although, if you have purchased our Painting by Numbers without a frame you can also purchase our Stretcher Bars and frame it yourself! Here's how:



What You'll Need


Hammer Scissors A No-Frame Paint by Numbers (unpainted) 40cm x 50cm Stretcher Bars and thumbtacks, buy here



* Optional: we recommend that you iron the unnumbered side of the canvas before you begin. Use a medium heat and spray setting on the iron. We have also found that a light spray of water on the back of the canvas helps with stretching.




Assembling the Frame


Join the bars at each end making sure the 40cm ends are attached to the 50cm ends.


Use a hammer or mallet to secure into place.


You can use a right angle or set square to make sure the inside of each corner is at right angles.




Lining up the Printed Canvas


Hold the frame upright and line up the borders of the Painting by Numbers (picture facing out).


Make sure when pulling the canvas you are pulling it over the ridged side.

The canvas is meant to be stretched across the flat sides of the stretcher bars.


Check to make sure that the border of the print matches up with the border of the wooden frames.









Using Thumbtacks



After lining up the canvas with the printed design, thumbtack one of the sides.


Tightly stretch the excess canvas on the opposite side and secure it with another thumbtack.


Repeat on the other two sides. Flip the canvas around then check the print is still inline with the frame. This may take some trial and error.


One side at a time, stretch the canvas next to the middle thumbtack and secure with another thumbtack. Repeat and stretch each side to have 5 thumbtacks evenly spread across each wooden stretcher bar. Then hammer in any protruding thumbtacks.




Folding the Corners


Your stretched canvas is nearly finished! Finally, fold in each corner and secure in place with thumbtacks. Follow along with the guided pictures below.

Ta da!! Make sure you hammer thumbtacks into each corner!



Wanting to buy an already assembled Paint by Numbers? No worries, find them here.





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