Canvas stretching is one of those things that looks simple until you try to do it yourself. Getting a canvas tight and even across the frame, with clean corners and no wrinkles, takes practice and the right equipment. At The Framing Source, we have stretched over 20,000 canvases since 1998 and refined the process through nearly three decades of daily production work.

Gallery Wrap vs. Museum Wrap

The two most common stretching methods are gallery wrap (also called mirror wrap) and museum wrap. The difference comes down to what happens at the edges of the canvas.

With gallery wrap, the image folds around the sides of the stretcher bars so the artwork continues on all four edges. This creates a finished look that works well for hanging without a traditional frame. It is the more popular option for modern and contemporary pieces.

Museum wrap keeps the image on the face only and folds blank canvas around the sides. This is the better choice when you plan to place the canvas inside a traditional frame, since the edges will be covered anyway. Both methods use staples on the back for a clean finished look.

Stretcher Bar Profiles

We offer two standard stretcher bar profiles. Our 1 1/2 inch gallery bars are the most popular choice for gallery wrap presentations and larger canvases. We also carry 3/4 inch standard bars for smaller pieces and canvases going into a frame.

Every stretcher bar frame is cut to exact specifications, glue joined at the corners, and braced where needed for structural stability. We build each one to order using the highest grade products available.

Large Format Capabilities

Artists and print shops working with oversized pieces will appreciate our capacity. We can build stretcher bars and stretch canvases up to 18 feet in length. We also carry 12 ounce acrylic primed canvas in custom sizes for artists who need raw material before they start painting.

Our large volume buying power keeps materials in stock at all times, so most canvas stretching jobs are completed within a few days. If you have a project in mind, get in touch and we will put together a quote.