Canvas stretcher – how to choose

The content of the article

• What is a canvas stretcher
• How to choose a stretcher for canvas
• Subframes for paintings
• Brauberg
• Pinax
• Sonnet
• Malevich

When working on canvas, a fixture such as a stretcher plays an important role. If it is made of low-quality materials and without observing a certain technology, then the canvas will simply sag and in this case it will be difficult for the artist to paint on it. The safety of the picture depends on the quality of the stretcher, therefore, its choice should be treated competently. The cost of this kind of baguette depends not only on the size, but also on the manufacturer.

What is a canvas stretcher

A product such as a stretcher is a wooden device made of slats or strips with gaps, which serves as the basis for stretching the canvas. The latter must be fixed on the edge with the help of wallpaper nails – drive them to failure so that they hold the canvas as tightly as possible. The first nail is driven into the middle of one of the sides of the wooden structure, and the second should fix the middle on the opposite side. The canvas needs to be pulled tight. Next, the nails are driven in the direction from the center of each side to the corners. So the canvas is stretched on a stretcher.

How to choose a stretcher for canvas

Before ordering a wooden canvas base, familiarize yourself with its varieties. In total, two designs are distinguished: prefabricated (wedge, modular) and deaf. The first are sold in racks of 2 pieces and cost a little more than the second. It is more convenient for artists to work with modular products, as their corners are not fastened together too tightly – they are knitted with a spike and moved apart with the help of wedges. If the picture starts to sag, you just need to knock out the wedges. In deaf products, the corners are tightly connected, so if the picture begins to sag, it will again have to be pulled.

For the manufacture of wedges, hardwood is used: beech, birch, oak. The subframes themselves are made of dry wood that has undergone heat treatment. Reiki and modules are made in most cases from a selected regional pine, on which there are no knots. Note that to strengthen the subframes, crosses are used that eliminate the deflections and distortions of the main bars, and increase the strength of the structure. The choice of product thickness depends on the size of the picture.

In addition, make sure that the product you are interested in is made of very dry wood. The fact is that the crude structure will begin to sit down, and the piece of canvas stretched over it will soon sag. For a medium-sized picture, as a rule, a product with a thickness of 1.8 cm is used, and for a gallery stretch this figure is about 3 cm. If you already have a stretcher, then it will need to be replaced if the following defects are detected:

• Blind connection of corners, due to which it is not possible to adjust the canvas tension. As a result of this, its deformation and sagging occur..
• No crossbar or cross for a large picture. The subframe with one of these elements does not warp, so that the corners remain straight.
• There are no bevels on the inside of the structure, resulting in creases and screes of the paint layer.
• The design is very fragile, because while pulling a piece of canvas skews.
• The product is made of wood with knots.
• Loose and stepped junction of the slats on the cross and in the corners. Due to such a defect, the canvas is deformed, creases and screes of the paint layer begin to appear. The tight connection of the picture with the frame becomes impossible.
• The subframe is infected with a beetle grinder. Due to the activity of these insects, the tree begins to decay..
• The wooden frame has been infected by mold.

Subframes for paintings

If your hobby is creativity, then on sale in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of the country you can find dozens of stretcher options. Well-known brands are Brauberg, Sonnet, Malevich, Pinax. If necessary, you can order a ready-made fine-grained or coarse-grained canvas with a stretcher. This option will cost more, but you do not have to pull a canvas of cotton or linen on the frame yourself. You can buy a stretcher for canvas today in any specialized online store that delivers mail.

Brauberg

The Brauberg stretcher, along with primed coarse canvas, is a great choice for those who like to paint. A 40×50 cm rectangular product is ideal for creating medium-sized paintings. A piece of fabric stretched over a stretcher is suitable for working with acrylic, tempera and oil paints. The products are intended not only for artists, but also for pupils and students of art schools:

• name: Brauberg 40×50 cm coarse-grained;
• price: 443 r.;
• characteristics: total size – 40×50 cm, subframe section – 17×38 mm, grain – large, surface – primed, density – 440 g / m2, canvas material – 100% cotton;
• pluses: reasonable cost, good canvas density;
• cons: cotton is highly susceptible to environmental conditions.

Check out another Brauberg canvas stretcher kit. Having bought it, you will not have to buy both items separately and stretch the canvas:

• name: Brauberg 40×50 cm medium-grained;
• price: 628 r.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 50×40 cm, construction thickness – 1.7 cm, texture – medium grain, canvas fabric composition – 55% linen, 45% cotton, soil type – acrylic, density – 420 g / m2, country of origin – China;
• pluses: good density;
• cons: costs more than analogues.

Pinax

Pinax products gained considerable demand. It, like other similar options, is presented in the form of a stretcher with a canvas. It can be safely attributed to the budget category. In this regard, Pinax will be a good choice for aspiring artists and people for whom drawing is just an interesting activity. The subframes themselves are made of light but strong wood, which is not prone to deformation due to the low resin and moisture content:

• name: Pinax 50×50;
• price: 320 p.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 50×50 cm, square shape, fabric composition – 100% cotton, density – 280 g / m2, soil – acrylic, texture – fine-grained;
• pluses: low cost, good quality frame;
• cons: low density, the material is prone to sagging.

The next version of the product is ideal for creating medium-sized paintings. The frame is made of coniferous wood. The cross-section of the frame is 16×24 mm:

• name: Pinax 35×50;
• price: 262 p.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 35×50 cm, rectangular shape, fabric material – 100% cotton, density – 280 g / m2, soil – acrylic, texture – fine-grained;
• pluses: it is cheap, high-quality frame;
• Cons: the canvas material is prone to sagging, a small density indicator.

Sonnet

If for painting you are looking for a stretcher with fine-grained canvas, then pay attention to the Sonnet 30×40. This product is suitable for any person engaged in creative activities. In general, the series of canvases on the Sonnet stretchers has a wide selection of popular sizes. The products are of good quality and are very popular among beginners and professional artists. The product is suitable for creating sketches, sketches and other similar works:

• name: Sonnet 30×40;
• price: 510 p.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 30×40 cm, shape – rectangle, color – white, soil type – acrylic, texture – fine-grained, composition – 100% linen;
• pluses: high-quality material, the fabric does not sag;
• cons: costs more than analogues.

The modular stretcher with canvas “Sonnet” is used to work in the workshops of the painter and in the classroom at the art school. The material is primed with a special acrylic composition, on which you can work with tempera, acrylic and oil paints:

• name: Sonnet 50×70;
• price: 890 p.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 50×70 cm, shape – rectangular, soil type – acrylic, texture – fine-grained, composition – 100% linen, color – white;
• pluses: high-quality frame, durable material, does not sag;
• cons: more expensive than analogues.

Malevich

If you are looking for a stretcher with a high density material stretched over it, then pay attention to the set of the Malevich brand. Despite the fact that the canvas is made of cotton, according to its characteristics it corresponds to a linen canvas, but it costs a little less. Perfectly stretched and primed material on a frame of excellent quality is ideal for painting with acrylic and oil paints:

• name: Malevich 20×30;
• price: 229 p.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 20×30 cm, shape – rectangular, fabric material – 100% cotton, density – 380 g / m2;
• pluses: suitable for all types of paints (besides watercolors), good design, professionally stretched material without knots, irregularities;
• cons: no.

Check out another variation from the same brand, which has a sturdy wooden structure and perfectly stretched primed medium grain cotton fabric. The kit is ideal for professional painting. To regulate the degree of web tension there are wedges:

• name: Malevich 40×80;
• price: 649 r.;
• characteristics: dimensions – 40×80 cm, shape – rectangular, canvas – 100% cotton, density – 380 g / m2;
• pluses: quality, reasonable cost, dense natural canvas;
• cons: no.