Mounting Canvas with only 1.25" stretch area / looking for suggestions on mounting

Create a Post
Mounting Items
Ken Tuvman

Ken Tuvman

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Sep 13, 2017
Posts
104
Loc
Minneapolis
Can use some expert advice - client brought in a canvas @ 14" x 36"

Originally thought I could stretch with Fredrix Stretcher Bars and possibly still can - there is about 1.25" white canvas around art. Thought a float frame would've worked but if I can stretch the canvas, it will show white on the edges. Don't want to use smaller SBars and sacrifice any of the art area.

Would MountCor for canvas a good option?

Just wondering how you would approach this project.

Thank You! Ken
 

Attachments

  • canvas 2.jpg
    canvas 2.jpg
    271.9 KB · Views: 64
  • canvas 1.jpg
    canvas 1.jpg
    202.4 KB · Views: 59
YOU WORK IN YOUR SOCKS!?!?!?

Technically Mountcor Canvas would work, but the edges are relatively fragile and are usually conventionally framed. Floating would leave those edges exposed to damage, then there's just how to attach a piece mounted to foam core to a stretcher.

1/2" isn't much to work with if you're using 3/4" stretchers and want to staple the piece to the back. It can be done, but your thumbs will not like you for a couple days.
 
Were they wanting space between the canvas and frame if you went with a floater? I'd think if you had the painting wrap around the edges only about an 1/8th or so, you could put the floater flush against it and no white would show.

If it's the amount of room to stretch that's your issue, there is a technique you could use to extend it out. (I'm blanking on the technical name, of course...)
Basically, take strips of canvas and using fabric glue, attach it to the edges of the existing canvas. That would provide the extra material you need to stretch it onto the bars.

I have used the various foams supposedly intended for canvas before (mostly for prints or people who didn't want to spend a few extra dollars on stretching) and it's kind of a toss up. Some of it goes down fine, but I constantly ran into the issue of certain spots detaching from the adhesive. Even if it didn't happen immediately, people would occasionally bring things back in after a while saying it was bubbling. Perhaps if you were able to run it through a roller press a few times to really make sure the adhesive attached to all the irregular pits of canvas it would be fine, but personally the foam is not my favorite thing to use.
 
No I don't do framing in my Socks!!! and saw that after I posted :) But - I will take a photo in my socks!

I don't want to risk messing up this canvas with a heat press - I do have a vacuum press but not sure what kind of product would secure the canvas - probably going to have to do my best to stretch it and use a conventional black frame.

Thanks!
 
The bonding temperature of Mountcor Canvas is 130F. I just mounted a print on canvas in my heat vacuum press that had a coat of acrylic gel medium on the image. The low temp and the proprietary release paper from Mountcor allowed for a fairly simple process without reactivating the adhesive properties of the gel medium.

Another option would be to go ahead and staple it on the edge and then cover the edge, up to the image and wrapping around the back, with black bookbinders tape.

Strip lining is the process L Norman was trying to remember the name of.
 
wpfay said:
Another option would be to go ahead and staple it on the edge and then cover the edge, up to the image and wrapping around the back, with black bookbinders tape.
Click to expand...
That's what I was going to suggest also. Another option for covering the edge is ribbon. It does not have to be glued. You can start in a bottom corner and affix the end with one staple. Pull the ribbon around the canvas with its edge even with the front edge of the painting. Just overlap your starting point and staple again while giving the ribbon a slight stretch to keep it taut. Trim the excess carefully, and color the staple with a marker. This is totally reversible, looks nice, and is available in practically any color or texture you like.
:cool: Rick
 
A few times, I've cold mounted small canvases with minimal border, using acrylic gel. Also, counter-mounted a piece of matboard the back of the mounting substrate, to counter balance warping.
 
All great suggestions - heat is efficient but don't want to take chance of damaging customers artwork so will probably try stretching first and if any doubt I like the cold mount - where do you usually pick up your acrylic gel and I guess you gotta be extra careful trimming the white canvas surrounding artwork. Thanks so much
 
With digitally printed canvas* I have had good success using Mountcor.
On a different thread, I described my process in detail.
I pressed a 24x27 inch digital canvas on Friday evening.
Weighted it over the weekend. Today I un-weighted it, trimmed the excess Mountcor and it's been sitting on the workbench all day, still perfectly flat, no bowing.

If the item is an original painting on canvas, that is a different story.
I've done one or two that were of no $ value to the customer and they worked just as well, but certainly was some flattening of the dimensional media.
I would never use this technique on anything of even remotely monetary or emotional value.

*Online digital printing houses are notorious for using cheap canvas and not providing enough excess canvas to do a "proper" stretch.
 
Nikodeumus said:
With digitally printed canvas* I have had good success using Mountcor.
On a different thread, I described my process in detail.
I pressed a 24x27 inch digital canvas on Friday evening.
Weighted it over the weekend. Today I un-weighted it, trimmed the excess Mountcor and it's been sitting on the workbench all day, still perfectly flat, no bowing.

If the item is an original painting on canvas, that is a different story.
I've done one or two that were of no $ value to the customer and they worked just as well, but certainly was some flattening of the dimensional media.
I would never use this technique on anything of even remotely monetary or emotional value.

*Online digital printing houses are notorious for using cheap canvas and not providing enough excess canvas to do a "proper" stretch.
Click to expand...
I've printed a few tourist paintings from Africa/Cuba on MountCor. They were painted with either tempra paints, or with something similarly dull in finish. One was out of square, without enough fabric, so we mounted it on a slightly smaller piece of MountCor, with it's wild edges still showing, and float framed. Have also done a couple of digital prints on canvas. But, when I tried to mount a customer's photo from a local sign shop, it's finish separated, and left a bit of dappling on the surface. Since then, I've been wary of mounting canvas prints with any sort of coating. How has your experience been with this?
 
Here’s the latest on my canvas project. I learned standard size Fredrix stretcher bars have there limitations - wound up cutting customer strainer stock just a bit smaller than the original size I’d hoped to achieve with std. bars. It worked well so far however I’m left with just a small amount white space bottom right corner.

I’d like to use a floater frame and since so little real estate left to pull from was thinking of what Rick suggested - running ribbon around perimeter of frame or using a green Attach EZ La Plume marker that was in my kit to slightly match the green in the print.

Just wondering what your approach would be - I realize a conventional frame will cover up this small amount of white area but I’d like to use a floater. If ribbon is suggested should I pick KC up at a fabric 0959012D-A9BD-45AD-BC92-84F6D9637DE0.jpeg34074BDB-F8F3-45F4-8B30-C7498E92AF12.jpeg58B5C084-5AA5-423D-B7F6-E48A31A78E22.jpegstore?

Thanks

Ken
 
Create a Post
Back
Top