Placing additional canvas strips on canvas artwork for new stretching

QuinnFarley

Grumbler in Training
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Nov 27, 2024
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Sandy, Utah
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Professional Framer
As is typical with tourist-purchased foreign art, a customer just brought in a rolled, heavy canvas painting (from Morocco) where the painting goes to the very edge of the canvas. Nothing for me to stretch with without losing a good deal of the edge of her art. She wants a float frame, so here's my question: I've seen in painting conservation YT videos where they un-attach canvases from their stretchers and connect more canvas strips using some conservator-grade superglue for a new stretching. (Hope I'm making sense.) Is that a common framing technique I should know and use in the right circumstance -like this one? It would have to be a pretty robust glue-up to not give after years of being stretched. Can anyone point me in the right direction for technique, materials, etc.?
 
You could use Beva film which you can buy from Talas or other conservation suppliers:
Or contact a painting conservator who would be able to do this for you.
 
You could use Beva film which you can buy from Talas or other conservation suppliers:
Or contact a painting conservator who would be able to do this for you.
Looked at the website link. I loved the price range! "$14.00 to $3,620.95"
 
If you are unfamiliar with the technique, practice on something other than the client's art.

There are multiple threads on here about "strip lining", and they may be of help.

You might also look at using fabric glue to add edges for stretching. The "value" is the question.

Success in doing all this and making it suitable for a float frame presentation is a steep challenge.

Best of luck.
 
If you do a strip lining, remember to fray the strips so that you are actually adhering just threads to the back of the canvas. Otherwise, you will most likely get a visible line where the canvas is double thick.

Do they want to see the whole image or are you going to wrap the image around the bars? As Wally said, this could be a little tricky either way if both the canvas and the application of paint are heavy.
 
You could use Beva film which you can buy from Talas or other conservation suppliers:
Or contact a painting conservator who would be able to do this for you.
 
If you are unfamiliar with the technique, practice on something other than the client's art.

There are multiple threads on here about "strip lining", and they may be of help.

You might also look at using fabric glue to add edges for stretching. The "value" is the question.

Success in doing all this and making it suitable for a float frame presentation is a steep challenge.

Best of luck.
I didn't know what name the technique has. Now I do -strip lining. Thank you. I'll read all those threads. And absolutely, NO practicing on customer art!
 
If you do a strip lining, remember to fray the strips so that you are actually adhering just threads to the back of the canvas. Otherwise, you will most likely get a visible line where the canvas is double thick.

Do they want to see the whole image or are you going to wrap the image around the bars? As Wally said, this could be a little tricky either way if both the canvas and the application of paint are heavy.
I explained their limited options regarding wrapping vs. something like Ultramount. I'm doing a deep dive research now on "Strip Lining" technique.
 
I didn't know what name the technique has. Now I do -strip lining. Thank you. I'll read all those threads. And absolutely, NO practicing on customer art!
I'm sure there are You Tube videos for you to watch this simple process. No one has mentioned what to make the strips out of: you can purchase silk screen fabric at art supply shop or a polyester mesh from fabric shop. Depending on the thickness of your stretcher bar will determine how wide the strips should be. Be generous on strip size, you can trim easily. The basic process is:
A strip of Beva, & your extension strip, fused/ ironed on to the edge of your painted canvas. Proceed to mount easily!
 
You might be able to successfully stripline and then stretch the painting. But whether this will result in something suitable for floater frame treatment is another matter. Floater frames work best with paintings whose images continue around the sides of the stretched canvas, or at least have neat transitions from the front to the back of the stretcher which can be covered with bookbinding tape for a neat look. A "rolled, heavy canvas" that is striplined is unlikely to provide the smooth surface required to look good.

My advice: Manage your customer's expectations.

:coffeedrinker2: Rick
 
You might be able to successfully stripline and then stretch the painting. But whether this will result in something suitable for floater frame treatment is another matter. Floater frames work best with paintings whose images continue around the sides of the stretched canvas, or at least have neat transitions from the front to the back of the stretcher which can be covered with bookbinding tape for a neat look. A "rolled, heavy canvas" that is striplined is unlikely to provide the smooth surface required to look good.

My advice: Manage your customer's expectations.

:coffeedrinker2: Rick
This is very good advice. Thank you.
 
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