How to repare your canvas

The need to mount your own canvas can arise for different reasons: you may want a specific type of canvas, you may want to apply a base primer or you may need very specific measurements.
Whether you are looking for higher quality materials or simply want to make it with your own hands using the traditional handmade process, here is a small guide on how to prepare your own canvas from scratch.

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What do you need to prepare a canvas?

To begin with, you'll need some basic materials:

• Wooden frame, stretcher strips and cross bars. The larger the frame, the more cross bars we need to give the frame more stability and prevent it from sagging. You can get them already cut with the angles to assemble or blank. In the latter case, we will also need a saw and mitre to prepare them ourselves. In this way, as we can cut with the angle we want, we have the possibility of creating other shapes for the canvas that are not rectangular (triangular, trapezoidal, asymmetrical...).
• Canvas made of cotton, jute, linen... natural or already primed.
• Professional stapler or upholsterer's stapler, or nails and hammer.
• Scissors.
• Tensioning pliers. These are optional as you can always do it with your own hands if you can't get them, but they will make the job much easier, especially for large formats.
• Spatulas and brushes.
• Gesso and water.
• Sandpaper.

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Now let's look at the step-by-step in detail:

1. 1. Assemble the strips: we will measure and mark the exact measurement. We prepare our slats and crossbars to fix them in the required shape. On the table or on the floor we place the corners of these, and we glue them with white glue on the inside, and on both sides of the outside we use staples, as many as necessary.
   2. Prepare the canvas: Once ready, spread the canvas on a flat surface and place the frame on top of it, to cut it to the size you need. Leave approximately 6 cm extra on each side to be able to tighten it easily, either by hand or with pliers.
   3. Stapling the frame: start by stapling the canvas to the stretcher frame at the centre back of one of the longer sides. Continue on the opposite side, and then on the shorter sides. Always stretching the canvas at all times.
      Once the four central points have been stapled, we will continue stretching the canvas as much as we can and stapling alternating the opposite sides, from the centre to the ends. The spacing between staples should be about 3 or 4 centimetres.
      It is not necessary to stretch too much or use too much force, otherwise we will form wrinkles.
      Cut the excess fabric if necessary, always leaving a certain margin from the staples, and finish off the corners. Form a fold and staple it too.
   4. Primer: we will use the primer indicated for the painting technique we are going to use. We will apply layers of gesso to seal the pores of the canvas and paint without difficulty. In addition, this will allow our work to be better preserved over time.
      It is usual to apply between 3 and 4 coats, but it will depend on the type of canvas and what we consider appropriate. The most advisable way to apply this primer is to apply each coat in one direction, first vertically and then horizontally, always allowing it to dry completely between coats. Of course, we can also leave the canvas without primer.

Once all the above steps have been completed, we can paint with the technique of our choice. Finally, it is advisable to varnish our work to achieve greater durability and resistance, both to light and to the passage of time.

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One of the advantages of creating your canvas is that, although you can keep it in this state, you can reuse it as many times as you like.
Simply remove the staples carefully and remove the fabric from your canvas.
To store it, don't fold it, but roll it up carefully, or mat it to keep it stretched.
And reassemble another canvas to start your new work!