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Re-tensioning your stretched Canvas Print

Canvas is a natural material which can be affected by it's environment. Over time your canvas may naturally relax a little as gravity takes its toll and this is normal. Changes in temperature and humidity can also affect cotton canvas and the solid wooden frame, which may lead to your canvas print losing it's tautness. Due to the special design of the stretcher frame over which your canvas print is mounted it's easy to re-tension it.

Simply remove the canvas from the wall and carefully place it face down on a soft, well padded, flat surface. Using a small hammer or mallet carefully tap each of the wooden wedges that are placed in the internal corner joints of the frame. Try to make sure that you expand each corner of the canvas print by an equal amount. If your frame has cross braces then you should also tap the wedges inserted at one end of each brace. This should expand the frame slightly, pulling the canvas tight. Take care to ensure you do not over tighten the canvas as this may lead to the image cracking or flaking on the edges.

Turn the canvas print over and lay it face up, the canvas surface should be flat and taut and not sag down at all. to test, tap the canvas very gently on the back, it should feel tight lik a drum. If there is still some 'give' then turn the print back over and tap all the wedges again until the canvas surface is completely taut.