attaching stretched canvas to mount board

[lyndyloo]

Hi all,

I have a stretched canvas (12" x 16" so very light) that I'd like to mount on top of mount board in a deep rebate frame with spacer and glass. My question is - what's the best (most effective and I don't want the finished piece to weigh a ton) way of fixing the canvas in it's stretcher frame, to the mount board? I've done a search and can find reference to using mdf etc but are there any other methods folks have used that have worked well?

thanks all

Lynda

[prospero]

Place the mount face down and the canvas on top. Check the canvas position. Dig out all those little scraps of foam board and ATG them all around in layers until you reach the back of the canvas. Foamcore has a bit of 'give', so it should gently hold the canvas in place without any taping. Once the back is on it's not going to move.
For speed, don't bother trimming each piece of foam core. Just fit them up to the canvas and when you are finished, flip over and trim the excess to the edges of the mount.

[prospero]

Part2.

It's a good idea to run a strip if aluminium barrier tape round the back of the mount window. Not to protect the painting so much as to stop oil from the painting leaching into the mount.

[lyndyloo]

Thanks Prospero, I have tons of bits of foamboard I've been saving "just in case"

I'm struggling to visualise this (my fault, not yours - my brain likes pictures). So will the canvas be going through the mount through an aperture, rather than sitting on top of it?

I'd thought about using smalls screws - through the back (using a reasonably rigid backing board with kraft board over that) and into the canvas's frame) to avoid the need for an aperture and the risk of seeing the aperture edges. Dya think that'd work?

thanks hugely
Lynda

[iantheframer]

I'd thought about using smalls screws - through the back (using a reasonably rigid backing board with kraft board over that) and into the canvas's frame) to avoid the need for an aperture and the risk of seeing the aperture edges. Dya think that'd work?

Hi Lynda.

Yes that is exactly what I do, Use a rigid board faced with mountboard. Small brass screws are best and look neat if countersunk. Dont over tighten them or the boards will bow,I usually put an additional back to cover them too

[lyndyloo]

Thanks Ian!!! Then that's what I shall do!

I LOVE this forum!!!



Lynda

[prospero]

Sorry Lynda. I just read your post again and I got completely the wrong idea. Thought you meant putting a canvas behind a window mount.
Although, if you do ever want to do that, the foamcore thing is a good way.