The Framers Forum

Hi

I have read the discussion about backing/not backing framed canvasses and noted the pros and cons. I have not framed canvasses before and so have a probably more elementary question! My customer -a professional artist- requires 12 1mx1m mixed media canvasses framing and she wants very simple non rebate frames (2 x1 square profile, painted white). So there is no rebate in which to sit the canvas. Is it acceptable to screw laterally through the stretcher bar and into the frame to hold it in place. The paintings do not extend round the side but obviously there would be slight damage to the canvas where the screws go through. I guess the other option might be to insert a fillet at the back inside the frame and screw to that but I'm not sure there will be enough depth for a wide enough fillet.

Any comments/ideas welcome.

The canvas is already punctured with staples or tacks so a few screws won't really matter. It might not work though, because there is bulk at the corner folds and you may not be able to get your flat frame tight along the whole length of the canvas - you might see the screws or the frame might bow inwards at the centre, or both.

You could use a floater ('L' shaped) frame instead though, the effect would be the same but you'd be able to screw through it in to the back of the stretcher bar ..... which could still be canvas-covered of course!

There are no cons to backing oils BTW/IMHO - or anything else really.

Thanks Roboframer. Good points. - I think I will need to use a fillet at the back as the L shaped frames are very costly and the customer wants a 'cheap' job!

L shaped mouldings are expensive as there's a load of waste wood to cut out. Two I shaped battens stuck together, plus a bit of glue and a couple of pins is not expensive. As you're painting it white anyway, you don't need a pre-made moulding.

If you get a plain flat moulding of the right size and mitre it with the rebate facing up and inwards, you can slot a thin piece of timber in the back to form a shelf. Paint the whole thing and then fit the canvas by screwing into the backs of the stretcher bars. You don't need huge screws. One screw in the middle of each side should do it. It's a good idea to make the holes in the frame oversize and use a washer on the screws in case the canvas needs to be tightened later on. If you make the shelf the right width it will form a rebate to allow a back to be dropped in neatly.

Get a Rose&Hollis plain moulding catalogue. All sorts of handy profiles in there.