Buy Stretchers Cheap

Silks and linen were used long before canvas came into the picture as the favorite material for artists. Historically, Egyptians used linen for painting while silks were used by the Chinese way back in 200 BC. Whenever painters used linen or hemp for painting in the days gone by, they also developed various methods with which the fabric was stretched across the frame before attempting to create the painting. It was only around the 16th century that Italian artists started using canvas panels for painting their masterpieces while Northern Europe started this practice only around the 17th century.

The early method of stretching was not as refined as what you see today. It is understood that around 1410, linen was soaked in a gum solution, dried and then stretched by walking over the dried and shriveled linen so that it remained stretched. Today’s cheap stretcher bars are made of the best quality kiln-dried fir or pine wood that are manufactured to the best standards.

The method of stretching is also more sophisticated. The wood does not warp or crack and can take the load of stretching. Today’s stretcher bars come in different styles to suit varying needs. There are Fredrix stretcher bars or stretcher strips, Light Duty Stretcher Bars, Medium Heavy, Heavy and Super Heavy Stretcher Bars. Each of these is meant for a certain type of canvas and accordingly orders are placed.

The Fredrix stretcher bars, also called Medium or Standard Duty stretcher bars or stretcher strips are the favorite bars for most of the artists and framers. These bars come in the size ¾” x 1 5/8”. These bars have a slightly rounded-over or bull nose on the bar’s face edge. These rounded instead of sharp and flat edges reduce the friction that occurs during stretching. You can therefore have a tighter and even face of the canvas without risking tearing the canvas or overloading the guy that is stretching it. Fredrix stretcher bars are 1 5/8”wide and this helps the bars from bowing due to taut stretching. However, cross braces are always advised in such cases.

The light duty bars are also cheap stretcher bars. At 5/8” x 1 3/16” width you will find them economical especially for your smaller giclees since you will not need the heavier bars. However, cross braces are recommended for strips longer than 30”in order to maintain the strength of the frame. The other cheap stretcher bars are the Medium/Heavy Duty bars that are a compromise at the square cross section of 1 3/16” since these give an improved profile without making you pay for it. You will also find the Heavy Duty bars with the cross section of 1 ½” cheap for the price you have to pay for them as well as the Super Heavy bars with the 2” width that are a great buy considering the strength you are going to get in the frames.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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