How to Get Creases Out of a Paint by Numbers Canvas Without Ruining It

Many online retailers ship their canvases folded in small boxes to save on postage. While this cuts shipping costs, it leaves you with deep wrinkles that make painting fine details nearly impossible. This is a common issue that differs from other crafts, as detailed in our hobby comparison guide, where canvas preparation is key.

Painting over a crease will distort your final image. The good news is that these canvases are made from a durable linen and cotton blend. You can easily remove these creases at home using basic household items.

Here is exactly how to execute each method safely, starting with the fastest approach.

Figure 1: Always iron the blank back of the canvas, never the printed side.

1. The Ironing Technique (The Fastest Method)

This is the quickest and most reliable way to remove deep folds. However, you must be careful not to melt the printed numbers on the front of the canvas.

1. Prepare your space: Lay a clean, thick towel flat on your ironing board. This protects the printed side of the canvas from the hard surface.
2. Position the canvas: Place your canvas face down on the towel. You should be looking at the blank back of the canvas. Never iron directly onto the side with the printed numbers.
3. Set your iron: Turn your iron to a medium heat setting. If your iron has a linen or cotton setting, use the lower end of that range. Turn off the heavy steam function.
4. Dampen the fabric: Lightly mist the back of the canvas with a spray bottle of water. If you do not have a spray bottle, lay a slightly damp tea towel flat over the back of the canvas instead. The slight moisture is what relaxes the fabric fibres.
5. Iron gently: Keep the iron moving constantly. Apply gentle downward pressure, working from the centre of the canvas out towards the edges. Keep ironing until the dampness evaporates and the canvas lies flat.

2. Stretching and Framing (The Professional Method)

If you plan to hang your artwork, the best way to pull out minor wrinkles is to stretch the canvas before you even start painting.

Mounting your canvas onto a DIY Wooden Frame Kit naturally pulls the fabric taut. Use drawing pins or a staple gun to secure one side, pull the opposite side tight, and secure it. The tension will naturally smooth out surface wrinkles over a few days.

Once framed, you can place it directly onto a Foldable Wooden Tabletop Easel to give yourself a stable, flat surface to work on.

Figure 2: Stretching the canvas over a frame pulls out light wrinkles naturally.

3. The Heavy Book Method (The Heat-Free Alternative)

If you do not want to use an iron and only have light rippling rather than hard, sharp creases, the weight method works well. It simply takes more time.

• Find a clean, hard surface like a dining table.
• Lay the canvas face down.
• Place heavy, flat objects entirely covering the surface. Large coffee table books, heavy cutting boards, or boxes work perfectly.
• Leave it for at least 24 hours.

Figure 3: Using time and heavy weights is the safest, albeit slowest, method for flattening.

About the Author: William Murdock

Founder of Paint on Numbers UK. William is dedicated to helping beginners and experienced painters alike get the best possible results from their canvas kits through practical, hands-on advice.