How to Stretch and Frame Your Paint by Numbers Canvas at Home
Summary
You spent hours completing your painting, so do not leave it rolled up in a tube. This step by step guide explains how to safely iron out creases and stretch your paint by numbers canvas over a wooden frame for a professional display.
Finishing an adult paint by numbers project is incredibly rewarding. However, taking that loose piece of painted linen and turning it into a piece of wall art can feel intimidating. Many people worry about warping the image or accidentally damaging the dried acrylic paint during the framing process.
Mounting your artwork is much easier than it looks. Whether you are building a custom gallery wall or just hanging a single piece from our beginner friendly collection, getting a tight, gallery wrapped finish comes down to a few basic steps.
| Framing Step | What You Need to Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Ironing | Lightly press the back of the linen with a household iron on a low setting. | Removes transit creases so the canvas sits flat against the wood. |
| Step 2: Alignment | Place the frame perfectly center over the back of your painted image. | Ensures the borders of your artwork fold cleanly over the edges. |
| Step 3: Tensioning | Pull the canvas tight and staple opposing sides in an alternating pattern. | Prevents the fabric from sagging or warping over time. |
Figure 1: Always iron the unpainted back side to protect your acrylics from melting.
Preparing the Paint by Numbers Canvas
We ship our kits rolled in a tube to prevent severe folding, but the linen can still develop a slight curl or minor creases during transit. Before you attempt to frame your artwork, the fabric must be perfectly flat.
Lay a thick, clean towel on a flat table. Place your completely dry painted canvas face down on the towel. Set your iron to a low, dry heat setting. Do not use steam. Gently iron the back of the linen, keeping the iron moving constantly. The towel protects the painted surface from being crushed, while the low heat relaxes the fabric fibers and flattens out any remaining wrinkles.
If a crease refuses to lay flat with dry heat alone, lightly mist the back of the canvas with a spray bottle of water. Then apply the iron. The slight dampness will help release the stubborn fold without damaging the acrylic paint on the front.
The Correct Stretching Pattern
To mount the artwork, we highly recommend using a purpose built DIY wooden frame kit. These kits come pre cut to match your exact canvas size and slot together without any complex carpentry tools.
Watch our quick visual guide below to see exactly how these stretcher bars fit together before you begin stapling:
Once your wooden frame is assembled, lay your flat canvas face down on the table and place the frame exactly in the centre. The secret to a tight, professional stretch is the stapling order. You must work in opposites.
Pull the top edge of the canvas tightly over the frame and place one staple right in the middle. Then, pull the bottom edge tightly and place one staple in the middle. Repeat this for the left side, then the right side. You have now anchored the canvas in four spots. From here, work your way outward toward the corners, always stapling opposite sides to keep the tension perfectly even.
Figure 2: Working in opposing pairs prevents the canvas from pulling diagonally and warping the image.
Folding the Corners
The corners are the only tricky part of the process. You want to fold them neatly, much like wrapping a gift box. Pinch the excess fabric, fold it flat against the side of the wooden stretcher bar, and secure it with two staples. A neat corner ensures your artwork sits flush against the wall.
Figure 3: Proper tension gives your completed project a premium, gallery quality look.
Ready to display your work?
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