The Quality of Our Photo Canvas Frames

The quality of our canvas is really important to us, but it's only half the story...

The frame is the It's the last thing you see when you receive your brand new photo canvas print, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's unimportant. However, the simple stretcher frame, used for gallery-wrapped canvas prints is of paramount importance when it comes to the quality and finish of your piece.

Today, we'll tell you why, as well as what to look for when choosing your photo on canvas supplier...

Stretcher frames are a type of specialist gallery frame, designed to stretch - or gallery-wrap - a printed canvas. Four interlocking segments, known as stretcher bars are hammered together to form a completed rectangular or square frame.

Once the canvas has been stretcher and stapled to the frame, four tensioning wedges are hammered into the corners inside the frame. Once tight, these wedges push the joints of the stretcher frame apart slightly, fully tightening the canvas in the process. This stage is vital to ensure a tightly-wrapped canvas, and allows the canvas to be re-tightened in the future once the newly-stretched canvas relaxes over time.

However, not all stretcher frames are created equal! The type of wood, and the accuracy of the machining are the two key factors in creating high quality stretcher bars. The best stretcher bars are made from pine and are generally sourced from high-end European suppliers. Several popular Chinese manufacturers make large quantities of budget stretcher frames using softer timbers like Paulownia, which can be prone to fit problems.

In fact, many photo on canvas suppliers don't use stretcher frames at all. Some make their own frames from cuts of cheap DIY timber. These home-made frames are prone to bowing and the sharp edges often leave visible impressions on the canvas. Good quality stretcher frames are cut with a specifically-cut, curved profile to minimise any contact with the front of the canvas, ensuring no impressions or dents.

At 48 Hour Canvas, we're proud to say that we use the best quality stretcher frames available worldwide for our pieces. Made from sustainable pine, our stretcher bars are precision made by European craftsmen. A smooth finish, rounded profile, and extremely heavy weight are all signs of the quality of our frames. For a great finishing touch, precision-cut wooden wedges are used throughout rather than budget plastic wedges.

So now you can be sure that our canvas and frames are of the highest quality, you can trust 48 Hour Canvas to create a beautiful photo on canvas from your treasured photos...