A subframe is a structure assembled from wooden battens or planks. It can have various sizes and purpose. Making a stretcher for a canvas with your own hands will not be difficult. To do this, you need to know what type of design will be required in one or another case.
Varieties of subframes
They are of two types: prefabricated and deaf. The first type is a modular and wedge subframes. The second is characterized by a strong and reliable connection of all elements. It cannot be tightened or the distance between the slats in it can be changed, unlike modular subframes.
Prefabricated structures are sold separately. Their cost is slightly higher than that of simple stretchers. They are popular because they can be used both to pull the canvas of the picture under the frame, and without it.
Any subframe should be endowed with the following characteristics:
- strength - all elements are securely fastened together;
- wear resistance - it is necessary to assemble the structure only from dry wood;
- match the size of the picture.
For this reason, it is necessary to choose high-quality material for the manufacture of the structure.
We select raw materials for the product
To make a stretcher for a canvas with your own hands, you need wood. It can be pine, oak, birch, mahogany and other varieties. The material must be well dried, processed and prepared. Otherwise, the structure will begin to deform over time.
We make a blind subframe
This type of product is more popular due to its low cost. Everyone can make such a stretcher for a canvas with their own hands.
Such tools and materials will be required:
- wood slats or planks;
- ruler;
- hacksaw;
- wood glue;
- furniture stapler;
- sandpaper;
- hammer;
- furniture corners.
How to make a stretcher for a canvas with your own hands? It is necessary to start the manufacturing process by determining the dimensions of the future product. After that, you need to saw off two vertical and horizontal strips. This can be done at an angle of 45 degrees.
The resulting parts are treated with sandpaper. Their surface should be smooth and free of knots. The ends of the elements are coated on both sides with wood glue and connected to each other. To make the construction durable, furniture corners are mounted to the inside of the subframe to the inside.
After that, the product is covered with several layers of varnish or paint. This will help protect the wood from moisture and other aggressive influences.
Modular designs
It is also easy to make such a stretcher for a canvas with your own hands. It has all the elements that are in the standard deaf type product. The main difference is the bolts and nuts, which are located at the corners of the product. With their help, the canvas tension is regulated so that the canvas does not sag. For the manufacture of the construction, the same materials and tools will be needed as for the previous product.
Pull the canvas onto the finished stretcher
The process in an inexperienced person can take a lot of time. How to draw a canvas on a stretcher with your own hands? Initially, it is necessary to check the design diagonals. Then, the picture is placed on the product so that the drawing is in the center. Fasten the canvas on all sides of the subframe using a stapler (one bracket - one side).
After that, similar actions are performed on the entire surface of the structure. The distance between the brackets should be at least 2-3 cm. The excess canvas is cut with scissors, and the raw edges are bent and glued to the inside of the subframe. The picture is framed.