How to Mount a Canvas in a Traditional Frame

This is for a stretched canvas going into a traditional frame, where the frame laps over the edge of the canvas instead of leaving a gap around it. The canvas has to fit inside the rabbet, and points hold it there. It is a short job once the depth checks out.

What you need

  • A point gun, or Manual Framer's Points if you do not own one.
  • A tape measure to check the canvas depth against the rabbet depth.
  • A clean, padded surface to work on.
  • Hanging hardware for the back of the frame.

Hardware is not included with the frame. Points and hanging hardware are in hardware.

Steps

  1. Measure the depth of the canvas, including the stretcher bars, and compare it to the rabbet depth listed for your frame. The canvas must not protrude out the back.
  2. Measure the height and width in a few places while you are at it, including the corners where the canvas folds over. Those spots often run slightly larger than the tight, flush sides.
  3. Lay the frame face down on a padded surface.
  4. Set the canvas face down into the rabbet and push it up against the frame all the way around.
  5. Secure it with points driven into the inside of the rabbet, behind the stretcher bar. Manual points go in the same place if you are working without a gun.
  6. Work around all four sides so the canvas cannot shift, then turn the frame over and check that it is seated evenly against the frame the whole way around.
  7. If the canvas does not sit flush in the rabbet, an offset clip that spans the gap will hold it without putting pressure on it.
  8. Add hanging hardware and hang it.

If you would rather see the edges of the canvas than cover them, that is a floater frame, and it mounts differently.

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Frequently asked questions

What if my canvas is deeper than the rabbet?

Then it will protrude out the back, which is not what you want. Choose a frame with enough rabbet depth for the canvas, or use a floater frame built for that depth.

Do I use offset clips or points here?

Points are the normal method for a traditional frame. Offset clips are what you use in a floater frame, though a clip can help in a traditional frame when the canvas does not sit flush in the rabbet.

Do I need a point gun?

No. Manual framer’s points work without one. Most customers who frame regularly end up with a gun because it is faster.

Can I hang it with a sawtooth hanger?

On a smaller, lighter frame, yes. See attaching a sawtooth hanger, or use D-rings and wire for anything larger.

How do I find the rabbet depth of my frame?

It is listed on the product page for the frame. The rabbet is the recessed space on the inside edge where the artwork sits, and its depth is what limits how thick a canvas you can use.