Foolproof Framing: How to Stretch Your Paint by Numbers Canvas in Under 20 Minutes

You’ve finished your painting. It looks incredible. You know from reading our recent article on glass vs. gallery wraps that stretching your canvas on wooden bars is the best way to display it without glare.

But now you’re staring at the rolled-up canvas and feeling intimidating. "Build a frame? I'm a painter, not a carpenter!"

We have good news: You don't need to be handy to get a professional result. We designed our DIY Wooden Frame Kits specifically for beginners. If you can build a simple LEGO set, you can frame your canvas.

This crisp, professional look is easier to achieve at home than you think.

Gather Your Supplies

Before you start, make sure you have a large, clean, flat surface to work on (a dining table or clean floor works perfectly).

What you need:

• Your finished (and fully dry!) paint by numbers canvas.
• The DIY Wooden Frame Kit that matches your canvas size.
• A staple gun with staples (Recommended for the easiest, tightest hold). Alternatively, you can use thumb tacks (often included in kits) and a small hammer.

Step-by-Step: Stretching Your Canvas

1. Assemble Your Frame

   Forget saws and glue. Our stretcher bars use a clever interlocking "dovetail" design. Simply take the four wooden bars and slot the corners together. They should fit snugly to form a perfect rectangle. Ensure the rounded edges of the bars are all facing the same way; this will be the front side that touches the canvas.

   

   The bars snap together easily—no power tools required.

2. Position and Align

   Lay your canvas face down on your clean surface. Place your assembled wooden frame face down (rounded edges down) on top of the back of the canvas.

   Center the frame carefully. The painted image area should be perfectly aligned with the outer edge of the wooden frame, leaving an even amount of the white "bleed" border sticking out on all sides.

3. The First Stretch (The Anchors)

   Start in the middle of one long side. Fold the white canvas border tightly over to the back of the wooden bar and place one staple in the center.

   Now, move to the opposite long side. Pull the canvas tight, taut like a drum skin, fold it over, and place a staple in the center. Repeat this process for the centers of the two shorter sides.

   Pro Tip: Don't be afraid to pull tight! Canvas is durable. A loose canvas will sag over time.

   

   Secure the centers of opposite sides first to create even tension.

4. Work Toward the Corners

   Working from the center staples outward, continue stapling along the sides, pulling the canvas tight as you go. Stop about 2 inches before you reach the corners. Do this for all four sides.

5. The Perfect "Hospital Corner"

   This is the secret to a professional look. Don't just bunch the fabric up at the corner.

   Tuck the excess fabric at the corner inward to create a neat 45-degree fold, similar to wrapping a present or making a hospital bed corner. Pull this folded corner tightly over the back of the frame and staple it down securely. Repeat for all four corners.

   

   A neat fold at the corners gives your artwork a crisp, professional finish.

Admire Your Work!

Flip your canvas over. It should be tight, smooth, and free of wrinkles. You have just successfully gallery-wrapped your own painting! It is now ready to be hung on the wall and admired without annoying glass glare.

About the Author: William Murdock

William is the founder of Paint On Numbers Canada. He believes that framing your art shouldn't be harder than painting it, which is why he sourced the easiest DIY frame kits for his customers.