Why is my canvas warped? How do I fix a warped canvas?
Warped canvas is certainly a big concern for artists and
canvas manufacturers alike. Like canvas, wood is a natural product affected by
environmental conditions. Wood is inherently susceptible to fluctuations in
moisture and heat. While we have set up QC checks and have strict controls in
the factories, we cannot totally prevent this from occurring as long as we use
natural materials. A canvas that may have been perfectly square at the factory
or when sent out from our warehouse may still warp. This is true of all brands
and styles of canvas.
Our stretcher bars are kiln-dried until their moisture content is minimal, making them as stable as possible before the canvas is attached. Still, even small changes in humidity can twist the bars, taking the canvas out of square. The best solution is to work and exhibit in a completely controlled environment. We recommend storing canvas upright in a temperate moisture-controlled room. Leaning canvas against a wall will eventually cause the frame to permanently lean. Just hanging a canvas on an exterior wall of a house can lead to it warping over time, as the canvas expands with moisture or dries and shrinks with heat.
Most warped canvases can be corrected by framing them in a sturdy frame. Mounting plywood or MDF to the back of a canvas is another option; both full panels and triangle corner braces have been effective. Some artists use metal braces from a hardware store to reinforce warped bars. Still other artists wet the stretcher bars and weight the painting down with weights until the canvas has returned to its original flat shape. Sometimes the only solution is to remove the painting and re-stretch it.
Our stretcher bars are kiln-dried until their moisture content is minimal, making them as stable as possible before the canvas is attached. Still, even small changes in humidity can twist the bars, taking the canvas out of square. The best solution is to work and exhibit in a completely controlled environment. We recommend storing canvas upright in a temperate moisture-controlled room. Leaning canvas against a wall will eventually cause the frame to permanently lean. Just hanging a canvas on an exterior wall of a house can lead to it warping over time, as the canvas expands with moisture or dries and shrinks with heat.
Most warped canvases can be corrected by framing them in a sturdy frame. Mounting plywood or MDF to the back of a canvas is another option; both full panels and triangle corner braces have been effective. Some artists use metal braces from a hardware store to reinforce warped bars. Still other artists wet the stretcher bars and weight the painting down with weights until the canvas has returned to its original flat shape. Sometimes the only solution is to remove the painting and re-stretch it.