A canvas has always been the top choice for when painting, but artists and non-artists alike can get so much more out of a canvas. A stretched canvas can make for a unique way to display your favorite photo or even to prepare a canvas for a painting. If you’re interested in getting a stretched canvas, you might ask; how much does it cost to stretch canvas at Michaels?
The price of stretching a canvas at Michaels ultimately depends on how big you want your finished product to be. Since stretching canvas is a specialized practice, your finished product can end up costing close to or even more than $100. However, Michaels only offers stretched canvas in limited sizes, and it can get expensive the larger you want your canvas to be.
If you enjoy the look and feel of a canvas but aren’t committed to having it stretched, you do have other options to create a new piece of wall art with canvas.
Canvas Stretching Prices At Michaels
Prices for canvas stretching can vary per project, but you’re usually looking at between $10 and $20 per linear foot. Their selection of stretched canvas sizes are somewhat limited, and their prices are pretty standard compared to other popular arts and crafts stores.
You also have the ability to purchase a plethora of blank canvases in numerous sizes at Michaels. Michaels also offers a very expansive and helpful custom framing service that also has the ability to print photos on a variety of materials and mediums, including canvas.
Does Michaels Stretch Canvas?
Not all Michaels stores throughout your area will be set up for the exact same services, especially depending on how big or small they are. However, Michaels does stretch canvas for you in general.
Stretching canvas involves taking a piece of rolled up canvas that has already been prepared in sheet form. You might have a photo printed on the canvas or some other piece of art. You may also choose to have a blank piece of canvas stretched to complete a painting or art project afterwards.
You have a couple of options for what you want your canvas stretched over. It can be stretched over a basic wooden frame to allow you to hang up your finished piece. You can also have your canvas stretched inside a frame, and have the canvas encapsulated behind glass or plastic if you want.
Why Is Stretching Canvas To Expensive?
There are a few factors that lead to the overall cost of having a canvas stretched. Stretching a canvas is a fairly time consuming endeavor, and it requires a special skill set that isn’t as common as it once was. There aren’t any known shortcuts to make the process of stretching a piece of canvas fabric that won’t reduce its overall quality.
Additionally, if you’re having a stretched canvas shipped to your home, you’re going to want to pay for secure packaging that’s going to keep your canvas intact during transit. Depending on where you live, having your photo uploaded to a business to have it stretched on canvas and shipped to you may be your only option.
If you’re an especially creative and artsy person, you also have the option to learn how to stretch canvas yourself. This is not necessarily a cheap hobby to have, however, as stretching canvas requires a lot of tools. It can be a very fun process to learn, so it’s worth considering if you like the finished look of a stretched canvas.
Can You Frame A Canvas Instead Of Stretching It?
It’s now much easier to get a canvas framed instead of having it stretched. One of the ways you can accomplish this is by having a canvas mounted onto a board before it’s encapsulated in a frame. It’s good to know, however, that Michaels isn’t equipped to frame stretched canvas, but they are able to frame unstretched canvas fairly easily.
Framing a canvas is a little bit more complicated than simply cutting your photo or painting to size and sticking it in the frame. It may have to be slightly stretched or shrunk down in order to fit into the frame you’ve chosen. Unless you have the skillset to frame canvas with the right tools, you may be better off having a canvas fit to a frame professionally.
It can also be expensive to have a canvas framed instead of stretching it. Similarly, the cost is going to depend on variables such as size and how much work is involved in getting that canvas to fit perfectly inside the frame.
Can You Stretch An Already Painted Canvas?
Stretching an already painted canvas can be somewhat complicated. You would have to be very precise in ensuring your painting is perfectly centered over the frame. If it budges at all, you could end up with a stretched canvas that you’re not very proud of. As such, you want to be pretty discerning in which finished paintings you might choose to stretch.
There’s also the potential that your painting gets distorted during the stretching process. This distortion could be cracks and lumps in the dry paint which can be difficult to correct once it happens. If the canvas isn’t stretched enough or is stretched too much, there may potentially be ripples in the canvas which can impact how your painting looks.
Final Thoughts
Getting a canvas stretched is a lengthy process requiring a lot of skill, so it’s good to weigh your options for how to display your art. While you can do it yourself if you want to learn and have the capability of procuring the necessary tools, specialty stores such as Michaels offer the service for you.
Getting canvas stretched can be a nice way of using photos you’ve taken and making them bigger so you can hang them on the wall as an alternative to a printed, framed photo. You can also get stretched canvas for paintings, but it’s best to paint after your canvas has been stretched.
Make sure to follow all my tips and recommended products to ensure your project turns out great! Also, don’t forget to check out my other articles for all your painting Q&A’s. Happy painting!