Blick Art Materials
07-11-2012, 05:02 PM
Tip of the Week - De-mystifying Cross Bars
So you want to stretch your own canvas, but you aren’t sure about cross bars. Do you need them? How many? What size should you get?
A good rule of thumb in deciding if you need to use crossbars is to assume you are going to need one crossbar for every 30-36 inches of stretcher bar. A 24”x36” canvas would only need one cross bar positioned to brace the longer stretcher bars. Larger canvases may require more cross bars, and not necessarily in a cross shape. Often you will want two going in one direction and one in the other. If your crossbars will be overlapping like this, they will need to be notched at the points where they overlap so that they will fit together at those points. Please be sure to let us know where we should notch them for you when you place your order.
We have tried to make choosing the right size of cross bar as easy as possible. No math is needed, you don’t need to try to figure out the actual length of bar that will fit inside your stretcher frame. We have done that for you. Simply choose the size that matches your stretcher bar. (i.e., if you are stretching a 36”x36” canvas, you would choose the cross bars marked 36”)
Did you know?
We carry a very broad range of sizes for your canvas stretching needs. We have stretcher bars and cross bars ranging from as small as 8” to as large as 12’!
Becky
Product Information Specialist
For further assistance using art supplies, feel welcome to contact our Product Information Department at 1-800-933-2542 or e-mail us at info@dickbick.com. Hours of operation: M-F, 8:00am-5:30pm CST.
So you want to stretch your own canvas, but you aren’t sure about cross bars. Do you need them? How many? What size should you get?
A good rule of thumb in deciding if you need to use crossbars is to assume you are going to need one crossbar for every 30-36 inches of stretcher bar. A 24”x36” canvas would only need one cross bar positioned to brace the longer stretcher bars. Larger canvases may require more cross bars, and not necessarily in a cross shape. Often you will want two going in one direction and one in the other. If your crossbars will be overlapping like this, they will need to be notched at the points where they overlap so that they will fit together at those points. Please be sure to let us know where we should notch them for you when you place your order.
We have tried to make choosing the right size of cross bar as easy as possible. No math is needed, you don’t need to try to figure out the actual length of bar that will fit inside your stretcher frame. We have done that for you. Simply choose the size that matches your stretcher bar. (i.e., if you are stretching a 36”x36” canvas, you would choose the cross bars marked 36”)
Did you know?
We carry a very broad range of sizes for your canvas stretching needs. We have stretcher bars and cross bars ranging from as small as 8” to as large as 12’!
Becky
Product Information Specialist
For further assistance using art supplies, feel welcome to contact our Product Information Department at 1-800-933-2542 or e-mail us at info@dickbick.com. Hours of operation: M-F, 8:00am-5:30pm CST.