Stretching your own canvas is really quite easy all you need is a large flat surface to work on and some basic materials including: Canvas, Timber Frame, Staple Gun, Stretching Pliers and a Stanley Knife.

If you don't have a timber frame, ask your local framer, or carpenter friend to make one for you, you can also buy timber stretcher bars from most framing supplies stores or professional canvas stretchers.

How to stretch a Boxed Canvas:

• Step 1. Lay your canvas out on a flat table, and place your timber frame on top of it, leaving it approx 3 or 4 inches from the top-left corner. There is no need to trim the canvas from the roll yet.
   
• Step 2. Starting in the ‘middle’ across the top, gently over lap the canvas around the side of the timber frame and to the back and place two staples close together here.
   
• Step 3. Now move to the opposite edge of the frame in the ‘middle’ across the bottom. Lap the canvas over and pull it tight, preferably by using canvas pliers, directly in line with the first staples, place a staple here.
   
• Step 4. Repeat the above steps, but in the middle left, then middle right, each time pull the canvas as tight as possible against the opposite side.
   
• Step 5. Now, continue working around all four sides placing staples, work on each opposite side of the canvas, however this time pull the canvas at a slight angle out from the centre. As you go, you can lift up the work in progress and check that it is becoming taught.
   
• Step 6. Once you’ve come to a corner, tuck one canvas edge under the other neatly, pull back once again and staple. Now you are ready to trim the excess canvas using your stanly knife. 

You have just created a stretched canvas, also sometimes called a boxed canvas, you are now ready to seal the canvas surface with two coats of gesso before painting.

Canvas Stretching Tip: Be sure to use quality galvanised staples. Cheaper steel staples may rust over time and can stain the canvas if the artwork is subject to in high humidity

If you are finding stretching canvases all to tough, then consider getting a professional to do it for you, see: Canvas Stretching Services.