40 Inch Elite B2 Stretcher Bar 1-1/2" Deep #B2-40

Elite™ Professional 1.5" Deep B2 Bar • 1/2" Canvas Clearance

A Canvas Clearance of 1/2" is the space between the Bar and the canvas. Generally speaking, more clearance reduces the risk of the canvas touching the wood and creating unsightly lines during painting. Our design provides the optimal clearance so as not to impact your painting, but still leaving enough wood to the maximize strength of the Stretcher Bar.

Finger Jointed Wood is not meant for Stretcher Bars

Solid wood makes the most dependable Stretcher Bar, because one homogeneous wood member is going to behave similarly across the entire length of the Bar. Whereas, with finger-jointed wood is made-up of multiple pieces of wood, sometimes on the actual joint itself, presenting multiple points of failure which no one can control.

We only use Solid Wood to build our Stretcher Bars because a solid piece of wood will last indefinitely. When we speak of archival value, it's not just the paint you use and the quality of your canvas and ground, even the wood choices manufacturers add or reduce value to your final painting. The fact is, you don't want problems, and finger joints only increase that risk of the wood falling apart in the future.

The glue used to bind finger joints is a water based adhesive and when that wood is exposed to high humidity environments, particularly with exterior walls, the glue joints can give-up. As a manufacturer, Masterpiece® does its part to conserve as much wood as possible, and still provide a quality product that will out-perform any other in the marketplace.

Sustainable Forests for Future Generations

Sustainable forestry practices go beyond just planting and harvesting trees. They also involve careful planning, monitoring, and management to ensure the long-term health and productivity of the forest. By using lumber from sustainably managed forests, we can support these important practices and help to ensure that our planet's forests remain healthy and productive for generations to come.

Canvas Size Needed for this Stretcher Bar

Most artists will stretch the canvas and attach the staples or tacks onto the back side of the frame. Doing so allows you to paint on the edge and hang your art without needed a picture frame. Generally speaking, you should allow 6 Inches of canvas beyond the size of your frame.

For example, if you were to stretch a 40x80 frame size, which happens to be a 2:1 Domino aspect ratio size, your canvas should be about 6 x 46. This allows you ample room to stretch and attach the canvas on the back. Should you ever need to remove the canvas from the frame and re-attach it, it still serves that purpose too. Should you want to attach the canvas from the edge of the stretcher frame, then you can reduce the size of your canvas about 3/4" all the way around the frame.

Masterpiece® is a family-owned business operating in California since 1965 and producing the finest Stretcher Bars in North America. We deliver the highest quality and highest performing products in the business. We are widely recognized as the nation's leader and trendsetter of professional quality fine-art canvas. We own several patents that make our products perform superior to any other on the market. Once you touch one of our products, you'll immediately recognize our impeccable quality—and more importantly, so will your clients and those who acquire your art

I intend to make myself heard in spite of all the world's injustice. ♦ Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi, a towering figure of the Baroque era, was more than just a talented painter; she was a symbol of tenacity and defiance against overwhelming odds. At a time when women were routinely sidelined in the art world, Gentileschi not only carved a niche for herself but also addressed themes of female empowerment and resilience in her works.

Many artists confront challenges and setbacks in their careers, but Gentileschi faced adversities that were deeply entrenched in societal norms and biases. The sting of injustice she faced, particularly in her early life, became a crucible for her ambition. Her determination resonates with so many of us who have faced barriers, be they societal or personal, in our pursuit of artistic expression. Just as Gentileschi transformed her trials into strokes of genius on canvas, we too harness our experiences, using them as fuel to ensure our voices resonate, undeterred by the weight of external challenges.

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We believe in the power of words to inspire, and the magic of art to connect. Enjoy this meaningful quote with contextual background, and admire our unique rendition of Artemisia Gentileschi to complement your imagination. Get busy on your next composition!

Tight'n'Up™ Liquid Canvas Retensioner

One of our most celebrated products helps make your canvas tighter! Assembling Stretcher Bars and Stretching your own canvas can present some challenges. While your canvas may seem tightly stretched, the tension may vary from staple to staple creating lines of tension across the canvas in a grid like pattern. The trick is to maintain balanced tension across the canvas.

Tight'n'Up™ Liquid Canvas Re-Tensioner is a great way to redistribute the tension in a canvas across that grid-like pattern of tension as well as increase the tension on the entire canvas. While you can can add tension by keying-out the corners of the frame, it may produce an hour-glass effect by expanding the frame in the corners, and not the center.

With Tight'n'Up™, you can add tension to just a small area, or a large area. Simply spray it lightly on the back and brush it into the canvas, and within seconds, your canvas becomes tighter and stays tighter. The more you use, the tighter it gets. Recommended for acrylic primed cotton or linen canvas. We do not recommend it for oil primed canvas because there are simply too many different types of oil primed canvas, but used conservatively at your own risk, it will tension any canvas.