86 Inch 3D Pro K2 Stretcher Bar 2-1/2" Deep #K2-86

3D™ Pro 2.5 Stretcher Bar • 1/2" Canvas Clearance

1/2" Canvas Clearance 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.

• Produces a 2.5" deep stretched canvas (Actual depth is slightly thinner)
• 1.25" wide Stretcher Bar
• All Bars have an exclusive groove on the inside perimeter of the frame to which cross braces and Diamond Corner Braces attach
• Solid Ponderosa Pine or Fir from the Pacific Northwest

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 - A Precious Natural Resource

The air that we breathe depends upon our healthy forests the world over. For this reason, we only use lumber from the sustainable forests of the Pacific Northwest, so we can guarantee that our nation's precious natural timber resources are available for future generations.

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 8 Inches of canvas beyond the size of your frame.

For example, if you were to stretch a 68x86 frame size, which happens to be a Palindromic Size, your canvas should be about 8 x 94. 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

You will never be a scholar of the brush unless you have served your apprenticeship as a craftsman. ♦ Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin's words emphasize the intrinsic value of hands-on experience and the mastery of foundational skills in one's chosen craft. Despite the allure of the bohemian world of late 19th-century Paris, Gauguin's initial experiences were far from the paintbrush. He began his adult life in the navy, then became a stockbroker, and even dabbled in tarpaulin before discovering his calling as an artist. Each chapter of his life, however diverse, molded him, imparting knowledge and discipline that would eventually shape his distinctive artistic voice.

Every artist understands the importance of foundational skills. Techniques, perspectives, and even understanding the very materials we use—these are not just lessons but pillars on which great works of art are built. However, beyond the mechanics, it's the broader experiences, the trials, and the challenges that truly enrich our perspectives. As artists, we often draw from our past, from moments of joy, pain, love, and loss. These experiences, combined with technical expertise, create a potent combination that allows us to express with depth and authenticity.

So, while we may find inspiration in the starlit skies or the rolling waves of the sea, it's the years of practice, the countless hours of trial and error, and the wealth of life experiences that truly allow us to bring our visions to life. Gauguin's reminder serves as a beacon, guiding us to respect the process, cherish the learning, and remember that in art, as in life, the journey often enriches the destination.

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Echoing the timeless spirit of artistry, we bring you this quote paired with our beautiful portrait of Paul Gauguin that we created. Let your colors on the canvas speak!

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.