How to Frame a Canvas Painting the Right Way in 2025
Beauty and elegance often come down to the little details, especially in your home, and that includes things like knowing how to frame a canvas painting properly. Not only that, but it’s a great way to show off your own artistic creations in a more serious manner.
There’s something so grown-up about putting a proper frame on your canvas painting. No piece of DIY home decor could be more special than your own artwork or something made by someone special to you. The design experts at One Kings Lane agree that framing your art, or even a piece bought from a local art show, is the way to go. Not only adding elegance but also preserving the integrity of the pieces.
If you’ve ever been to a framing store or even your local craft store, you know that adding a frame to a canvas painting, photograph or diploma can be expensive and a bit overwhelming. From choosing a frame color, style and size to selecting the right mat color and whether or not you want a floating frame can be enough to make you question whether it’s even worth it to frame a canvas painting. Luckily, there are quite a few tips and tricks out there to bring the cost down so you can enjoy your art in a more polished way without breaking the bank.
Jump to Section
- What is the Best Way to Frame a Canvas Painting?
- How to Frame a Painting on Canvas
- How to Frame an Unstretched Canvas Painting
What is the Best Way to Frame a Canvas Painting?
Perhaps you’ve started exploring acrylic painting techniques for beginners and you want to show off your latest masterpiece. Or maybe as part of your journey into art you’ve been supporting local artists at art fairs and want to ensure their work and your new purchase is well protected in your home. Either way, you’re going to need to know how to frame a canvas painting the right way.
If you’re looking to add more color, flare and fun to your space (with a homemade spin) check out art classes in Los Angeles, art classes in the Bay Area or art classes in Washington, D.C. to start. There are in-person and online art classes available all over the United States (and the world) to give you an introduction to the arts. Whether you’re looking for a detailed session on painting techniques or an intro to pottery or glass-blowing, there’s something for you. The instructors are experts in their craft and after you learn how to start oil painting for beginners, your space will be filled with hand-painted canvases. These gorgeous works of art, made with love, are a perfect DIY Christmas gift idea or birthday present.
So what is the best way to frame a canvas painting to protect and display it? The trouble you might run into is that canvases are considerably thicker than a photograph or even just a piece of cardboard that you might usually put in a picture frame. Luckily, there’s an easy fix for this that makes it so much more affordable to frame a canvas painting yourself.
Obviously, you need to ensure the length and height of your art fits within the frame first. Then, using Z-shape brackets, you can secure the canvas to the frame. You might still need a bit of cardboard here and there to fill in gaps, but this is by far the easiest and cheapest way to frame a canvas painting at home.
Not only that, but this way is slightly more temporary, or at least it’s much easier to swap out your paintings as you change your decor or the holidays come around. Sounds like a nice way to showcase your DIY Christmas decorations!
How to Frame a Painting on Canvas
To go into further detail on how to frame a painting on canvas, one of the easiest and cheapest ways to do that is with Z-shape brackets and some spare cardboard.
Place your canvas painting face down into the frame that fits it, then secure the brackets to the back of the frame and the painting using screws. If the brackets don’t sit flush with the canvas, slide in a piece of cardboard and screw into that. This method works best to frame a small painting on canvas where you might be able to use a photo frame.
For larger works of art, like big statement pieces, it’s essential to know how to frame a painting on canvas otherwise it would look totally unfinished and sloppy. However, adding a frame to your shopping cart or taking it to a professional can tack on hundreds if not $1,000 or more to the cost of the painting. This is where being able to DIY comes in handy. With just about an hour and a few specialty tools, you can save yourself tons of money on a custom frame.
You’ll need
- A tape measure
- Wood boards (like pine)
- Wood stain
- Sandpaper
- A miter saw
- A nail gun
- Corner clamps
- Instant adhesive
Whew. All in, this will cost significantly less than a large frame though and you can use the leftovers for other projects.
1. Measure Your Canvas and Check for 90 Degree Angles
Double and triple-check the size of your canvas so you cut the appropriate pieces for the frame, and ensure that it is perfectly square. If it’s not, your miter saw will cut 45-degree angles, coming together for perfect 90-degree corners and this will look strange.
2. Make Your Cuts
Note that the shortest mitered part must correspond to the longest length on your canvas. To avoid cutting to the wrong length, make marks on your wood with a short mark for the length and draw the miter angle from there.
3. Glue and Clamp
Once all your wood is cut, and you’ve ensured that it fits around your canvas, clear your artwork out of the way as you pull out the adhesive. Glue together your frame, holding it in place with corner clamps.
4. Nail it Down
Once the wood glue or fast-acting adhesive has dried, you’ll want to nail together the corners for extra security and a more polished look. This can be done with a nail gone or some finishing nails and a hammer.
5. Fill Nail Holes and Gaps
Once you’ve added your finishing nails, you may need to fill a couple of little nail holes using an all-purpose wood filler and a sander. Once it’s dry, sand it down so it’s flat and smooth like the rest of your wood.
6. Stain Your Frame
This is an optional but recommended step in how to frame a canvas painting that can really customize and elevate your finished piece. You can stain the wood or paint it black, silver, white or any color you fancy. This is the time in the process to do that, and let it dry completely.
7. Insert Your Canvas
The final step in how to frame a canvas painting is the most satisfying and it involves setting your painting in the new custom frame and securing it with nails, inserted through the canvas side. Voila!
How to Frame an Unstretched Canvas Painting
If for whatever reason you find yourself with an unstretched canvas painting, you will still need to find a way to frame it. This will require a few extra steps and supplies including a stretcher bar frame, a nail or staple gun, your floater frame of choice and a few other goodies.
1. Measure Your Frame
It’s best to only have to do this once, so start by measuring the size of your frame so you know how big your painting needs to be. Before trimming, be sure to leave yourself enough extra canvas to fold over the frame.
2. Lay it Down Flat
On a clean surface, place your painting face down.
3. Fold Your Canvas
Begin with one of the shorter sides of your canvas and fold it over the stretcher bar, securing it with a single staple or nail in the center. Turn it 180 degrees and repeat with the other short side, eventually folding all sides over.
4. Pull The Canvas
Gently pull the canvas slightly more taut and add one additional nail or staple on either side of the original center staple.
5. Fold Your Corners
Keeping pressure and pulling tightly, fold your corners by tucking one side under the other and securing.
6. Place in Frame
Once you’ve successfully stretched your canvas onto a stretcher bar, you’re ready to frame your canvas painting using the steps described earlier.
Learning how to frame a canvas painting yourself is a surprisingly useful skill to have. There are some things in life that feel like a rude awakening or a “welcome to adulthood” that you never wanted, like discovering how expensive curtains are or how much money a frame costs when you already spent a pretty penny on the canvas! With a little DIY know-how and a step-by-step guide, you’ll be framing canvas paintings quickly and affordably for years to come.
For even more fun DIY ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
