Canvas on Masonite - Success!

As a die-hard "hard surface" painter, I've been using gessoed Masonite for years. However, nothing will ever replace the canvas look for look and effect. To that end, I stretched a few canvases in the last few months and while they came out really tight and all that, I just can't stand that "give" even the tightest canvas gives you. Also, I live in a humid area, and I noticed that the canvases "loosened up" a little with time. Not going to work for me!!

Soooooooo, Chris Saper to the rescue! I recently read the following from one of Chris's posts:

". . . I don't prime the materials at all. With the tempered masonite, I use a sponge paint roller to apply the Demco glue in an even coat to the smooth side, then apply the pre-primed canvas. This is a canvas prep method I learned some years ago when I studied with Dan Gerhartz, whom I consider to be extraordinary not only in his work, but also in his methods. I have been working in oil for about five years now, and my first canvases are still in beautiful condition; of course, I can't attest to what they may be like in 25 years."

Well, long story short, I tried Chris' method, and it works. Elaborating on her instructions, here's exactly what I did:

First, I bought my usual double-tempered [smooth on both sides] Masonite at Home Depot. Cost about $2.50. That's for a 24" x 48" sheet. My Home Depot cuts the bigger sheets into these smaller sizes. I had Home Depot cut my sheet into a 24" x 40" sheet. Took it home and sanded one side with 220 grit sandpaper - just enough to get a good surface for the glue to grip.

Secondly, I made sure to get as much of the sanding dust off as I could. DO NOT use a wet cloth for this - Masonite *WILL* warp if you get a drop of water within 20 miles - do I make myself clear?

Next, I cut a sheet of Frederix Ultra-Smooth Portrait grade Polyflax canvas about 4" bigger than the Masonite all around.

Home Depot sells the little 4" sponge paint rollers. Use it to roll on a good layer of DEMCO Specially Formulated NeutralBond Modified Vinyl Adhesive, Stock no. 162-0822 [They have a website - they're in WI]. I just poured some of the glue down directly on the Masonite and then rolled it around into a smooth layer. Don't lollygag here - the glue will start to set up in about a minute.

Start on one end and lay the canvas down - use a good hard hand roller to make sure no bubbles are on the surface. That's probably the biggest danger here - air bubbles. If you find any, and you will, roll them towards the closest edge.

I finished by really rolling hard all over. After a few minutes, I used a really sharp cutter to trim the canvas, exposing the EDGE of the Masonite. I then sealed the edge of the canvas/Masonite with a foam paintbrush to keep the edges 'down'.

Now, you've got a good HARD canvas surface! Looks great!

Thanks Chris!
Wade Meyers

[Michael Georges]

Hello Wade:

Sounds like a good technique. I also glue canvas to masonite with success. I use polymer medium as the glue and use unprimed canvas.

The one thing I do, and which I will recommend to you is to wrap the canvas around the board with at least 6 inches glued to the backside in corner flaps. This way, if at some later point, your canvas needs to be removed from the board, you have extra canvas on all sides and they don't have to crop the picture to remount it.

Hope that helps!

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Thank you Wade for taking the time to post exactly how you mounted the canvas on the board. It's something I've been thinking about trying and now, with detailed instructions, just might give it a try.

I suppose this same technique would work with unprimed linen canvas? I would just have to prime and sand the canvas after the glue was dry? Or . . . would I have to apply a layer of 'canvas glue sizing' to protect the canvas from the oil primer? Couldn't I use the 'canvas glue sizing' to glue down the canvas? I did this yesterday and so far, it seems to be sticking.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help with this.

Joan

[Gina Rath]

I also love the hardness of wood but love the color and feel of linen. I use Gamblin PVA size to adhere the linen to the wood surface. Just lay the linen on the wood and apply the PVA with a large brush. Saturate well and make sure to thoroughly smooth the linen, then allow to dry. The linen can be painted on as is without a primer (as confirmed by Gamblin) if you love the color as I do.

Gina

[Juan Martinez]

Do any of you experience warping of the masonite? How thick is it? I find that even 1/2 inch birch G2S plywood will bend (not smaller ones, though) because of the uneven tension created by the glues and canvas, especially if the latter is un-primed. The addition of gesso to the canvas seems to magnify the problem. Sometimes it's more and sometimes it's less, but it's there, just the same.

As an aside, if you're interested in archival issues, you may consider using BEVA glue. It is the standard museum-grade stuff and seems to be the only one that is proven to be reversable. Most other neutral pH PVA adhesives become very difficult, if not impossible, to remove.

Juan

[Juan Martinez]

Joan

You definitely need to size the linen prior to applying gesso. If you are using acrylic gesso it is equally as important as it is with glue/chalk gesso. The acidity in the oil will creep through to the linen, otherwise. Also, there is a phenomenon known as SID (Support Induced Discoloration) which occurs most notably with Acrylic paint, but may also happen with acrylic gesso. It is the migration of water soluble particles out of the support (canvas or linen) into the ground. It can cause a discoloration moving toward the yellow. Sizing the support with say, Golden GAC 100 or even with another couple of diluted coats of neutral pH glue should prevent this as well. All in all, sizing the support is good practice. (By the way, I paint in oils, but I often use acrylic gesso and find the information on Golden's web-site to be most helpful.)

All the best.

Juan

[Michael Georges]

Juan:

My wrapping technique counters much of the warping of the board. I use 1/4 inch masonite. Of course, I am also gessoing both sides of the board when the glue is dry and that exerts some pressure as well

[Virgil Elliott]

Masonite is vulnerable to crumbling at the edges, and especially the corners, if dropped or mis-handled, unless a bracing is glued to the back. Larger pieces stand a greater chance of being damaged than smaller ones, due to the weight differences and relative ease of handling. Once a smaller piece is installed in a frame, such damage is less likely to occur, but since paintings are removed from frames for photographing, varnishing and restoration, it is best to glue a bracing framework of wood to the back to reinforce it. Basswood is one of the better woods to use for this. I use 1" x 2" strips, miter the ends, and glue them in place using many small C clamps to hold them while the glue dries. I put a strip of wood between the C clamps and the front of the Masonite to spread the force and prevent the clamps from creating dents in the surface. I wrap the canvas around the edges of the bracing, and tack it down with copper-plated tacks, just as I would with stretcher bars.

I learned about the crumbling of the edges of unreinforced Masonite the hard way, after painting a picture directly on primed Masonite, many years ago. It was dropped, and lost a corner. Once damaged, it could not be satisfactorily repaired.

Virgil Elliott