How much to mount canvass print?

[Daggerpie]

I've got 68 x 58cm canvass print (its actually an abstract oil painting copy bought from Camden Market,it looks & feels like an original tho).

I want to get it mounted and just called local framing shop and they said they could stretch it and staple and that would be somewhere in the region of £50 - £60.00!!! (which I presume is just stretching it over a thin board and staple round the sides or back). Is this about the going rate, I was expecting £10 - £20.00 max as I cant see it being a particularly tricky job.

Without sounding like a tightarse - if it is the going rate, I think I might have a go myself, can't be that hard...cant it??

[oOTomOo]

Doesn't sound far off - does it include a frame?

We had one about 30cm x 40 cm done, including frame that was about £35.

They stretch it over a frame rather than a board (basically 4 bits of wood in a square) then put it in a frame (the pretty bit).

[mgtony]

Make a frame up out of 2x1 timber and lightly sand the edges,(this will give it some depth instead of a thin bit of board). Wrap the print around it, gently stretch it, start with one staple in the middle of each side and then work your way into the corners.
Fold in the corners so that any seen crease is at the top and bottom of the frame.

[Daggerpie]

Thanks for the replies guys, no fancy frame as such needed round the outside,but I get what you're saying about the inner frame instead of a board.

I think I might have a dig in the shed for some 2 x 1 as suggested and see what i can come up with. It'll be no oil painting im sure..but hopefully thats going on top!!

I really can't see how they justify those prices tho..

[jeff m]

The frame being discussed is called a stretcher or a stringer.
Stretcher has slots for retensioning with small wedges(you don't need that)
A stringer for a painting to be mounted in a pretty frame, need only be a 2 x 1 slung together, but stick some corners in to reinforce.
Abstract paintings are often "Gallery Mount". That means no pretty external frame, just the stringer or stretcher. The canvas is obviously tacked (or stapled) on the rear, not the sides.
Also gallery mount stretchers are usually thicker or deeper.
So assuming you have enough canvas a 2" x 1.5" might be better.
Most abstract painters would leave enough for gallery mount.

Run a power sander over to round off all the edges esp the corners.

If you don't want to make one from scratch, go to an art supply and ask what size stretcher kits they have. Specify gallery mount if that's what you want.