Aluminum Stretchers
Recommended for
Accessing the increased stability and other inherent attributes of aluminum as a material.
Design
All about innovations integrating aluminum with wood to maximize the benefits of both.
Materials
High-quality aluminum with sugar pine and basswood.
Stretcher Bar Profile
Custom options – contact us.
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What is an Aluminum Stretcher?
Aluminum options represent the next frontier in canvas stretchers.
Good, stable, quality wood is increasingly difficult to source and supplies can only be expected to dwindle further. Even discounting that consideration, aluminum’s superior stability makes it an appealing material, albeit one with certain limitations and issues to be managed.
Features of our Aluminum Stretchers
Once again, Simon Liu’s approach is to innovate. We are designing and building custom-order items for clients interested in aluminum options.
In this case: premium aluminum and wood hybrids.
Entirely aluminum-on-aluminum stretchers don’t hold together well, with some degree of movement no matter how tight the bolts. As a softer material, wood grips far better.
In addition, a wooden lip outside an aluminum body allows for diverse sizing and styles. It also provides an area for staples and protects the canvas from water condensation. (Aluminum introduces moisture from water condensation whenever a piece goes from a cooler, dryer environment to increased humidity and heat.)
And for mural-sized pieces, an aluminum stretcher with a wooden lip provides the best way to align the two tabs of a folding stretcher.
