Manufactured in our Melbourne workshop, our stretchers are made for strength and stability, using traditional joinery and wedges to create strong, sustainable and long lasting stretcher bars.
We use two types of FSC certified timber, Araucaria Cunninghamii (Hoop Pine) and Canadian Western Red Cedar.
Our Hoop Pine is a native Australian timber grown on sustainable plantations in Queensland and northern New South Wales. The timber is kiln dried, finger joined and laminated to ensure straight and sturdy stretcher bars. Its qualities include stability, strength and affordability. Not hard, not heavy, and not old growth. Our pine stretcher bars remain a popular and affordable option.Â
Our premium timber is Canadian Western Red Cedar sourced from forestry-managed felling in Canada. This is a sustainably-harvested timber that is highly respected for its archival qualities. Stable, light and resistant to moisture and insect damage, our cedar bars remain the museum-grade stretcher of choice for artists and collectors.
We use the traditional mitre joint in combination with wedges, allowing the stretcher to expand and maintain strength and stability throughout. The wedges themselves are made from the timber off-cuts, eliminating waste wherever possible.
An alternative to the mortice and tenoned mitre joint is the new Belle Arti heart and oval connectors. These are fabricated from a strong plastic polymer resin and enable stretcher expansion and stability also. The other great advantage to them is they automatically square the stretchers.
Learn more about our range of stretchers and braces, or browse our PDF catalogue.
Medium: 78mm x 32mm, laminated x 3
Professional quality (PQ): 67mm x 22mm
Bumpa: 45mm x 32mm
Double: 50 x50 mm
Medium: 38 x 50 mm
Basic: 28 x 50 mm
Museum: 80mm x 40mm
Medium: 80mm x 32mm
Gallery: 67mm x 32mm
Professional quality (PQ): 67mm x 22mm
Light Weight: 45mm x 20mm
18mm x 45mm
Museum: 78mm x 28mm
Stock Sizes: 12in (305mm) to 108in (2743mm)
Professional Quality (PQ): 67mm x 19mm
Gallery: 26mm x 67mm
Professional Quality (PQ): 67mm x 19mm
Stock Sizes: 12in (305mm) to 144in (3658mm)
Museum: 29mm x 78mm, 19mm x 67mm, 26mm x 67mm
Stock Sizes: 42in (1067mm) to 144in (3658mm)
Evolution Aluminium Stretchers
Evolution is a new, easy-to-use, stretcher system. Light and elegant, versatile and reliable, 100% straight in any length with precise canvas tension. It combines simplicity with remarkable technical design to create a completely custom stretcher system.
• No torsion/warping issues.
• The aluminium profile of the fixed supporting structure can be doubled and extended for very big sizes, without any kind of accessory.
• Bars, crosses or diagonals can be inserted even after the assembling of the stretcher.
• One connector is used for the corner of the stretcher, of the bar and of the cross. A different connector (45°) is used for the diagonals.
• The applying of the four diagonals improves the mechanical performances. It allows the saving of more material compared to the crosses system and also to re-use the leftover short strips.
• Canvas can be traditionally fixed with staples, or even without.
• Evolution can be used for many different applications, including restoration.
Browse our range of ready-made stretchers.
