Stretching canvas is a very tricky and delicate work. If you cannot fit the canvas on the baseboard appropriately, the canvas may get damaged or even torn. Having the best staple gun for canvas stretching will set you apart from traditional ones.
Many people use the old scratching technique of manually nailing the canvas on the stretcher baseboard. But there’s a good chance that the canvas gets overstretched and ruptured. In modern times, people use the power staple guns for stretching canvas.
Can you use a regular stapler for canvas?
You can not use a regular stapler for canvas stretching. Canvas needs to be stretched and stapled very tightly on the stretcher board. A regular stapler is not designed to staple with a full face. Because of the stapler base, the standard stapler mainly packs multiple thin or hard papers together. It can’t provide the strength to keep a canvas stretched and held firmly.
7 Best Staple Guns For Canvas Stretching
Let’s get to the ins and outs of the 7 best staple guns for canvas stretching available in the marketplace.
Metabo HPT Finish Staple Gun for stretching canvases
Metabo is the renamed brand of famous Hitachi Power Tools with the same level of quality. Its magazine can comply with 18 gauge narrow crown staples ranging from ½” to 1-½” in length. This gives you multiple options for stretching small to big canvases quickly.
The lightweight of 2.3 lbs of this stapler allows you to staple canvas with a stretcher effortlessly. Besides, it is small and thin, having 10.1 x 2.2 x 9.25 inches of body dimension. This makes it usable in very confined spaces conveniently.
The Aluminium alloy body construction increases its durability and saves it from external damage. While stretching a canvas, you must fire a single for accuracy and shoot continuously for strong holding.
The dual firing mode of the Metabo HPT finish stapler will allow you to staple in different modes quite effortlessly. Moreover, the quick and simple flip switch can change the actuation mode in a blink of an eye.
This tool has a dial system depth adjuster. It gives you the option to change the depth of penetration inside the stretcher according to your demand and requirement.
The air-powered tool produces a heavy driving force to secure strongly the stapling of canvas with the stretcher. It has compatibility to work between 70-120PSI air pressure. Therefore, you need not buy any special air compressor for this work.
It possesses an upward-angled air fitting that makes the canvas stretching work less irritating and more comfortable. The toolless nose-clearing mechanism can clean the chamber of stuck staples without using any external tool.
You can load up to 130 staples at a time in the magazine chamber. Along with that, the quick loading feature decreases the reloading time to a great extent.
| What we like | What should be better |
| High pressure and power for tough work | Tough to control in high pressure |
| Lightweight for easy maneuvering | |
| Depth adjustment for versatility | |
| Upward angle for more comfortable stretching | |
| Large magazine capacity |
Wetols DY808-Staple Gun for artists
The Wetols DY808 produces a well-powered stapling with most of the stretcher and canvas types. This staple gun comes with an average size of 7.24 x 5.39 x 1.65 inches. It makes the stapler conveniently suitable for most palm sizes.
Lightweight stainless steel material is used to construct this stapler which makes it highly durable. Moreover, the metal housing protects it from external damage. This stapler weighs only 1.96 lbs which allows you to staple the canvas with the stretcher very comfortably.
It is compatible with D-type, U-type staples, and T-type brad nails. Therefore you can select the most favorable size of a staple for stretching your canvas. Because small-sized stretchers need small staples, and bigger stretchers need big staples.
To keep the canvas stretched perfectly fit and stable with the stretcher, you need more thrust to shoot staples. The shooting lever of this stapler is not so hard as compared to others. This allows you to shoot continuous staples without much effort or pain on your palm.
You will have the authority to determine the perfect depth of penetration on the stretcher board. The knob-type, toolless depth adjuster will help you with that and hold the canvas strongly fitted with the stretcher.
Its completely rubberized grip makes the tool’s handle non-slip. Besides, you will feel no fatigue working with it for a long time. It helps you keep the pad stable and in one place on the stretcher board without any deviation.
This stapler comes with a safety hook that locks the trigger handle to avoid misfire. You can use the quick view window to know if the staples inside the chamber need replacement or not. Moreover, using the metal drive channel, you can clean the stuck staples inside the chamber quite easily.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Fits perfectly in palms for easy use | Does not come with the staple remover |
| Lightweight materials for durability and less fatigue | |
| Compatible with D-type, U-type staples, and T-type brad nails | |
| Safety hook ensures safety and protection | |
| Comfortable gripping |
Arrow PT50 Oil-Free Pneumatic Staple Gun
Arrow is well known for manufacturing high-quality manual, pneumatic or cordless staple guns. The PT50 model from Arrow is highly suitable for canvas stretching purposes. Because this staple gun can receive ¼”, ⅚”, ⅜”, ½” and 9/16” of D-staples. This variation of compatible fastener type allows you to staple small and big-sized canvas very easily.
The tool’s body dimension is 10 x 2.4 x 7.5 inches making it a small and compact staple gun for canvas stretching. Its light metal housing makes it a durable and long-lasting stapler.
As we know, canvas stretching is a lengthy process. Therefore, only 1.37 lbs weight of the Arrow PT50 makes the work quite easy and pain-free in the arm and shoulder.
Canvas needs to be fitted strongly with the stretcher board. The air-powered Arrow PT50 drives the staples very strongly and secures the canvas in place firmly.
To quickly complete the canvas stretching work, its bump-fire shooting mode can help unerringly. It allows you to shoot staples on the stretcher continuously with precision and accuracy.
You will get a firm grip holding the over-molded handle. This will prevent slippage of the tip from the target for proper stapling.
While stretching the canvas on the frame, the exhaust blow from the staple gun can be irritating. You can easily adjust the direction of the blowout by simply rotating the 360-degree exhaust vent.
Its non-marring tip will leave an impact mark on the frame or the canvas. The quick-release latch can be used to load the staples inside the magazine chamber swiftly. This saves your time and increases productivity.
The oil-free design of Arrow PT50 reduces the maintenance cost and your precious time. Professionals and home users can use the Arrow PT50 for installing canvas on the frame board conveniently.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Oil-free operation for a clean canvas | Require an air compressor |
| Offers variation in staplers for versatile operation | |
| Molded handle for less fatigue and more comfort | |
| No-mar tip design protects canvas surface | |
| Adjustable exhaust for more convenient |
Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler
Surebonder 9600B is one of the best stapler guns for canvas stretching with its slim design. This staple gun has a body dimension of only :3 x 11 x 9 inches, making it a very compact stapler gun.
Complete alloy housing with Aluminium magazine ensures its high-quality construction. This increases the endurance of this tool and lifts its lifespan. The decreased weight of 3.16 lbs allows you to do canvas stretching by holding the tool comfortably.
Bigger canvas requires large and strong staples, and a small or portable canvas requires small staples. The Surebonder 9600B is compatible with standard T50 staples. Besides, it can also shoot 18-gauge wire staples in 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2, 17/32, and 9/16” lengths. You will have complete authority to select the best staple type required for your canvas stretching work.
The pneumatic feature of this tool can get the work done strongly and in a very short time. You will get a premium finishing and high-quality canvas fitting with this air-powered stapler.
Its rubber-cushioned handle offers you a fatigue-less grip for stapling for a long time. You can easily direct the exhaust away from your face or hand using its 360-degree rotatable exhaust vent.
The easy drop-in loading type of this tool can help you change the staple very swiftly. Besides, the staple viewer window can warn you about the shortage of staples inside the chamber. Therefore, you can avoid firing dry.
This stapler has been installed with a contact safety mechanism for extra protection from misfires. You will get a high-quality storage box along with the package. So, you can take it along with you anywhere or store it safely.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Plastic handles may have an odor | Shoot different-sized staples for more versatility |
| Small and compact design for easy maneuvering | |
| Drop-in loading makes staple changing easier | |
| Rubber cushion handle offers max comfort | |
| Drop-in loading makes staple-changing easier |
Fiskars Staple Gun for crafts and streching
Fiskars Precision Staple gun has a futuristic design and a very portable shape. Its body dimension is about 6×5.25×1.25 inches which is very small compared to others.
Made of 100% high-density plastic material, it reduces its body weight to only 0.67 lbs. You can use it all day long for stretching canvas on a frame, putting in minimal effort. Besides, the plastic build-up makes it look premium and available for carrying anywhere quite easily.
This staple gun can comply with 5/32”- 5/16” of crown staples which are standard for all canvas. These staple sizes can give a stronghold to the canvas for good fitting with the stretcher.
You can use it manually, which requires no air compressor to be purchased. The over-molded rubber grip nullifies the occurrence of fatigue. People can use it for installing canvas fabric precisely on the stretching frame.
Its non-marring tip will keep your canvas safe and will avoid marks on the stretcher board. This stapler has a quick bottom load featuring a magazine. You can load the staples from the bottom very easily, reducing your time for stretching the canvas.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Portable design for easy carrying | Does not come with staples |
| Plastic materials for lightweight experience | |
| Suitable for different canvas staples | |
| Require no compressor or electric power | |
| No-mar tip to save the surface |
Arrow E21 cordless electric staple gun for canvas stretching
Looking for a powerful staple drive without the hassle of the hose of the air compressor? Then, the cordless Arrow E21 staple gun would be the pick.
This staple gun has compatibility to receive ¼”, 5/16”, and ⅜” standard crown staple. Most of the canvas fabrics can be fitted on the stretcher using these types of staples. These staples give a stronghold to the canvas without damaging it.
You do not need to put physical pressure on the lever or get expensive air compressors to run it. The Arrow E21 runs on rechargeable 3.6V and 1500mah Li-ion batteries. This provides power just like the air-powered one and enables you to do canvas stretching very accurately and strongly.
Its tip has a contact safety mechanism for avoiding accidental firing or dry fire. The bottom load magazine of this stapler gun is easy to load for quick reloading.
While stretching a canvas, you need to maneuver the stretcher song with canvas to different angles. The compact and portable size of the ArrowE21 allows easy maneuverability without any difficulty caused by weight or an electric cord.
Its packaging contains an additional stapler base. This turns this stapler into a regular stationery stapler. Besides, you can keep your stapler standing to avoid surface damages.
Only 1.8 lbs of weight offers it easy maneuverability by causing reduced arm fatigue while stretching canvas. This tool’s high-density plastic body build gives it a premium and quality outlook.
Its built-in On/Off switch can be useful for avoiding accidental operation and keeps children safe. Besides, the LED indicator warns about the remaining charge in the battery.
You will get a 1000 stapling shot with a full charge. This makes your canvas stretching work very simple and less time-consuming.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Suitable for beginner | Not suitable for professional |
| LED to work at night or low light | |
| Comaptible with versatile staples | |
| Lightweight for easy maneuvering | |
| Large staple capacity |
Stalwart Stapler-Best staple gun for small hands
The Stalwart Staple Gun comes with a simple and straightforward stapling mechanism. Its steel alloy body housing makes it very durable by increasing its endurance.
You can use 5/16” standard crown staples to keep the canvas well fitted on all types of stretcher boards.
It has a 11x3x2 inches body dimension that makes it an averagely small and compact tool, especially for canvas stretching work. Besides, only 1lbs of weight having a metal structure lets it maneuver freely in the working site.
The knob-system depth adjuster will let you select the best length for penetration inside the stretcher. Therefore, you can determine how much the canvas should be stretched, decreasing the chance of damage.
This stapler’s non-slip rubberized grip will give you good traction on the canvas frame and shoot staples very precisely.
You will see no mark or damage caused by the tip of the frame. Because the tip of this tool has a non-marring design. A special feature of this tool is the safety hook that keeps the trigger locked in the fired position. If you have young ones in your home, this feature will help avoid accidents.
Along with the tool packaging, you will receive a transparent hard case for carrying the stapler from place to place.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Steel body for durability and longevity | Jams often |
| Small and compact for easy maneuvering | |
| Rubberized grip for a comfortable experience | |
| Depth adjustment for versatile operations | |
| Safety hook for additional safety |
A bonus Suggestion for you
Arrow T50-Upholstery staple gun for canvas stretching
The Arrow T50 is known to be the best value for money. Its simple stapling mechanism, compact design, and fastener compatibility enable it to work on many occasions.
Having a body dimension of only 3 x 11 x 9 inches makes it a standard-sized staple gun. A fully metal alloy body with a weight of 3.17 lbs maintains premium quality.
You can load its magazine T50 standard staples from 6 to 12mm. This wide range of fastener types makes it usable on any type of canvas stretching work available.
The non-aggressive tip is helpful for smooth and spotless stapling. Its manual trigger handle is strong enough to drive the staples powerfully in softwood, hardwood, plywood, or oakwood, etc. Therefore, you won’t have any difficulties stapling in hard stretcher frames.
Its rubberized trigger handle nullifies the fatigue caused by overuse. This tool possesses a simple and ergonomic design which increases its maneuverability. Using it for canvas stretching makes the work very convenient.
| What we like | What should be better |
| Standard size for easy use | No safety release |
| Non-aggressive tip for surface safety | |
| The manual trigger for powerful operation | |
| Rubberized grip for a comfortable experience | |
| Ergonomic design for increased maneuvering |
What kind of Stapler do you use to stretch a canvas?
This section would help you understand the important features of a stapler that are mandatory for canvas stretching.
Check Out Staple Size For Stretching Canvas
Not all types of staples are suitable for canvas stretching. Canvas fabrics require a strong and stable hold with the frame. A stapler compatible with T50, ¼, 5/16, ⅜, ½, 17/32, and 9/16” crown staples would be perfect. The Surebonder 9600B magazine has this type of fastener compatibility.
Know The Source Of Power
Pneumatic staple guns deliver the maximum driving force to the staples. But, if you don’t have access to an air compressor then the battery-operated stapler can get the job done. On the contrary, cheaper manual staple guns also provide a great service if used properly. The Arrow E21 would be a good pick for this.
Inspect If Depth Adjuster Is Available
Having a depth adjuster in a staple gun is very advantageous, especially for canvas stretching. It gives you the authority to select the demanded depth of penetration. This helps the canvas to fit perfectly with the frame. The Metabo HPT Finish Stapler possesses the best depth adjuster.
Availability Of Actuation Modes
If a staple gun has dual firing mode then stretching a canvas on the frame board becomes easy and accurate. Sequential firing is good for stapling the middle of each side with a stretcher bar. On the other hand, bump action firing mode can be used for quickly stapling the edges of the canvas. The Metabo HPT Finish Stapler can be picked for such benefits.
Examine The Weight and Design
Canvas stretching is a lengthy and delicate work. A stapler having a compact and portable design will allow you to have maneuverability. Also, the lesser weight of the tool will allow you to work without facing any arm fatigue. Overall the Wetols DY808 has a good structural design with reduced weight.
FAQ
Common questions asked by a new user about stapler for canvas stretching would be discussed here.
3/8” (10mm) JT-21 staples are the best for canvas stretching. It will deliver the best result and make your canvas stretching smoother
You need to pay around $20-30 for stretching canvas. However, the price varies with the size of the canvas board. Bigger sized canvas requires higher payment for stretching. And smaller canvas stretching would take $10-15 for a 15×15” to 20×20” sized canvas.
A gallery-wrapped canvas does not show the staples used to stretch the canvas with wooden bars. These are ready to be displayed by hanging on the wall after framing.
The traditional stretched canvas is the raw canvas that requires further finishing and framing before putting it out for display.
Conclusion
Artworks are all about display. A painted artwork on a canvas shows the character and potential of the artist. Hence, the canvas should be perfectly stretched on the stretcher bars. It must not possess any uneven sides or damages.
You must pick one of The 7 Best Staple Gun For Canvas Stretching for this. It will save you money for stretching from a shop and time. Besides, it allows you to stretch the canvas according to your demand and requirements.
Finding the best staple gun for canvas stretching should be performed according to the features. Besides, if you are looking for any specific feature, then you need to prioritize it while finalizing the staple gun.