Canvas Print Quality

At Trade Canvas Printing we understand that when producing canvas prints for our trade customers the quality needs to be of the highest level every time. You entrust us to represent your business when we send out a canvas print to one of your customers and we take that responsibilty very seriously. For that reason we use only the best materials and the best processes to ensure your customer will be more than satisfied.

Below you can read about the matierals we use and some of our techniques. If you would like any further information please do just get in contact and we would be happy to explain why quality matters when it comes to canvas printing.

Our Canvas:

The canvas that we use is a 100% cotton artist’s high quality satin canvas (350gsm). This canvas is a great way to show off your photos as it allows for fantastic high detail and rich contrast realised from the satin finish. The canvas does not use optical brighteners in its colouring as these can cause archival difficulties and discolourings over time.

To make sure that your canvas prints last we coat every one of our canvases with a Satin-Matte laminate finish. This is the best form of coating as it protects the canvas from scuffs, cracking and moisture as well as providing a perfect professional finish every time. We use a large (103” x 55”) vacuum hot press to adhere the laminate to the canvas. Importantly this means the laminate is evenly placed onto the canvas prints and that the texture and feel of the canvas isn't lost in the process. The coating is optically clear so that it has no effect to the colours printed. Finally the laminate also adds a further UV protective layer to the canvas prints, meaning that the canvas will last even longer and not fade over time.

Stretcher Bars

Each of our stretcher bars are handmade from kiln dried fir, and in turn is skillfully handcrafted to your specific canvas needs. Each bar is 1.5” (3.8cm) deep, meaning that these frames are robust and built to last. The thicker frame makes the final canvas look sharp and modern when hung on a wall. All of our frames include wedges so that canvases can be re-tensioned over their lifetime.

Once the canvas has been printed it is hand stretched around the frame, using professional artist canvas stretching pilers. It is then attached to the frame using durable no rust staples and then covered with high quality backing tape to protect your customers walls. Once the canvas is fully stretched each one is individually checked before being dispatched. All of our canvas prints will arrive stretched ready to hang unless you choose our rolled service.

Printers and Inks:-

We use several Epson 9800 large format printers linked with specially formulated archival inks. This allows us to print canvases with a very wide gamut / colour range. The inks are rated lightfast in normal viewing conditions for over 70 years and combined with our laminate you have a canvas which not only looks great but will last a life time.

All of our monitors and printers are colour calibrated using Gretag Macbeth X-Rite Eye One colouromiters. We also use ICC profiling to guarantee that what we see on our screens is what is printed out on to the canvas. If you would like a copy of our ICC profile for soft proofing you can find it by logging into your account and visiting our profile webpage.


In a nutshell - our printing machines, techniques and materials ensure that your canvas prints look the best they possibly can.

If you have any questions about our framing process then please do not hesitate to contact us