A wooden art stretcher shaped in a arch specifically to template for an antique painting resting on cardboard.

Shaped Stretchers and Strainers

Recommended For

Uniquely shaped artworks.

Design

A wide range of options depending on the piece.

Materials

Basswood or Eastern White Pine.

Stretcher Bar Profile

Custom options available and welcome.

  • A woodworking workshop with a large table holding an unfinished wooden frame, clamps, glue, and other tools. Background includes shelves, a fan, and woodworking machinery.
  • Close-up of a wooden letter 'e' mounted on a light-colored wall.
  • Large wooden rainbow-shaped display with multiple empty rectangular cutouts, blue and silver edging, and brown background.
  • Unassembled wooden picture frame with colored decorative panels at the corners, screws, and corner braces, mounted on a plain white wall.
  • Close-up of a partially assembled round picture frame with a fabric backing, placed on a white surface.
  • Wooden circular decorative piece with cutouts, placed on a white surface.
  • A wooden picture frame lying flat on a white surface.
  • A wooden geometric structure with hexagon and triangle shapes held together with screws, situated in a woodworking workshop with shelves of wood planks in the background.
  • Wooden mechanical arch stretcher with tite-joint fasteners, on a cardboard background.

What are Shaped Stretchers and Strainers?

Custom orders that can accommodate a wide range of atypical or irregularly shaped pieces with either a strainer or keyable stretcher.

Most commonly, these options are round or oval (ellipses), though unusual and organic shapes are some of our specialties. These shapes can be made in our American Traditional or Mechanical style, it all depends on our design and construct collaboration. An example is this mechanical stretcher shaped arch built specifically to the template for an antique canvas.

Please reach out for a quote with your request along with specific dimensions, diagrams, etc. We would love to work on a construction for you!

Interior of a church with colorful paintings on the walls, featuring stretchers measured to the exact specifications of the inset archways, with nature and landscape scenes.

Installation view, 12th SITE SANTA FE International, Once Within a Time, curated by Cecilia Alemani. Courtesy of SITE SANTA FE. Photo: Brad Trone, 2025

Courtesy of Karma