What glue should I use to glue canvas to wood?

[mearussi]

I'm wanting to experiment with mounting canvas to plywood but there are so many glues available I'm at a loss to know which to choose.

[Paul2660]

http://raphaelsap.com/miracle-muck/

I would strongly consider Miracle muck.  Used it for years, never any issues.

Paul C

[nirpat89]

I'm wanting to experiment with mounting canvas to plywood but there are so many glues available I'm at a loss to know which to choose.

I have used Lineco Neutral pH PVA adhesive that seemed to have held up pretty well over the years. 

https://www.dickblick.com/products/lineco-neutral-ph-adhesive/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=17314-1004&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9YfflrHL4QIVio3ICh203QOBEAQYAyABEgLTE_D_BwE

For small prints, I have also used the regular dry mounting with an adhesive film from Bienfang that worked well too.

:Niranjan.

[mearussi]

http://raphaelsap.com/miracle-muck/

I would strongly consider Miracle muck.  Used it for years, never any issues.

Paul C

I thought they went out of business.

[mearussi]

Thanks for your responses. Has anyone used BC's Glamour 2? 

[Paul2660]

I thought they went out of business.

I believe they are still out there. Web site is current.

Great product for canvas mounts. 2.5x cheaper than Glamour II.

Paul C

[Garnick]

I find this thread rather interesting on one level, but somewhat lacking on another.  The fact that the OP is contemplating mounting a canvas on Plywood is one thing and the search for a proper glue to do so is of course the correct way to approach such a project.  However, it seems to me that the OP should first be looking for the BEST way to seal the plywood before applying the glue and canvas combination.  In my opinion the only product that could be worse that Masonite for mounting any printed material would be Plywood.  Even if the OP is printing on a Canvas with a high percentage of Cotton and Acid Free, that canvas will certainly absorb enough acid, lignin, etc. from the plywood to rather quickly destroy the image.  However, if the purpose is to do a quick mount for display, and not for longevity, I suppose Plywood would probable suit the purpose.  And as mentioned, the weight of the plywood could also be a negative factor, but not even approaching the destructive environment of the Plywood on the image.

Just a thought   

Gary 

[dgberg]

We mount on just about any substrate you can think of. The plywood we use is not the standard grade plywood. It is a very hi quality tight grained birch. Some call it Russian Birch.
As a former cabinetry firm owner I still have access to all these products. We spray the sides and backs for stabilization as well as looks.
The print on the front is good enough as a sealer and with all 6 surfaces now sealed this product is extremely stable and does not warp. Available in 5/8" and 3/4"
We attach paper prints and canvas with Seals Print Mount Ultra with no need to send it through the laminator. Just a brayer.
The only issue we have is when mounting canvas to any substrate is that the canvas shrinks and over time will come in from the edge close to a 1/16" depending on the size of the project.
On the orange sky image below you can see the canvas in from the side edge a 1/32"+ Canvas does the same thing when attached to Dibond.
For some reason when attaching canvas to Gatorboard with Miracle Muck it moves only a tiny bit, usually less then a 1/32".
If you are putting your gator or dibond canvas mounts in a frame the edge is hidden.
The picture of the car is printed on painted stainless steel and attached to the plywood with the Seal Print Mount Ultra.

[mearussi]

Dan, thanks for the information. I wasn't aware the canvas would shrink after it was mounted. What do you use to seal the plywood with?

Also I plan on using a 100% cotton canvas. Would a poly/cotton or 100% polyester make any difference regarding shrinkage?

[Garnick]

Hi Dan,

"The print on the front is good enough as a sealer and with all 6 surfaces now sealed this product is extremely stable and does not warp."

I must say that I found this sentence to be interesting, albeit not what I was referring to as a "Sealer".  Taking into consideration your expertise in woodworking etc., I'm sure you are aware of the process of producing Plywood and the fact that the final product is anything but acid or lignin free, as well as other issues that could easily have a rather negative effect on the attached printed image.  I think perhaps you didn't really mean that the Print is a sealer, which would seem to mean that it is there to protect the Plywood base.  My concern in this case is protecting the Print, not the base.  My mention of a "Sealer" was in the sense of protecting the printed image from the negative elements contained in the wood itself.  I imagine the high quality Plywood you use might have a lower percentage of such elements, but I very much doubt that they have been eliminated completely, simply because the Plywood was never meant to be used in this way.  I suppose longevity is not always a factor in some situations, which I understand and accept.  However it's not something I would overlook and I know my customers wouldn't either. 

I'm open to more in depth information on the Plywood you use for this purpose Dan, even though I'm sure it is probably better than the OP had in mind originally.

Gary     

[dgberg]

Dan, thanks for the information. I wasn't aware the canvas would shrink after it was mounted. What do you use to seal the plywood with?

Also I plan on using a 100% cotton canvas. Would a poly/cotton or 100% polyester make any difference regarding shrinkage?

The shrinkage is a very small amount and may not be an issue. I only use a poly/cotton blend.
More of an issue then the shrinkage when having an exposed edge is the white canvas edge after trimming.
When you have really dark images and have that exposed white edge that may bother you, maybe not.

[dgberg]

Hi Dan,

"The print on the front is good enough as a sealer and with all 6 surfaces now sealed this product is extremely stable and does not warp."

I must say that I found this sentence to be interesting, albeit not what I was referring to as a "Sealer".  Taking into consideration your expertise in woodworking etc., I'm sure you are aware of the process of producing Plywood and the fact that the final product is anything but acid or lignin free, as well as other issues that could easily have a rather negative effect on the attached printed image.  I think perhaps you didn't really mean that the Print is a sealer, which would seem to mean that it is there to protect the Plywood base.  My concern in this case is protecting the Print, not the base.  My mention of a "Sealer" was in the sense of protecting the printed image from the negative elements contained in the wood itself.  I imagine the high quality Plywood you use might have a lower percentage of such elements, but I very much doubt that they have been eliminated completely, simply because the Plywood was never meant to be used in this way.  I suppose longevity is not always a factor in some situations, which I understand and accept.  However it's not something I would overlook and I know my customers wouldn't either. 

I'm open to more in depth information on the Plywood you use for this purpose Dan, even though I'm sure it is probably better than the OP had in mind originally.

Gary


I spray catalized conversion varnish on the plywood, same product we have used on our cabinetry.
Yes terminology can get turned around sometimes.
Sealer in the sense that the plywood is coated with something to keep the air from getting to the plywood surface. (Either print or varnish as they both basically  do the same thing.)
It is also possible even with the coatings that over time there may be issues as you discuss. To date none. I have several plywood mounts here done in 2009 that still look great.


 

[Garnick]

I spray catalized conversion varnish on the plywood, same product we have used on our cabinetry.
Yes terminology can get turned around sometimes.
Sealer in the sense that the plywood is coated with something to keep the air from getting to the plywood surface. (Either print or varnish as they both basically  do the same thing.)
It is also possible even with the coatings that over time there may be issues as you discuss. To date none. I have several plywood mounts here done in 2009 that still look great.
[/quote]

Well Dan, I certainly can't and wouldn't argue with a 7 year test drive as you mentioned, with no obvious negative effects.  You are certainly doing something correct in your procedure before mounting the canvas.  Obviously the OP has been following all of this and learned perhaps more that he had bargained for.  Nevertheless, all good information!

Thanks Dan

Gary