Artist Surfaces Museum Grade Wooden Stretched Panels are made to order and handcrafted exclusively in our Kent workshop. They combine the stability and longevity of our engineered, warp-free panel system but with linen or canvas stretched.
 
Museum Grade Panel Construction
Each support is built from a PEFC and FSC-certified poplar plywood face bonded to a birch plywood subframe. Poplar is selected for its low weight, fine uniform grain, and pale ivory tone, providing a smooth, consistent base beneath the fabric. Birch plywood adds dense structural strength and excellent resistance to knocks and handling damage.
 
Warp-Free Structural Engineering
For dimensional stability, our panels are engineered to remain warp-free through the integration of a specially designed aluminium extrusion, discreetly incorporated into the reverse of the panel. This reinforcement increases rigidity and reduces the need for multiple crossbars, lowering overall weight while maintaining maximum structural performance.
 
Laser Welding
Our aluminium subframes are fabricated using fibre laser welding, producing exceptionally strong, clean welds with tightly controlled heat input. The laser concentrates energy into a small, precisely directed weld zone, delivering consistent joint quality while minimising distortion. A key advantage of our method is that we can laser weld the aluminium subframe with the wood already attached, without scorching the timber or introducing unnecessary thermal stress, resulting in a unified, highly stable engineered structure with fewer components and fewer failure points.
 
Linen or Canvas
Museum Wooden Stretched Panels are finished with Belgian linen or 10 oz cotton canvas. This format is ideal for artists who prefer a traditional fabric surface but require the stability of a solid support. This is particularly important high-detail painting and painters that want a hard surface without bounce.
 
The fabric is adhered directly to the rigid support using a D4 waterproof PVA adhesive, forming a permanent, non-reactivating bond. This method prevents lifting, bubbling, slackening, or movement over time whilst maintaining the material grain but with the reliability of a warp-free panel.
 
Integrated Security Bar
The aluminium subframe incorporates an integrated security bar as standard for all hanging orientations. It forms a discrete retaining lip along the underside of the panel to help secure the artwork in position and prevent accidental slippage from wall fixings.
 
Bonding
Panels are bonded using a hydraulic cold-press process and cured under consistent pressure for 24 hours to achieve optimal adhesion and long-term stability. Precision cutting ensures clean edges and accurate, repeatable dimensions, and each panel is sanded and finished by our technicians to museum-grade standards.
 
Optional Services
Optional preparation services are available, including gesso priming and we can offer clear transparent sealing upon request.
 
Industry-Leading Support Design
Artist Surfaces is the only company in the world creating fully warp-free, museum grade wooden painting panels. Combining museum grade materials with advanced fabrication methods, our Museum Wooden Stretched Panels provide a technically advanced, archival support designed to be problem-free and built to endure.