Ready-made canvases can be expensive or hard to find. Luckily, you can make one at home and even prime it using local materials like Top Bond and acrylic paint. Here’s your step-by-step, Nigerian-friendly guide—to build, stretch, and prime your canvas.

Materials You’ll Need

  • 2 × 2-inch flat wood (ask your local wood shop to split center so it’s flat on both sides)
  • Hand saw
  • Measuring tape or ruler + pencil
  • Staple gun & staples
  • Linen or cotton fabric for canvas
  • Top Bond (acrylic wall adhesive) and acrylic paint (or emulsion paint)

Building the Canvas Frame

  1. Buying & Preparing the Wood: Get 2×2-inch wood and ask the supplier to split it into flat pieces—ideal for framing.
  2. Measure and Cut: Decide on your canvas size, measure carefully, and cut with your saw.
  3. Cut Corner Triangles: Mark and trim off small triangles at each corner to allow clean joinery.
  4. Assemble & Staple Frame: Lay the pieces on a flat surface and staple the corners securely.
  5. Stretch Fabric: Place the fabric on the frame, pull taut, and staple from the center outward on all sides.

Priming Without Gesso: Using Top Bond + Paint

Traditional gesso is hard to find in many parts of Nigeria. A practical alternative is Top Bond plus acrylic or emulsion paint—both commonly available in local hardware or paint shops.

Why this works: Gesso is basically a mixture of pigment with a binder and filler to seal the canvas and create a structured surface. Top Bond is an acrylic adhesive that can act as a binder, and combining it with paint creates a makeshift, affordable primer—perfect for preparing your canvas for acrylic art.

How to apply it:

  1. Mix equal parts of Top Bond and acrylic or emulsion paint in white or a neutral tone.
  2. Using a wide brush, apply one even coat over your stretched canvas.
  3. Let it dry fully (a few hours in dry weather).
  4. Apply a second coat if needed to ensure full coverage and a sealed surface.

Quick Tip:

This Top Bond-and-paint primer seals the fabric and provides a consistent surface that prevents paint from soaking in too much—very similar to the effect of gesso.

Tips & Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Check your measurements: Measure twice before cutting to avoid uneven frames.
  • Staple on flat surfaces: Always assemble and stretch on a flat surface to maintain alignment.
  • Tighten fabric firmly: Prevents sagging as you paint.
  • Corner folds matter: Fold and staple neatly for a clean finish.
  • Balanced stapling: Alternate sides when stapling to keep tension even.
  • Thin primer layer: Apply smooth, thin coats—thick ones may crack or peel.

Your DIY Canvas Is Ready

Painting on Canvas DIY canvas

You’ve built your own canvas and primed it using local materials—ready for your first strokes of colours. This DIY method saves cost and gives you creative control. Drop a comment after trying this and if you have any other suggestions drop too