Art Store Canvas

techrtr

Curious about Wooden Canoes
I was in my local art supply store today and noticed that they have big rolls of canvas in various weights that they sell by the foot. Assuming it's wide enough, would this stuff be suitable for covering a canoe?

Bruce
 
Hi Bruce,

Canvas used on canoes must be treated to prevent fungus/mildew from growing, and my guess is that art store canvas isn't, but I could be wrong. Folks here may provide you with a recipe for a fungicide you could apply to art store canvas. My theory about such things is that a lot of work is put into the restoration of a canoe. You strip the interior and refinish the wood and replace rotten wood and work hard on the paint... and how disappointing would it be to see mold seeping through the canvas or dots of mildew? It may be one of those "better safe than sorry" things.

Kathy
 
Kind of hard to redo this part of the canoe if it does not work. This is a good place to spend your money on. Other places you can cheap up on. Order from Rollin Thurlow. Just have him send it via usps NOT ups to Canada. Got a US address you can pick it up from?
 
Well, that answers my question. When the time comes, I'll order the right stuff. I'll check out Rollin Thurlow. Thanks for the responses.
 
I'm an artist (isn't everybody?) so I use materials that I know something about. So-called 'art store canvas' can be excellent for canoes. Because it's made to very fine standards for painters, it tends to be well-woven, tightly woven and free of knots, bumps, etc (although there are definitely grades to look at closely). If you're thinking about it, take a sample of the canvas you're planning to replace with you if you have one; otherwise, use your tactile measuring instruments (fingers) to assess the weight you'll need. Painter's canvas can have different weights than duck canvas due to the tightness of the weave, etc. As for mildew resistance, I'd highly recommend that you add a fungicide to the canvas anyway - that way you KNOW it's been done. On the other hand, the first canoe I canvassed with artist's canvas had no fungicide added to it, and lasted at least twenty years until it was stolen. My first hope is that it lasted until approximately half-way through the thief's first trip, which leads to my second hope, which is that it was a long trip, far away from an art store.
 
Thanks for the information-- makes sense that the canvas would be smooth and high quality. Hope the thief got what he deserved too!
 
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