How to Remove a Painting from its Stretcher and How to Roll a Painting.
TEN TIPS:
Make sure the painting can be rolled. Paintings with impasto (thickly painted) can be removed from their stretcher but likely cannot be rolled.
Put Glassine under the painting before removing it. This will protect the painting (cloth fibers can catch and other surfaces can scratch). You can use the glassine to support and move it or roll the painting into it.
If you’re going to roll the canvas, always use an inner cardboard tube to roll the painting around. Rolling without an inner support will almost always damage the painting.
Micro-needle nose spring loaded electrician pliers (here’s the one we use) will be the least likely to damage the canvas when pulling staples. Use nail snips to cut the heads off of nails or to get under nail-heads to prepare them for pulling, if the canvas is nailed to the stretcher.
If you’re going to rollup your canvas its best to use bean bags to weigh down and relax the four corners overnight.
Paintings with craquelure are rarely good candidates for rolling.
Don’t over-handle the painting once its removed, you can move it using the glassine sheet as a support or go right to the next step of rolling.
Watch the painting through the glassine as you roll it, watch out for cracking or damage to the surface.
Removing a canvas from a stretcher can save thousands of dollars in shipping costs but consider the risks first, paintings can be damaged when being removed from their stretcher bars. If you’re considering rolling a high-value artwork its best to have a professional do it for you or at least evaluate the painting first.
Don’t store paintings rolled. Lots of things can go wrong, for example: Cylfford Still (1904 - 1980)