Gallery Wrap Calculator
Calculate gallery-wrap canvas dimensions, visible side bleed, rear stapling allowance, fabric cut size, and print pixels in inches or centimeters.
18×24-inch gallery-wrap example
For an 18×24-inch finished face on 1.5-inch-deep stretcher bars, the front plus visible sides is 21×27 inches. Adding a 1.5-inch rear stapling allowance on every edge makes the full canvas cut 24×30 inches.
| Zone | Inches | Pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Finished front face | 18×24 | 5,400×7,200 |
| Face plus visible sides | 21×27 | 6,300×8,100 |
| Full canvas cut | 24×30 | 7,200×9,000 |
Gallery-wrap allowance formula
Printed dimension = finished face dimension + 2 × stretcher depth.
Canvas cut dimension = finished face dimension + 2 × (stretcher depth + rear stapling allowance).
Calculate width and height separately. The rear allowance is material used for tensioning and stapling; it is not necessarily part of the visible printed image.
What belongs in each canvas zone?
- Finished face: keep faces, signatures, text, and other critical details here.
- Visible sides: continue the image, mirror an edge, or use a deliberate color based on the printer’s workflow.
- Rear allowance: reserve enough material to fold behind the stretcher bars for tensioning and staples.
Gallery-wrap questions
How much extra canvas is needed for a gallery wrap?
Add the stretcher depth and stapling allowance to every edge. Double that per-edge total when adding it across the full width and height.
Is print bleed the same as the full canvas allowance?
No. A small trim bleed does not include the full visible stretcher depth and rear material needed for stretching.
Should the rear stapling allowance be printed?
That depends on the printer and stretching method. Confirm the production specification before preparing or cutting canvas.