WORKSHOP GUIDE · 01
A floating frame for a 24 × 18 canvas.
A consistent shadow gap makes a canvas feel separate from its frame. The important detail is what happens behind that gap: a one-piece ledge extends under the canvas to support it.
Set up this example
Choose “Design a frame,” “Floating canvas,” “One-piece ledge,” and inches. Use a 24″ × 18″ canvas that is 1 1/2″ thick, a 3/4″ frame face, 1/8″ gap per side, 3/8″ ledge under the canvas, 1/8″ front setback, and 3/8″ retained ledge thickness. Leave the recess-depth override off. Select rough lumber with the default 1/4″ milling allowance.
Read the finished geometry
- Visible opening: 24 1/4″ × 18 1/4″. Add the 1/8″ gap twice to each canvas dimension.
- Outside frame: 25 3/4″ × 19 3/4″. Add the 3/4″ face twice to the opening.
- Full rail blank: 1 1/4″ × 2″ in cross-section. Its width includes face + gap + support ledge.
- Front recess: 1/2″ wide × 1 5/8″ deep. Depth is canvas thickness + setback.
Cut lengths: keep the hidden ledge in mind
| Piece | Qty | Short point | Long point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top + bottom | 2 | 23 1/4″ | 25 3/4″ |
| Left + right | 2 | 17 1/4″ | 19 3/4″ |
The top rail’s short point is 23 1/4″, not the 24 1/4″ visible opening. The short tips lie on the innermost edge of the support ledge beneath the canvas. Measuring the opening and treating it as the short-point length would make the frame too large.
Choose wood, then test the profile
The default buying plan uses nominal 6/4 rough stock (1 1/2″ before the assumed milling allowance), yielding 1 1/4″ usable thickness. That thickness runs across the blank width; the 2″ dimension runs front to back. Confirm the seller’s actual yield and use the live cutting plan for board widths, lengths, blade allowance, and waste.
Make a short sample of the ledge profile and check the canvas against it before cutting four rails. Confirm the canvas clears the face, sits at the intended setback, and can be attached using hardware appropriate to its stretcher and weight. The calculator does not specify those fasteners.