This project was featured in an episode of our DIY show Knock It Off.
To watch this episode online, click HERE.
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We’re going to let you in on one of our favorite trade secrets: giant, engineer-sized prints! If you’re one of our fabulous blog readers, you already know that this is kind of our go-to trick for dressing up a wall.
Choose and order the pictures you want to use. You could go with family shots, favorite sayings or even printable artwork found online. We’ve even shared some of our very own free printables here , here and here. The giant geometric-looking heart in this gallery wall came from one of our favorite places for downloadable art: The Caravan Shoppe. Make sure your images are high-resolution for the clearest picture possible and take them to any office supply store. Ask them to create engineer prints- our pics were 4 feet by 3 feet and only cost about $5 a piece! You can only get them printed in black and white, but for a gallery wall this size, that’s perfect and looks really classy.
Now we’re going to mount the pictures to the “canvas”. We chose to use foam insulation panels because they’re inexpensive and easy to cut. Trim to the appropriate size. (If you want something already pre-cut, go with foam core from the office supply store. You’ll pay more, but won’t have to make cuts!) Cut your sheet of insulation so that your photo is 2 inches bigger all the way around.
Lay the engineer print over the cut insulation panel and fold back halfway. Spray with adhesive, lay it back down, smoothing out the wrinkles as you go. Do the same thing to the other half.
Now wrap the canvas like a present! Fold the corner of one side in towards the middle of the panel and staple into place. Continue pulling the print around the entire insulation board and staple into place as you go.
A wall of gallery-wrapped canvases can be super pricey, but not if you do it our way! Honestly, this is one of our favorite insider tips…but shhhhh…..let’s let this trick be our little secret. 🙂 And seriously, if I looked that good, I would have engineer prints of myself all over my house!
We’ve used engineer prints in our own homes lots of times. These projects are some of our absolute favorites, and make a huge statement!
Don’t forget to check out the other projects in the room here.
I absolutely love this idea. I was about to spend $60 on a canvas but I was trying to justify the price because I need two. Me seeing this on pintrest was a blessing! I was wondering did you have to bring your own canvas for them to print on and if so what kind should I buy?
How do you hang it?
I love this but your direction are confusing – you write ”
Lay the engineer print over the cut insulation panel and fold back halfway. Spray with adhesive, lay it back down, smoothing out the wrinkles as you go. Do the same thing to the other half. (I understand this part)
Now wrap the canvas like a present! Fold the corner of one side in towards the middle of the panel and staple into place. Continue pulling the print around the entire insulation board and staple into place as you go. ”
So do you wrap the whole back of the insulation panel w/ the canvas? Your picture looks like you can see the back of the panel -So it seem like a waist unless you put the photo on the canvas. Please let me know cause I don’t get it? Or is it just a thin strip of canvas around the sides. Please, Please write back! Thanks! Love u2!
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Dear Monica and jess – will you come to Santa ana California , we need your help to renovate our house and I love your ideas pls contact me by email. Thanks