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Stretching canvas is easy. Buy the right size stretchers for the canvas you have. They come in pairs and wedges are provided. I get mine from GreatArt. Tap the stretchers together and make sure that the corners are square. Don't use a hammer. Use a mallet; mine is rubber to avoid damaging the stretchers with dents. Place the assembled stretchers face down on the canvas making sure that there is plenty to stretch around to the back. I always staple the back and not the edge. Staple - one in the centre of the first stretcher - pull the canvas tight and stick a staple in the centre of the opposite stretcher. Repeat with the other sides. Then systematically staple towards the corners - one on each side of the first staple and the same on the opposite stretcher, and so on. Stop about a handwidth from the corners. Fold over the corners by pulling the corner of the canvas towards the centre of the stretched canvas. Fold over one edge and staple on the adjacent stretcher. Fold over the other edge of canvas and staple to the adjacent stretcher. Do not staple across the mitre joints. Repeat on the other three corners. Then wet the canvas and allow to dry slowly. Any creases will disappear. Tap the wedges into place before the canvas dries completely. Finally, slap on the gesso, dry, rub down, repeat as many times as you need, and start painting. Enjoy! Incidentally, this is the cheapest way to get the canvas you really, really want.