How to Re-stretch a Canvas Art Painting Most paintings larger than 3 feet are shipped rolled-up. The reason they are shipped this way is two-fold: 1) It is the safest way to ship large paintings. Rolling them up makes them less susceptible to damage from the shippers. 2) It is the most economical way to ship large paintings. If a painting is over 4 feet, to ship stretched a wood crate has to be made to protect the painting. Because of the weight and size of the crate it needs