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How to ship art

How to Ship Art

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Your $5000 painting will be worth nothing if during shipping it gets destroyed. From water to humidity and hard impacts, anything can damage it leaving it beyond repair. Besides, we all know paintings are the one commodity that if destroyed, can never be restored to its original glory. The frame is equally as important as the painting in the middle.

The good news is, if you want to ship a painting such as pastels, water colors or rolled canvases, you have come to the right place. The process on how to ship canvas art is pretty easy.

We will tell you the right way of how to ship a canvas with a glass frame as well. First of all, let’s look at the basic items you will need for creating the perfect package.

Supplies You Will Need

  • Plastic wrap
  • Glassine paper
  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing tape
  • Knife
  • Cardboard box
  • Cardboard sheet
  • Pair of scissors
  • Packing peanuts (optional)

Let’s begin, shall we:

  • The first order of business is to measure the dimensions of the painting with the wooden frame. Then get the next size up in a shipping box.
  • Lay down the plastic wrap and place your painting face down it. Stretch it from two corners and tape them at the back. The next step is a little bit tricky: you need to stretch the remaining two corners as tightly as possible so the front doesn’t have any bunches. Secure them with the tape and then nick the corners with a knife to let the painting breathe.
  • Wrap the painting with glassine paper and fashion out corners from it, so the painting corners slide right in.
  • Take the cardboard sheet and fashion a box out of it. Place the painting in the middle and then tape the sides by pinching them together.
  • Use the bubble wrap twice around the cardboard sheet box and secure it with the tape.
  • Finally, slide the wrapped painting in the cardboard and tape down the lids.

Note: If there is still space left in the cardboard box and you see your painting shaking a little loose, then stuff the empty space with packing peanuts. Often people ask the question: How to ship a large painting? Well the answer is do the same… follow these steps and use packing peanuts to create a cushion.

  • For extra protection, use a tape gun to get a hold on the tension while taping. Start from one end and then make your way to the order. Make sure the tape is not applied haphazardly or the receiver might get frustrated while opening the box and accidentally damage the painting.

Shipping Glass Art

Shipping glass art follows the same steps, except before applying the plastic wrap, the painting is wrapped in masking tape. If the glass does break, the shards will stick to the tape and prevent the painting from getting scratched. If you’re shipping over fragile glass valuables, check out our post on how to ship fine china here.

And this is how you pack your painting for shipping. Don’t forget to get insurance for it as well!

Shipping Bronze Sculptures – Here’s how it’s done

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Shipping bronze sculptures that are of extreme value can be very difficult. The first thing that you need to take care of is insurance. You have got the choice between basic limited liability and full value protection.

The former is known as the standard form of insurance. The insurance of the item is calculated according to per pound of the sculpture’s weight and does not cover its full value. The latter option comes at a price. The sculpture is appraised and its exact value is written in the contract. This insurance type has a high premium because in case it gets damaged or lost, the owner either gets the money for repairs or replacement or is compensated in cash

How to Pack a Bronze Sculpture for Shipping

Now that we have covered the most important step, let’s move on and discuss how to pack the bronze sculpture safely:

Depending on how heavy and big the sculpture is you can either pack it in a wooden crate or a cardboard box. While the former is a much better option, it is expensive too. Let’s have a look at how to pack it in a cardboard box:

Inner Packaging

  • Pick out a cardboard box that is a tight fit for the sculpture
  • Wrap the sculpture in bubble wrap and secure all open areas with heavy duty tape
  • Cover the bubble wrapped sculpture in a blanket
  • Place a wood plank at the bottom of the box (this will prevent the corners from bending and damaging the sharp ends of the sculpture)
  • Fill plastic bags with packing peanuts and place it at the bottom of the box (the plastic bags will keep the packing peanuts from creating a mess)
  • Place the plastic bags on every sharp edge to create a cushion
  • Slide the sculpture inside the box and make sure it’s a snug fit

Outer Packaging

To protect the sculpture from getting cracked, create an outer layer of packaging.

  • Find a slightly bigger box than the one you just packed
  • Slide in the packed box in the second box and fit packing peanut plastic bags on the sides
  • Throw in a few packets of calcium chloride (drying agent) to prevent the sculpture from getting damaged due to water
  • Secure the box with a heavy duty tape
  • Stick a paper on the box and indicate with arrows how it should be carried

Note: If you’re using a wooden crate for packaging, use stainless steel bolts instead of nails to close the crate. This will prevent the rust from seeping into the crate, in case water is splashed on it.

Since most heavy packages are shipped by sea, it is better to take a few precautions such as packets of drying agent and securing the box with another box. It might be a lot of work but it will give you the assurance that your sculpture will arrive safely and unharmed at your destination.