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The How’s of Shipping Art and Other Valuables

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Shipping a piece of art, especially paintings are not that hard of a job. Say, you are trying to import a painting to the UK that needs to be displayed at a gallery. If the painting is sold, you receive your share of the sales and the gallery takes their cut. However, if the painting is not sold, it is either shipped back to you or to another country.

In most cases, there are no custom charges but there is a small amount of VAT involved. For paintings that are antiques, original pieces of work and more than 100 years old, 5% VAT is charged on them. However, if the painting is an imitation, it is subjected to 20% VAT charge. With that being said, let’s focus on how the art should be shipped. Following is a step by step process that will help you in packing your painting:

Things You Will Need

  • Glassine paper
  • Poly wrap
  • Bubble wrap
  • Two-ply cardboard
  • Packing tape
  • Artist tape
  • Pair of scissors
  • Knife
  • Cardboard box
  • Packing peanuts (optional)

Packing Step-by-Step

  1. Spread glassine paper on a work surface and place the painting face down on it (the glassine paper protects the surface of the painting and prevents it from getting scratched)
  2. Fold the corners and tape them with artist tape (artist tape is acid-free and therefore, can be removed easily during unpacking. Still, make sure that the tape is attached to the frame and not the painting)
  3. Fashion small triangle pockets from the glassine paper and slips them on to the corners
  4. Using poly wrap, cover the painting twice and secure the sides and corners with packing tape
  5. Take the two-ply cardboard and place the painting on it
  6. Cut around the edges, leaving at least 2 inches of space
  7. Using another two-ply cardboard, fashion a customized box by pinching the sides or folding them
  8. Secure the corners and sides with packing tape
  9. Bubble wrap this cardboard box and secure it with packing tape
  10. Slide this wrapped package into the cardboard box (the cardboard box in question here must be bought in advance from a store. It should be slightly bigger in length and larger in breadth so that the wrapped package can slide in easily)
  11. Tape the box from top to bottom to prevent it from sliding out
  12. Label the cardboard box “Handle with Care”

Note: If you feel that there’s space in the card box that might not keep the painting steady, then pack them with packing peanuts.

Packing artwork is very easy… that is if you have the right tools. The glassine paper used here in the first step of the packing process is the most important packaging material. Without it, the surface of the painting would be destroyed.

The final step is to get insurance for your package in case it gets damaged in transit.

The package is now good to go.

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.

Best Way to Care for Wood Furniture

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The undying grace of the classic wooden furniture only cultivates through the test of time if it remains untarnished. For most of us, furniture means mere props in the house — the efficient utilization of space to derive a particular function from it: sitting, lying, eating. While that may be true, the aesthetic appeal of the furniture can fade away in due time if you don’t care for your wood furniture properly. This article will educate you on all that you need to know to care for your wood furniture properly.

Dusting

Dusting is a vital part of wood furniture maintenance. There are plenty of airborne debris and particulate matter that can deposit onto your wood furniture and accumulate there in a filmy layer that can scratch the surface of the furniture. Feather dusters are great for dust removal from delicate surfaces like art, picture frames, lamp shades and other fragile items. Lamb’s wool duster is an even more effective dusting tool since dust adheres to this cleaning tool and reaches those hard to reach spots as well.

Cleaning

One of the most common mistakes home keepers make when cleaning wood furniture is using all-purpose cleaning sprays on them. Never use all-purpose cleaning sprays on your wooden furniture unless it has a plastic coating on it. When you come across stick spots or stains, a solution of warm water and the mild dish should do the trick. If you need to reach hard to reach areas, just use a toothbrush. After applying the solution, wipe the dirt off with paper towels until you’ve cleaned out the dirt. Make sure you dry off any remaining moisture with paper towels.

Renewing your old wood furniture with tea

Here’s a trick that can make your age-old wood furniture that has decades of accumulated polish on its surface. Get a hold of two tea bags and drop them in boiling water. Let the tea cool down, then dampen a soft cloth into the tea and wash the wood with it. The tannic acid in the tea will do wonders for the wood and your wooden furniture will observably shine when you’re done.

Getting rid of water stains

Despite you having reiterated uncountable times not to set beverages down on the wooden table without using coasters, a diverted mind and a negligent guest is all it takes for a stubborn water ring to be left behind where they can or cup was unabashedly set down. However, such a case isn’t irreversible. You can remove water rings by applying some non-gel toothpaste on the spot and rubbing it in with a soft cloth until the stain is removed. If that doesn’t work and the stain seems more difficult than you might have thought, just mix equal parts of toothpaste and baking soda together. Then apply the mixture with a soft cloth. After the stain has been lifted, just wipe the toothpaste off with a clean cloth and be sure to dry the area thoroughly