There is no doubt that valuable paintings and fine art are safest left on the wall in a climate-controlled space. There are some unavoidable reasons when artwork needs to be moved; it may be bought or sold, you may lend it for exhibition, or you may need to ship it to a conservator for repair or restoration. The ideal choice in any of these situations is to use a shipping company that specializes in fine art. But if you must hand carry or ship a painting, here are some tips:
Tips for packing a painting to hand carry it:
- Don’t put your painting in a car trunk where the temperatures might be harmfully extreme
- Make sure to use enough padding to protect fragile frame edges
- It’s best to wrap your painting in paper, ensuring it doesn’t touch the painting itself
- Don’t use tape on the painting or frame
- make sure to secure your painting in the car; leaning it on the seat unsecured is risky
- Transporting the painting laid flat in the rear of the car is best
Tips for packing a painting to be shipped:
- Pack your painting in a box within a box, and use foam packing between the boxes
- The outer box should be waterproof, while the inner box should be cushioned on all sides to protect the painting
- Ensure nothing in the package is loose and can shift during shipment
- Assemble and secure the packing boxes with screws; don’t risk puncturing the painting by using nails
- In transporting to the shipping center, secure it within your car to prevent shifting
- Use synthetic foam packing material. Do not use shredded paper, felt, crumpled tissue paper, or excelsior
Article reprinted courtesy of Art-Care.com
Recent Comments