Shipping artwork like paintings can be difficult. Artwork can be incredibly fragile and delicate, so you need to take the upmost care when it comes to properly transporting and shipping a painting so that it doesn’t get damaged.
Here is Aardvark’s advice on shipping a painting: A How-to guide.
1.Determine The Size Of The Piece Of Art You Want To Ship
You need to measure the painting and make sure you have the size exactly right; you also need to weigh the art as well. This is because you need to know the size of the box it will take to ship the painting.
You want a little extra room in the box so that you can put padding both on top and underneath the painting so remember to take this into account when you are finding the right box.
2. Wrap The Art In Bubble Wrap
You need to wrap the painting in a protective wrap before you start. Bubble wrap is ideal for this. don’t be too rough with the painting as you wrap it in bubble wrap and make sure you haven’t pulled the wrap too tightly around the painting as this could damage it.
You can never use too much bubble wrap when securing a painting and if you aren’t sure then always air on the side of caution and use more bubble wrap than not.
3. Fill The Box With Something That Will Cushion The Painting
Put something in the bottom of the box to cushion the painting. You can use anything that will help protect the painting from the floor and won’t damage the painting itself. Something like scrunched up paper can make a great bouncy barrier. Better yet, something like packing foam peanuts is perfectly designed to protect your package from any bumps and movements, but without doing any harm or damage to the painting itself.
Fill the box until it is around halfway full and then place the painting carefully on top. Then proceed to fill the rest of the box so that the painting is entirely covered in your soft packing of choice. This will help to prevent the painting from getting crushed if anything is placed on top of the box.
4. Make Sure The Box Is Sealed Securely
The box might get accidently turned around or moved about a lot during the shipping process. Make sure that you clearly label the box so that you know which end is the open end. Seal the box as tightly and securely as possible. Brown parcel tape is one of the strongest tapes you can use or you can use a more industrial tape, like duct tape or gaffer tape, if you really want to make sure the box is sealed.
For extra caution you can even staple the box shut as well, providing you use some very strong staplers.
5. If The Art Is Very Fragile, Use Extra Protection
If the art is very very fragile and you are worried that even in a well cushioned box it might not be enough then don’t be afraid to use extra protection. If you like, you can take the box with the painting in it and then place that box in another bigger box to be shipped.
Make sure you repeat the process from before and ensure that the box is safely and securely cushioned in its new box.
Use An Outside Shipping Company
If you want to make sure that your art arrives at its destination in perfect condition, then you might want to use a professional art shipping company.
With a professional company like Aardvark you can be sure that your art is in good hands, and we will ensure that it arrives exactly how you handed it to us, packaged with perfect care and transported in a way that makes sure there will be no damage or stress on the art. We give the best service and care to any item we are asked to transport, whether it be art or antiques.
Get In Touch
If you would like to discuss our art transportation services, get in touch today by calling us on 01253 794673 or sending us an email at [email protected]. Alternatively, fill out our contact form here.