Transporting valuable or delicate artistic creations involves significant risk, as delivery services often use automated sorting and rough handling. Ensuring the artwork arrives in its original condition demands meticulous preparation. Professional-grade packing is the most important factor determining the safe arrival of any painting, whether shipped globally or domestically. This guide details the preparations, materials, and logistical steps required for safely sending paintings.
Initial Planning and Necessary Supplies
Begin by assessing the painting’s dimensions, weight, and market value. These factors inform material needs and insurance decisions. Accurate measurements ensure correct sizing for shipping containers, and the value dictates the necessary protective padding and insurance coverage. Gather all required, high-quality supplies designed to withstand the stresses of transit.
Essential materials include heavy-duty, pressure-sensitive packing tape that resists tearing and temperature changes. High-density polyethylene foam sheeting or thick bubble wrap provides cushioning and shock absorption against impacts. Use acid-free glassine paper to cover the paint surface for protection, preventing abrasion without chemically damaging the pigments.
Secure specialized art shipping boxes or double-walled corrugated cardboard containers for structural integrity. Include a moisture barrier, such as heavy plastic sheeting, to protect the painting against humidity and condensation changes.
Safely Packing Unframed or Rolled Canvases
Shipping an unframed canvas requires careful rolling to prevent cracking or creasing the paint layer. Before rolling, cover the entire painted surface with acid-free glassine paper to protect the artwork from contact and debris. Always roll the canvas with the painted image facing outward. This minimizes stress on the paint and primer layers compared to rolling tightly inward.
Secure the rolled canvas gently with archival tape and place it inside a moisture barrier bag to shield it from water damage. This protected roll must be housed within a highly rigid shipping tube, ideally heavy-duty PVC or thick, spiral-wound cardboard with secured plastic end caps. The tube’s diameter must be large enough to avoid excessive curvature that could damage the paint surface.
The diameter should be adequate, usually a minimum of four inches for standard canvases, to prevent undue tension. Lightly pad the empty space within the tube with tissue or foam to prevent the canvas from shifting during handling.
Protecting Framed and Stretched Paintings
Securing a framed or stretched painting is complex due to its rigidity and vulnerability to impact damage. If the artwork includes glass, secure it first by applying low-tack painter’s tape across the surface in a star or hash pattern. This prevents shattering or holds fragments in place if breakage occurs. Fit foam corner protectors or custom-made cardboard sleeves snugly over all eight corners of the frame to absorb impacts.
After protecting the corners, wrap the entire painting in high-density polyethylene foam sheeting or specialized bubble wrap, ensuring the bubbles face away from the artwork surface. This primary wrap absorbs shock and protects the frame’s finish from scuffs. Place the wrapped artwork inside a double-walled corrugated box substantially larger than the piece, ensuring at least three inches of empty space on all sides.
Fill this empty space with dense foam padding or crumpled kraft paper to create a “floating” effect, isolating the painting from the container walls. For large or valuable works, use a double-boxing method: place the first padded box inside a second, larger box. Fill the gaps between the two containers with cushioning material to maximize shock absorption.
Rigorously test the package by gently shaking it to ensure there is no internal movement or rattling. This confirms the padding is sufficient to immobilize the painting, preventing friction or sudden shifts during transit handling.
Selecting the Right Shipping Carrier and Insurance
Selecting an appropriate shipping carrier requires evaluating their reliability, specialized art handling policies, and cost structure. Standard carriers often have size and weight limitations, potentially necessitating a dedicated art logistics company for large or heavy pieces. Understanding the carrier’s claims process and liability limits is paramount before booking.
Securing adequate insurance is necessary when shipping valuable art, as standard carrier coverage is often insufficient and restricted. Carrier insurance typically covers only the cost of materials or a low declared value, which may not reflect the artwork’s true market or replacement value. This limitation requires seeking alternative coverage.
Third-party art insurance, purchased through specialized brokers, provides superior coverage tailored to fine art. This specialized policy should insure the painting for its full market or agreed-upon replacement value, covering damage, loss, or theft during transit. Ensure the policy covers the entire door-to-door journey, including temporary storage or customs inspections.
Confirming that the package requires a signature upon delivery adds security, ensuring the piece is not left unattended or delivered incorrectly. The choice of carrier and insurance must align with the monetary value of the artwork.
Required Documentation and Declared Value
Accurate administrative preparation is important, especially for high-value or international shipments. The declared value on the shipping documentation must precisely match the insured value to prevent complications during claims processing or customs assessment. Discrepancies can lead to delays or claim denial.
For international shipments, comprehensive customs forms are mandatory, requiring a detailed description of the art, its medium, and its country of origin. Before sealing the painting, complete and date a detailed condition report, including high-resolution photographs of the front, back, and frame. This report serves as evidence of the artwork’s state immediately prior to shipping, which is necessary for any insurance claim.
The exterior of the shipping container must be clearly labeled on multiple sides with large, visible stickers or stencils. These labels should communicate warnings to encourage careful manual handling by sorting and delivery personnel.
Label Warnings
Fragile
Artwork – Handle With Care
This Side Up
Final Handling and Tracking
After internal preparations are complete, thoroughly seal all seams and edges of the outer box using heavy-duty tape to prevent accidental opening or moisture ingress. Immediately communicate the carrier name and tracking number to the recipient so they can anticipate and arrange for secure delivery.
Upon arrival, the recipient should inspect the exterior of the package for damage before signing. If damage is suspected, they must photograph the box and document the issue with the carrier representative. If artwork damage is discovered upon unboxing, the recipient must retain all packing materials and notify the insurer immediately to initiate the claim process.