Our Ultimate Guide to Fine Art Shipping: What You Need to Know

Buying art pieces for your home or as a gift to a loved one is a fantastic investment. Seeing as art ages beautifully and remains timeless, you want to ensure that it gets to you from the gallery or auction safely. However, putting your piece in the back of a delivery truck isn’t enough, and there are many things you need to consider when dealing with fine art shipping. 

The Art of Shipping Fine Art

When packing and shipping fine art, there are a plethora of the ins and outs that every shipper should know to ensure that your pieces are safe and arrive at the destination with no damage and intact. 

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or if you’re buying fine art for the first time, it really pays to know the different shipping safety ideas to ensure that your investment is being transported safely to your hands. 

This article is our guide that will help you ship works of art properly, reducing any damage and improving the longevity of your pieces. Let’s take a look!

The Tools You May Need

Depending on what exactly it is you’re shipping, the materials you require for shipping and packing may vary. However, here are the most common materials that you usually need:

• A durable shipping tube, box, or container
• Artist tape
• Bubble wrap
• Corner projectors
• Foam boards
• Cling film
• High-quality packing tape
• Glassline paper

Step #1: Measure Your Art Piece

Before packing fine art, you must know your art piece’s length, width, and height. By knowing this, you’re able to choose the right shipping container that will keep your pieces protected. 

Additionally, having the right shipping container will reduce the chances of damage, and you’ll have an accurate cost for shipping as well. 

Step #2: Select a Durable Container

Whatever your art piece may be, it will have a specific container that will keep it secure and protected during transit. Whatever container it needs — whether it be a box, a tube, or other containers — you must ensure to pay close attention to its durability and quality. Additionally, you shouldn’t group art pieces, and that you should have a container for each artwork. 

When you work with a premium packing and shipping center, you can guarantee that they know the ins and outs of fine art shipping, allowing you to rest easy while your pieces are in transit. 

Step #3: Keep Your Artwork Protected with Wrapping

Acid-free glassine paper protects unframed canvas pieces since it is the best option for protecting delicate drawings and paintings. Ideally, you want to ensure that the glassine paper covers every inch of your artwork to ensure maximum security and protection from damage during transit. 

If you wish to ship several pieces in a single tube, expert packing and shipping services will place a shirt of glassine paper between each canvas before rolling it and fitting them inside the tube. 

Step #4: Protect the Glass and the Corners

If you’re shipping framed fine art paintings, make sure the glass stays protected and so the canvas doesn’t get harmed during transit. To do this, use several strips of painter or artist tape around the surface of the glass. Alternatively, clingfilm can also substitute artist tape.

After that, protect the corners of the glass with cardboard or foam boards to ensure it doesn’t move and break while your painting is on its way to you. 

Step #5: Seal Your Package

Now that you’ve chosen the right container, secured your frame, or separated pieces with glassine paper, the final thing you want to do is to seal your package. 

Use high-quality tape when securing your package, sticking vertical and horizontal strips to cover all seams on each side of the box. After that, you want to label the box as “Fragile” to ensure the shipping company and other handlers handle the art piece with care. 

The Bottom Line: Shipping Works of Art Is Easy; You Just Need to Follow the Right Steps and Trust a Reputable Shipping Center

Fine art shipping can be tricky, especially when you’re buying art pieces for the first time. Fortunately, this guide can help you pack and ship your pieces without any worry, ensuring it reaches its destination without any damage during transit.

How Can We Help You?

If you need help with fine art shipping, 1 Stop Pack N Ship is here to help. We are Montgomery Country’s premier packaging and shipping center that serves the Washington DC area.

We provide customized packaging and ship anywhere in the world in a matter of days, without compromising your item, budget, and time frame. Learn more about how we can help you today!