Artwork and paintings are often priceless or irreplaceable, so when you’re moving them, you must take extra care to avoid damage. Unlike more resilient household items, art takes additional time and effort when packing to protect the frame, glass, and delicate art inside. In this guide, we go over how to pack framed art for safe transport.
Required Supplies
Before packing any artwork for your move, you’re going to need a few supplies:
- Moving boxes
- Bubble wrap
- Glassine paper
- Dunnage
- Blue painter’s tape
- Packing tape
- Permanent markers
- Flat cardboard sheets
The Packing Process
- First, prepare the artwork by taping the glass surface with painter’s tape, if applicable. Make a large “X” shape from corner to corner across the glass. Then, add a piece of tape to each side around the border of the glass. This way, if the glass breaks during your move, the painter’s tape will prevent it from shattering and damaging the art.
- Next, cover your artwork with a layer of protective cardboard. Cut two equally-sized pieces of cardboard a little larger than the surface area of the frame or canvas. Position the art between the two sections of cardboard, like a sandwich. Tape these cardboard pieces together to keep them in place, being careful not to get tape on the frame. If the painting is on canvas without a glass covering, we suggest using a sheet of acid-free glassine between the art and the cardboard to prevent damage.
- Next, you should wrap this entire bundle in a thick layer of bubble wrap. Avoid leaving any part of your artwork exposed. Secure the bubble wrap with packing tape to prevent it from coming undone in transport.
- After you finish wrapping the piece, place it in a heavy-duty moving box. Chances are, you won’t find a box that’s a perfect fit. Fill any extra space in the box with packing paper or packing peanuts. This step will keep the frame from sliding around during the move.
- Once you secure the art in the moving box, make sure you label it as “FRAGILE” on every side. This way, your residential movers handle it with care. Although movers are careful no matter what you label a moving box, this will let them know that the item they’re moving is delicate and requires extra attention. Also make sure that nothing is put on top of the box your artwork is in, which could crush the box and damage the art inside.
Moving is a hard-enough process by itself, but it’s even more time-consuming and nerve-racking to move precious artwork and paintings that mean a great deal to you. Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you’ll be able to efficiently pack up your artwork and prevent it from getting damaged while being transported to your new home. Remember, this isn’t a process you want to wait to do at the last second, you should plan a few days to work on packing your artwork for your move. For more help from the best moving company in NYC, call Imperial Moving & Storage.
