Boxes for Shipping Art

The good news for artists and art-lovers is that there are dozens of different sized bags and boxes for shipping art. When shipping fine art it is important to use art shipping boxes and shipping supplies that are appropriate for the piece concerned.

Boxes for Shipping Art

This is obviously extremely important when shipping and transporting valuable pieces of art and is easier than you would think given the choice of boxes for shipping fine art.

It is often cheaper to buy your bags and boxes for shipping art from a third party rather than buying your shipping supplies from companies specializing in fine art shipping services.

It you are sending very valuable pieces then it makes sense to have them sent by professional fine art shipping services, but otherwise do some research on line and use your common sense.

For example, in order to send a framed painting or picture, you will need to wrap the painting and frame in at least two layers of bubble wrap and hold it in place with broad sealing tape (glass tape) - not ordinary Sellotape or duct tape.

Then buy a flat, corrugated cardboard box to fit the package. If you need to pad the contents to fit the box snugly, then do it. You do not want the contents to rattle around inside the shipping box as this will damage the box and even burst it.

When the contents are in the box and you have added your address and the recipient's address, use the same broad, clear, heavy duty tape to seal the box. Wrap it around the box from top to bottom and from side to side at least twice.

Then add the recipient's address label and mark it as such. Add your return address too. Add these labels on the same face of the art box, but make sure that there can be no confusion. Cover the labels with a layer of the tape to make them more damage and water proof.

If you are sending several pieces in one box, you can use the same principal, but the packing to prevent internal movement becomes even more important. If you are preparing for international shipping, you will need to affix a custom's declaration and affix it like the address labels.

Heavy pieces of fine art can be sent in corrugated cardboard boxes or reinforced corrugated cardboard that match the diameter or width of the piece as closely as possible. Again use bubble wrap for added protective packaging.

If the fine art is easily breakable like pottery, for instance, you may prefer to use a solid wooden tea crate instead with the contents heavily padded with bubble wrap and newspapers.

Whatever you are shipping, mark each surface of the box with the word 'FRAGILE' in red if possible. Smaller pieces of fine art can be sent in heavy duty, padded zip bags or gusset bags.

Hopefully, this information on how to ship art at home or internationally and have it arrive safely and in one piece, but do not forget to insure it, just in case it gets stolen.