How To Pack Fine Art When Moving

When it comes to moving, all fine art owners can get a little anxious about packing their precious artwork. How to pack fine art when moving can be a challenge, especially when pieces hold great value. Whilst it is recommended to select a specialist moving company to help pack and wrap your belongings, sometimes that isn’t always an option. Luckily, we’ve put together a useful guide to help you pack your fine artwork, so that you can rest assured in the knowledge that your pieces will be safe and secure whilst in transit.

Why Is Fine Art Packing Important?

Even if you select the most trusted delivery partner, there are a number of factors that are difficult to control, such as weather and natural shifting in transit. The corners of your shipping box can also get damaged whilst being handled. Our tips are designed to minimise any risk of damage to your artwork if you are packing yourself.

Things You Will Need

• Dust sheet
• Bubble wrap
• Cardboard corners
• Tape
• Marker pen
• ‘Fragile’ tape (optional)
• Artwork box (optional)
• Gloves (optional)

1. Minimise Contact 

When it comes to packing fine art, you want to minimise your contact with the pieces as much as possible to avoid damage. We would recommend wearing gloves when handling your fine art, as this will reduce the risk of any unwanted marks or scratches. It is also a great idea to lay down a dust sheet ahead of wrapping.

2. Start Wrapping

Take your bubble wrap and begin to wrap it around your frame or canvas. Use as much bubble wrap as you feel necessary, however, it is recommended to use slightly more on items that are particularly fragile. Once you have wrapped your fine art, secure it in place with tape. Be careful when placing the tape, as you don’t want to get it on the art itself.

3. Add Cardboard Corners

Cardboard corners are great to add on top of the bubble wrap. This will significantly reduce the risk of damage whilst being handled in transit. Simply place them on each corner of your artwork to secure an extra layer of protection.

4. Choosing a Box

If you have an artwork box, carefully place your fine art inside it. Artwork boxes are great for moving expensive pieces, as the cardboard is often heavy-duty and will not result in any wear and tear. The box should be larger than the artwork to accommodate the extra bubble wrap protection.

5. Labelling

Now that your fine art is packed and wrapped, it is always a good idea to label it. Take your marker pen and write (FRAGILE ARTWORK, THIS SIDE UP), so that the handler will know to take extra care. If you have ‘fragile’ tape, simply use this instead.

It is important not to pack and move your fine art if you are not confident in doing so. If you are looking for some help, Momentous offers specialist fine art moving services to pack, wrap and transport your artwork safely and securely. Get in touch with our team today.