Overview

Packing valuable artwork for a move requires special care. Start by wrapping each piece in Glassine paper to prevent smudging, followed by bubble wrap for shock protection. Use properly sized boxes with packing peanuts, or consider custom wooden crates for oversized or high-value pieces. Hiring professional movers or professional packing services is often the safest choice, especially for irreplaceable art.

Packing Valuable Artwork: How to Keep It Safe During a Move

Whether you're moving across the street or across the country, packing valuable artwork requires special care and attention. Fragile, irreplaceable, and often highly sentimental, paintings, sculptures, and other fine art pieces need proper protection to ensure they arrive at your new home safely. While hiring a professional is always recommended, here’s how to approach packing valuable artwork if you decide to do it yourself.

Why Special Care Matters When Packing Valuable Artwork

Unlike everyday household items, artwork is vulnerable to damage from pressure, temperature changes, moisture, and vibration. A cracked frame, punctured canvas, or broken sculpture can be costly, if not impossible, to repair. That’s why using proper packing supplies and methods is crucial.

Step One: Gather the Right Materials

Before you begin, gather these essential materials:

• • Glassine paper (for moisture and smudge protection)
  • High-quality bubble wrap
  • Packing tape and painter’s tape
  • Corner protectors
  • Flat picture/mirror boxes or custom-sized boxes
  • Packing peanuts or foam sheets
  • Permanent marker for labeling

Using the right materials helps protect both the artwork’s surface and its frame during transport.

How to Pack Framed Paintings and Prints

1. Wrap in Glassine: Start by wrapping the artwork surface with Glassine, a smooth, air- and water-resistant paper. This prevents smudging and protects the surface from moisture.
2. Use Corner Protectors: For framed pieces, place protective corners on all sides to prevent crushing or chipping during the move.
3. Add Bubble Wrap: Once wrapped in Glassine, apply two layers of bubble wrap. For added safety, tape the bubble wrap securely, but avoid using tape directly on the frame or artwork.
4. Box It Carefully: Place a layer of packing peanuts or crumpled paper at the bottom of a flat picture box. Insert the wrapped artwork and fill in all remaining space so the artwork doesn't shift. Seal the box with packing tape and clearly label it as “FRAGILE – ARTWORK.”

Need help sourcing the right boxes? A professional full-service packing team can supply you with specialty containers built for artwork and mirrors.

Sculptures, Large Pieces, and 3D Art

Oversized pieces, like sculptures or custom installations, are best protected using wooden crates. This process is known as crating, and it’s essential for:

• • Large paintings or prints that don’t fit in standard boxes
  • Delicate sculptures or glass items
  • Multi-piece or modular artworks

What Is Crating and When Should You Use It?

Crating involves building a custom-sized wooden container designed to keep artwork immobilized and insulated from external damage. While DIY crate building is an option (requiring 2x4s, plywood, nails, and foam inserts), it’s often safer, and more cost-effective, to hire a white glove moving service that specializes in crating and transporting high-value items.

A professional estate cleanout or senior move may also require crating of heirloom pieces, so working with movers who have experience with these services is a major plus.

Don’t Forget Insurance

Before your move, check your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if your artwork is covered in transit. If not, consider purchasing a temporary policy or asking your moving company about valuation coverage. When working with a professional moving service, you'll have the opportunity to choose a plan that covers the full value of your items.

Tips for Storage

If your artwork won’t be going directly to your new home, make sure to choose a storage solution with climate control and secure access. Artwork stored in garages, sheds, or non-climate-controlled units can quickly degrade due to humidity and temperature fluctuations.

A Final Word on Packing Valuable Artwork

Packing valuable artwork doesn’t have to be stressful, but it does require preparation, precision, and the right materials. Whether you’re boxing up family heirlooms or investing in custom crating for a sculpture, these precautions will protect your investment.

Still not sure if you want to pack artwork yourself? Learn more about our professional packing services and how we take the worry out of every move.

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