Antiques are a great addition to any home, but shipping them can cause worry and issues if you don’t choose the correct shipping company. At EXPS Inc, we’re here to help both private homeowners as well as antique dealers and museums with packing and shipping their artwork and antiques — no matter what size.
Proper Packing for Antiques and Artwork
Before the shipping process can even begin, it’s important to properly prepare your high value items for the journey across town or country. Our professional packing and custom crating company recommends the following procedure:
- Clean your items. Whether it’s statues, china, or furniture, you should always dust and clean your antiques before packing it away. If your shipment is headed overseas, this is especially important as some countries have taken precautions to make sure no invasive species come into the country via wooden crates.
- Wrap with paper first. Never use bubble wrap against the surface of wooden antiques or artwork as these bubbles can leave noticeable impressions on the wood. Depending on the temperature, the bubble wrap can even ruin the finish of your antique. It’s always important to first wrap your items with paper, then add a protective layer of bubble wrap.
- Pick the right box. Boxes too large mean that you end up spending extra on filling material such as peanuts or bubble wrap. Your item also has more room to shift around in transit. It’s important to head to a packing store or post office if you aren’t sure what size or type of box you need for a particular item. At EXPS Inc, we can customize package size depending on your item.
- Use protective tape. Using protective painter’s tape (or any type of paint that won’t leave residue) to cover the glass over your paintings is always a good idea. This tape will protect the glass from cracking or chipping, which may result in damage to the underlying painting.
- When advised, choose the custom crate. If you’ve contacted a professional packing and shipping company and they recommend using a custom crate, always go with this option. Items that are usually crated include large antique furniture items, large statues of metal, marble or wood, as well as large quantities of paintings that are intended for the same destination.
Not sure how to properly pack your antiques or artwork? EXPS Inc can help! Get a quick estimate online and we’ll reach out to you and let you know what we recommend.