Shipping artwork can be a nerve wrecking experience. How do you know that it won’t get damaged along the way? Here’s how to create the perfect package to ship your artwork without the worry, and with the help of Fastpack.net!
The great thing is you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to package your artwork. And you probably have most of these things on hand anyway.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Box Cutter
Packing Tape
Tape Dispenser
Variety of Corrugated Cardboard Shipping Boxes
Stretch Wrap
Bubble Wrap®
Now that you have all of your materials, let’s package your artwork. First, you want to start out by figuring what box you are going to use for the outer packaging. A good rule of thumb is to have a box that will give you at least a 2-inch clearance all the way around your artwork. Ultimately, you want enough room to buffer your artwork.
1.) Step One: Stretch Wrap
First you are going to start out by using your Stretch Wrap to create a protective layer of plastic. Start at the back of the painting. This helps to prevent your artwork from scratches. Pull the wrap tightly around the artwork so that it doesn’t become tangled.
2.) Cardboard Protective Layer
Now that it is wrapped in plastic, you need to add a protective layer of stiff cardboard around it. This helps protect your painting from any piercings that might happen while shipping. Lay this stiff cardboard flat and put your painting in the middle. Fold the cardboard ends over to create a box. Use the tape to seal this cardboard layer. Now you have a protective cardboard layer over your painting.
3.) Bubble Wrap®
Here’s the fun part! Get out your Bubble Wrap®. This is going to be used as a protective layer just as the plastic wrap was. Keep the Bubble Wrap® tight as you wrap up the cardboard. This layer protects the artwork, provides cushioning and fills up the space between the cardboard and the outer cardboard box so the painting doesn’t move around.
4.) Outer Box
Now it’s time to slide this whole thing into your outer box. You want this to fill your outer box as much as possible. If you find you have too much space, you can either cut down the box to size or fill up the extra space with Bubble Wrap®.
5.) Packaging Tape
Now be sure to tape around the entire length and width of the package to keep your artwork secure. It might seem like a bit much, but you don’t want this box getting ripped open.
Your artwork is now ready to ship! Make sure to add or write “fragile” on the box. And don’t forget to insure your package. Although it might seem complicated, you will get the hang of packaging artwork for shipping, and it will get easier every time!
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