How to secure the transport of works of art?

Collectors, museums, artists, art galleries or even individuals, it happens that we have to transport works of art (sculptures and paintings), but it is an obstacle course to avoid damaging them. Indeed, they are objects of great monetary or sentimental value. Here are our tips for transporting them safely.

The packaging

If a painting on canvas has to be transported, it must be dried well before packing. Then, we put on an acid-free paper. For its packaging, we use bubble wrap and adhesive tape. The whole thing is then protected with a very thick cardboard of the same size as the work of art before packing it in a cardboard box. If it is an unframed painting, after drying, it is wrapped in many layers of acid-free paper, and the corners are well protected. For the ship art, we use 2 thick cardboard boxes of a larger size, we leave 5 cm of margin on each side. Then, we fix the work of art in the middle of one of the boxes with an adhesive tape. We close the other over it, and wrap in bubble wrap. If it is a framed painting, we do the same thing as with the painting on canvas, but we only add a wooden box.

The right packaging materials

Not all materials are created equal when it comes to packaging artwork. It is necessary to choose materials resistant to shocks, perforations, humidity and deformations. In order to protect the corners which are the most sensitive to shocks, we opt for foam profiles. For the internal packaging, a flexible material is chosen in order to reduce vibrations and maintain a constant temperature. You have the choice between bubblepack, plastic and foam. As for cushioning, there is foam, crumpled paper and polystyrene. It is important if it is a sculpture that must be transported, it must be perfectly immobilized. Regarding the external packaging, you can use a classic rigid and thick cardboard, a wooden cardboard or a reinforced cardboard with double or triple flute. For additional protection in order to offer the works of art maximum security, stretch film is used, it prevents tilting and humidity.

The mode of transport

When the works of art are well packed (first, second and third layers), they must be loaded into the transport vehicle. Some too heavy may require a crane. When transporting them to their destination, you must also be vigilant about the means of transport. If it is in the same country, between 2 cities in the same region, we opt for the road route in order to secure them well. On the other hand, if it is necessary to bring them abroad, from one country to another, we choose the sea or air routes. Works of art are valuable objects, so the ideal is to entrust their packaging and transport to professionals. They are trained for this while having the necessary equipment to avoid damaging them. We should also note the guarantees such as insurance and support for customs formalities for international travel.