Packing and transporting works of art safely - this is how it works with the move

A move is a scary matter if your objects are fragile - especially if it packing , transporting or storing valuable works of art or family photos.

Works of art can be large and unwieldy, and even the objects that should protect the work of art or the photos - i.e. the frame and the glass - can damage it when moving.

If you large paintings , framed works of art and smaller picture frames for transport or storage, you can avoid that when you arrive in your new home you will find fragmented glass or scratched paintings, photos or prints.

Moving companies in Munich and many medium to larger cities in Germany offer professional services in order to safely bring valuable objects to their new home.

But what can you do to adequately prepare your works of art for such a move? Our instructions will help you.

Preparation of the works of art for the move

Before you start packaging, you should carefully prepare your works of art. Carefully clean each piece to remove dust and dirt. Check the frame and linen fabric for any damage.

Smaller repairs should be made before moving to avoid further damage.

Selection of the right packaging materials

The safe packaging of paintings for transport is an important step that begins with the sorting of the works by size.

The choice of packaging materials is crucial for the protection of your works of art. You need:

1. Stable boxes that are larger than their pictures.
2. Bladder foil or foam panels for additional protection.
3. Wrapping paper or soft cloth to avoid direct contact between the work of art and the bladder film.
4. Glue tape and labels for labeling.

In most cases, small and medium -sized works of art can be summarized and packed together. However, when it comes to large works of art, it is advisable to pack each piece in a special box that is slightly larger than the frame.

These special boxes can be purchased in specialist shops or in a truck rental. If there are no such boxes available, you can also take a used box and press flat.

individual box can then be made from this box , which is large enough for the image and the frame. In this way it is ensured that the work of art can be safely transported.

Packaging techniques for paintings

Paintings require special attention when packaging.

1. First place a soft cloth or wrapping paper on the painting surface to avoid scratches.
2. Then wrap the picture in bladder film and secure it with adhesive tape.
3. Place the packaged image in a box that is slightly larger than the painting to minimize movements during transport.

Glow glass surfaces with an "X"

When the frame is covered with glass, place an X above the glass with a wide crepe tape. This prevents the glass from jumping completely or moving too much when it breaks.

Protect the front side of the artwork

If there is no layer of glass on your work of art, protect the painted front of the work by wrapping it only for transporting into several layers of kitchen food film (e.g. Saran film) or commercially available pallet film.

Wrap works of art in paper and air film film

With this small step-by-step instructions , which was presented by moving expert Diane Schmidt on The Spruce , the best practical tips from her broad experience summarize the best practical tips. Diane Schmidt has moved more than 28 times and lived in four countries, ten cities, two cities and a coastal village.

Here are your tips:

1. Place the brown paper flat on a flat work surface so that the edges overlap and an area is created that is twice as large as the frame.
2. Place the frame with the glass side down on the paper.
3. Now wrap the ends of the paper around the frame, similar to a gift. However, avoid using newspaper for works of art or frames, since this is suitable as an upholstery material but can leave traces.
4. Make sure that possible bubbles lie outside and do not point towards the work of art.
5. To ensure that the paper stays on the spot while moving, you should wrap around the frame both lengthways and across adhesive tape.
6. Subsequently, repeat this process with air cushion film.
7. When it comes to packing small photos and picture frames together in a moving box, it is advisable to wrap each individual object separately in wrapping paper. This ensures that the glass does not break during transport.

The ideal transport preparation of a work of art is also easy to see in the following video:

We would like to add the following advice to the list of the moving expert:

Use edge protection and corner protection

to have sufficient supply of edge protection and corner protection The use of plastic or a similarly hard material protects the edges and corners of the frame.

However, it is also possible cardboard as protective material. You can easily attach the corner protectors to every single corner of the frame and glue the edge protection around the edges.

Every suitable packaging tape can be used here, since this does not touch the work of art directly. This additional protective elements ensure shock absorption to prevent the glass pane or frame from breaking.

Air cushion, air cushion and foams

As for shock absorption: air cushions and foams play a crucial role to ensure that their works of art remain protected during transport. Both materials are available in most hardware stores.

You can either buy finished foams or cut it appropriately. Take a slightly larger foam than the work of art itself and then connect the two slices with adhesive tape to an "art sandwich". This secures your work of art safely in the middle.

In order to continue to stay with this analogy, you can place air pillows or pads next to your art sandwich.

As soon as the work is located in the shipping box, simply create a layer of air cushions around it. Instead of the fact that your work of art absorbs the vibrations and bumps during transport, the air cushions now take over for you. In addition, they prevent the work in the box back and forth, which could cause serious damage.

In the following video tutorial, you can see a perfect handling of foams and packing tape:

Use a stable shipping box

The last part of the puzzle is a robust shipping box . If you have enough money and want high-quality shipping boxes, I recommend the Strongbox boxes from Masterpak . These boxes consist of three layers of foam and cardboard, which are as strong as plywood.

The several layers offer exceptional shock absorption. If this is not a practical option for you, you should look for cardboard and well -processed shipping boxes made of cardboard. In addition to the foam around the part, you can also use more upholstery fabrics to ensure the interior of the box to upholstery and additional protection.

Carefully close the box

Use high -quality adhesive tape special box to seal one of the ends.

Place the box on the sealed end and carefully push the wrapped frame into the box. If it is difficult to introduce the box, ask a friend for help to keep.

If there is no special box, place the frame on the flat box that was previously taken apart and attach it with adhesive tape. If the flat box is large enough, you can bend it and fix it with tape.

Special packaging for sculptures and bulky art objects

Sculptures and three -dimensional works of art require individual packaging.

Wrap each sculpture separately in bladder film and fill the box with additional upholstery materials to prevent movements. Make sure that the packaging is tight to protect the sculpture from bumps.

Always use "fragile" labels

Some people take this for granted, but by gluing a label with the reference "fragile" on your package, you can get the delivery companies to think twice about how to deal with it.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case and some freight forwarders simply ignore such labels and signs with the inscription "Risk" or "Handle with Care". Nevertheless, it is worth a try.

The attachment of a label on your packaging hardly takes time and, at least begins to the transporters that it should be handled carefully.

If this label is not available, you do not recognize the fragility of the content and therefore have no way of dealing with it differently than with all other packages.

Position the boxes in the truck

When packing the box and loading onto the moving car, it is important to make sure that the packed image is on the side and not flat. In this way, the image can withstand the pressure better if it is on the edge instead of lying flat.

The pictures should be packed on the edges and placed in a safe place where they cannot fall over. It is advisable to pinch the pictures between heavy objects so that they do not slip during transport.

Professional moving services for works of art

For the transport of high -quality and sensitive works of art, it is advisable to hire professional moving companies in Munich.

These companies have the necessary know-how and the equipment to safely transport their works of art to their new home.

After the move: unpacking and arranging the works of art

After moving to your new home, it is important to carefully unpack and inspect the works of art. Check each piece for possible damage that could have occurred during transport.

Then place your works of art in a suitable place where you are protected from direct sunlight and moisture.

How do art transports run in expensive museum paintings?

Even if we call a few valuable paintings our own, the oil paintings of the old masters, as they are exhibited in museums, play in another league. How does an art transport in museums work?

Max Beckmann painting in air -conditioned boxes: a large order. Music works of art must be transported from one museum to another - quite a bit of effort! A special form of logistics is necessary ...

FAQs - frequent questions from moving expert answered

Many questions arise when transporting art. After all, it is about preserving material and intangible values.

What does the moving professional Diane Schmidt say about the most pressing questions on this topic?

How do you pack paintings and works of art safely for long -term storage?

Use air -permeable materials such as silk paper, blankets and wooden boxes to keep works of art for a long time. Air foil, foam or plastic are only suitable for transport, since they can enclose moisture and, over time, condensation is created that can damage the works of art.

The materials used should enable good air circulation and at the same time protect the objects. Ideally, you should be able to keep your works of art in an air -conditioned storage room that protects against unfavorable environmental influences.

However, if you want to store at home in the long term, it is advisable not to do this in the basement or in the attic or in other places with strong temperature fluctuations.

Can you fold a canvas painting?

Pack canvas prints without a stretcher frame by carefully rolling it up and not folding. Make sure that the canvas is completely dry and do not roll it too tightly.

Wrap the work of art loosely for a role that is larger than the canvas. Avoid using air cushion film as this can cause moisture inside the tube. Then place this tube in an even larger tube for additional safety during transport.

When unpacking the canvas, you should wait until both the innermost and outer tube have room temperature. This avoids that colors tear or otherwise damaged.

How do you store unmayed paintings so that they don't glue together?

Proper storage of unmayed paintings is a real art. In order to ensure that you are not damaging, unmistaked paintings should be transported separator

There are two types of intermediate layers that can be placed between the images: Mylar film (except for pastel or coal pieces due to the electrostatic charging of the material) and power paper (only use if the images are completely dry and only for transport, not for storage).

Use acid-free and stable partitions as well as upholstery or barriers to prevent moving back and forth from the artwork.

Pack works of art for vertical transport like bound books in a robust box without acidity .

Conclusion

Packing and transporting works of art during a move requires careful planning and caution.

By using the right materials and techniques as well as the use of professional moving services, you can ensure that your valuable works of art will surely arrive at your new destination.