If you are moving soon and you have some pieces of art you will have to pack them with care. Regular items do not require such special treatment and approach but you need to prepare well to pack your art pieces. If you are not sure that you can properly pack fine art pieces that you possess then you should hire art movers in Los Angeles to pack and safely relocate your items. You cannot choose any company, make sure you pick movers with experience in art moving. Don’t think that if they are cheap that is a good enough reason to hire them. It can cost you a lot more if they get your art pieces damaged. If you decide to do it by yourself follow these steps that could help you with your move.
Make a plan
For packing fine art pieces, you need to make a detailed plan. First thing is to decide if you are going to pack and move all the items. Make a list of packing supplies you need, and make sure to check how to pack each item. You can’t pack in the same way paintings framed and unframed, vases or sculptures. Firstly check which supplies you must absolutely have. Some of the packing supplies that you might need are:
- tape gun
- artist tape
- pair of scissors or Exacto knife
- glassine
- foam boards
- tape measure
- cardboard boxes or a crate
- foam or a blanket to pack fine art pieces
- gloves
Take good care of your art pieces because if you do not, it will be very difficult to pack and transport them. If you want to keep them in good condition you need to treat the items properly. You can find a lot of instructions on the internet.
Pack fine art pieces
Before you begin packing make sure your hands are clean. Prepare the proper packing supplies. You will need a lot of concentration and steady hands. Make no mistake, packing artwork is a delicate and important job.
Framed art
You can find a box or build a crate. It is recommended to find a bigger box than the painting. Use wider artist tape and make an ”X” across the glass so it doesn’t get broken. Even if it does get broken, the tape will prevent the glass from moving and damaging your artwork. Then you can wrap it in brown paper and after that wrap the piece in two layers of the wrap. Do not forget about the corners. You can add cardboard corners to prevent damage.
Unframed art
Do not touch the piece with hands, instead you can use gloves. Wrap your piece in glassine. Glassine is a smooth paper that is air, water, and grease resistant. You can protect the edges with a few layers of the cardboard and in the end secure them with the tape. Do not use duct tape, use the artist tape.
Packing sculptures
Wrap the wrap around the sculpture or a vase. Then secure it with the tape. You should do the same with the bottom of the sculpture. You can then put it into a cardboard box. Fill the box with the shredded paper. Make a hole in the middle of the paper and put the sculpture in, then add the rest of the shredded paper to cover the item. Secure the box with the tape. Do not forget to put the label ”Fragile” on the box and on the top you can mark ”Open here”. You can use a custom wooden crate too for artworks such as sculpture, vases, fragile items, or large-sized paintings. In order to save some space, you can try fitting a few items in the box. If you do this ensure there is extra wrap between the items.
Moving all your items to a new home is a stressful task but moving your artwork is a very delicate job. To prevent damage to your fine art pieces avoid making some of the common mistakes.
Common mistakes when you pack fine art pieces
Moving without a plan can be a disaster. Not having a plan will lead only to more expenses and a higher probability of damages. Do not let the wrap to touch directly the surface, always put the glassine first. Packing supplies and moving can be very pricey, so sometimes you decide to reuse some boxes but when it comes to your artwork it is better to avoid doing that. It is for the best to know your artwork is in good boxes and crates.
It is crucial to provide proper packing material if you want to relocate your items safely and in one piece. In the end, you will have to unpack these pieces so don’t make it impossible to unpack. One of the mistakes is that sometimes people tend to pack the artwork first. That means they will stay for too long in the moving van and you will only add boxes on top of them. To avoid that mistake, pack the fine art pieces last and protect them from damage.
Follow these steps, and you will successfully pack fine art pieces for moving to your new home. Good preparation is the key to non-stressful packing and relocation of your items. But if you have a lot of those items and you do not have an appropriate vehicle, it could cost you stress, a lot of money, and even the damage of certain items. In order to prevent that, you can find affordable moving companies Los Angeles, for moving your precious items. If your artwork is very valuable, ask your movers about extra insurance. To relocate your artwork safely the best move is to left the professional movers who have experience with artwork to do it for you quickly and efficiently.