Relocating art pieces can be difficult at times, especially if you are transporting them across the country. You are going to need to ensure their safety and timely arrival. Your best bet is to go with one of the interstate moving companies for this endeavor. They will know all the best routes to take and can all but guarantee the safety of your belongings. Of course, that does not mean that you can afford not to prepare your belongings accordingly. In this article, we are going to explain how to move your fine art across the country and provide you with some tips for doing so.
How to move your fine art across the country with ease?
Here are the three main things that you will need to consider doing:
- Invest in high-quality packing materials
- Hire professionals to move your fine art across the country
- Get additional insurance
Invest in high-quality packing materials
First of all, you are going to want to have sturdy containers and quality padding. Regular cardboard boxes are great for relocating a household but they are lacking when it comes to moving fine art. You can find them at specialty stores, purchase them over the internet, or have your cross country movers Miami deliver them to your doorstep. Regardless of where you get them, they are going to be what is between your art and danger. By investing in quality stuff, you are providing your valuables with the best protection there is. Consider what every item requires and purchase accordingly. If this is your first time relocating your art collection, make sure to ask your movers for some advice, as well.
Hire professionals to move your fine art across the country
Transporting your fine art is best left to professional care. They are able to deliver it in record time, all the while keeping your belongings safe and sound. Their knowledge and expertise allow them to select the easiest driving routes and to avoid any accidents on the way. This is especially important if you are going to be shipping your collection internationally. Having great international movers by your side is going to make the entire process a lot easier. These professionals will be able to fill you in on all the rules and regulations that might govern art shipping to another country, as well as to conduct the transportation itself.
Get additional insurance
Another thing to consider when relocating valuable art is having additional insurance. Standard moving insurance only covers your belongings based on their weight. Which, needless to say, is not really indicative of the value of any art piece. Therefore, in order to protect your items the best way, you will need to look into additional insurance plans. The good news is that you can do so at the same place where you hired your movers. While moving companies are not legally allowed to sell insurance, they almost always have a partner that can provide any insurance plan that you might need. While you are negotiating an insurance plan, you might want to look into storage services, as well. Movers will be able to offer you “package deals” which can reduce the overall price of your relocation. It literally pays off!
How to pack and move your fine art across the country?
Having movers pack your belongings is the easiest option. However, if you want to pack your fine art on your own, we will be detailing the process of packing:
- Framed paintings
- Unframed paintings
- Sculptures
Framed paintings
The first thing you are going to need is a moving box to fit each painting in. Make sure that there are at least three inches of available space all around the painting, once you place it inside. You will want to wrap the painting in acid-free tissue paper first, then apply bubble wrapping around it. After that, you are going to insert a layer of foam inside the box, where the frame will rest. Finally, utilize packing materials in the space around the box, which will minimize any shifting in the transport.
Unframed paintings
For your unframed pieces, you are going to need acid-free tissue paper that you are going to fold into triangles. Leave one side open and place those triangles into each corner of the piece. After that, you are going to tape the painting (taping only around the paper corners) onto a sturdy piece of cardboard. Use additional cardboard layers over both sides of the painting, taping them together. Finally, you are going to need two pieces of corrugated cardboard. Place your painting in the middle of them and carefully tape all the sides.
Sculptures
When it comes to sculpture packaging, your best friend is bubble wrapping. You are going to put two layers of it all around the upper half of the sculpture, to start with. After that, you are going to do the same for the lower half, making sure that you overlap in the middle. After you do so, tape everything into place with packing tape, all the way along the middle and the sides.
Before you place your sculpture into a box, make sure that the container is about thirds of the way full with shredded paper. This is going to provide your art piece with additional protection. Following that, you will want to make a small “well” in the middle of all that paper. This is where you will place your sculpture, before filling the rest of the box with more shredded paper. The goal here is to ensure that the sculpture within can’t move at all, or at least have space for minimal movement. Before taping the box shut, you will want to rattle it a bit, just to see if the item inside can move. Once you are satisfied with the results, proceed to tape the box.
