AnyVan's Guide to Safely Transporting Art

Art can often be precious, sentimental (and expensive); the thought of it getting damaged during a house move or in transit is a nightmare. Therefore, moving pieces requires careful consideration and care to ensure no damage occurs during packaging and transportation.

The last thing you want is to hang your beautiful art on the walls of your new home only to discover the frame, or worse, the canvas itself, has been ruined during the move. To help protect your framed artwork during a house move, we've put together the best packaging and transport practices by following these handy tips.

Transporting your artwork

During transport, your artwork is at the most risk of damage; this is where good packaging and careful planning will ensure your artwork arrives in perfect condition.

Wrapping your artwork - If framed, wrap it in a suitable protective wrap to protect it from moisture and physical damage caused by movement in transit. Take extra care on the corners of any frames, as damage is most likely to occur here.

Box it up - You can purchase cardboard boxes designed for transporting artwork. Try to leave around 3cm around the painting for extra packaging to prevent movement inside the box to protect the frame from damage. Ensure you measure from corner to corner to get the appropriate size.

Using a crate - If you are moving multiple art pieces, you may use a crate. If this is the case, separate the individual paintings using sheets of cardboard cut to size to prevent them from bumping or rubbing together during transit. Then, from the front of the crate, pack artwork back-to-back to help prevent damage.

Transport upright - Ensure that the box containing your artwork is transported upright to avoid pressure on the canvas, which could cause it to come away from the frame or tear. Mark your box as fragile and indicate which way up it needs to sit. Ensure that nothing else is placed on top of the box, which could damage the frames or cause the canvas to rip under the weight.

Insurance - If your artwork is irreplaceable or expensive, consider insuring it for the move to compensate you for repair costs if damage occurs.

Keeping your artwork safe

If you've packaged your artwork securely, there shouldn't be too much risk of damage while it is in transit as long as whoever is moving it for you is sensible about where it sits in the removal van. Secure the crate or box containing your artwork upright somewhere it is not likely to fall over. Propped behind the back of a sofa, wardrobe, or another solid piece of furniture is ideal as it is unlikely to become unstable during transit.

If your art is being transported separately in a car, sitting it upright in the footwell behind the driver or passenger seat is the best place so that it does not move if the driver should be in a position where they suddenly have to brake hard.

Experienced artwork movers

If you are looking for experienced movers to transport your prized art, look no further than AnyVan. Our team of removal experts have spent years moving a wide range of artwork and sculptures and understands how much time and preparation it needs. In addition, our team can expertly package your paintings to ensure that they are kept safe and protected during transit, whether they are moving from a house or a gallery to a new home.