Whether you’re moving a $15 million Pollock or your kid’s first fingerpainting, getting art into your new home can be stressful. And not just because such works are high-value investments. The art that lines your home’s walls is often as sentimental as it is fragile. When moving it, one wrong decision can result in disaster.
So, when moving homes, how do you safely take your art with you? How do you prevent a Mona Lisa from getting scuffed across the smile? Here’s everything you need to know about moving your artworks into your brand-new home.
Before Packing, Take Photos
It’s always a smart decision to take photos of your artworks before moving them. Not only will these photos act as inventory, but you can also use photos to track each piece’s condition. This way, if you notice some damage after the move, you can check whether it’s pre-existing or new.
Measure The Size of Your Artworks
Another thing you need to do before packing up your artworks is measure each piece’s size. We’re talking height, width, and depth. Getting these dimensions will help you know how much wrapping tape, bubble wrap, glassine, and wax paper you’ll need. It’ll also help you purchase moving boxes that are the appropriate size for your collection.
The Best Way to Move Framed Paintings
There are a ton of easy ways to prevent your framed paintings from getting damaged during a move. But the first step is taping a big “X” shape over the glass. When doing this, make sure you use packing tape. It’s also important to start each piece of the tape in a corner, pull it crossways, and end it in the diagonal corner. Using packing tape in this manner will prevent your frames from shattering.
Additionally, before putting any framed artworks in a box, sandwich them between two pieces of cardboard. Afterwards, sandwich each artwork between two pieces of encasing cardboard before wrapping it in bubble wrap. The cardboard will prevent your artworks from ripping, while bubble wrap will prevent the glass from breaking after a drop.
The Best Way to Move Unframed Paintings
When moving unframed canvas paintings, they should be first covered with glassine or wax paper. Neither of these materials should scratch the surface of your works. Your paintings can then be wrapped with bubble wrap and packing tape. Make sure the bubble wrap and packing tape don’t touch any of your canvases, as this can cause serious damage.
If any of your works are particularly floppy, sandwich them between two pieces of cardboard.
The Best Way to Box Your Artworks
During the boxing process, it’s important to make sure that you aren’t storing large paintings next to small paintings. This can lead to your larger paintings squishing the smaller ones. The best way to prevent this issue is by having different-sized boxes for different-sized paintings.
Likewise, it’s important not to pack your paintings too close to one another. This way, you can fill the rest of the box with shredded paper or packing peanuts.
However, to give your artworks the best trip to their new home, you can put them in custom-built crates. Because these crates are tailored to your artworks’ exact dimensions, you won’t have to worry about them rattling around the whole trip. These crates are also thick enough to survive an accidental fall and can be reused if you ever decide to move again.
Some professional removalist companies can organise custom crates for you as well as packing your artworks safely when it comes time to move them. Holloway Removals has many years of experience offering this service.
Hire Professional Removalists
When moving artworks from your old house into your new home, it’s in your best interest to hire some professional removalists. They are the experts in this field, and they know how to safely move artworks with ease. Many professional removalists have years of experience packing, moving, and unpacking artworks of different shapes and sizes.
If you’re in Sydney, Holloway Removals could be the professionals to help you move your paintings and other possessions. Whether you own a $15 million Pollock or your kid’s first fingerpainting, they can make moving your artworks stress-free.
