Shipping Artwork: What Every Designer Should Know
At Hercules, we receive, store, and install art and FF&E for interior designers across South Florida and along the East Coast, so we see firsthand what survives the trip and what doesn't. Most of what moves through a project can be reordered. A sofa with a torn seam gets replaced. A backordered console arrives on the next container. Artwork is the exception. A commissioned painting or a vintage print has no replacement, so damage in transit means a real loss, and usually an uncomfortable conversation with the client.
That's why art is the part of an FF&E order worth slowing down for. The good news is that most transit damage is preventable, and almost all of it comes down to a few things people get wrong before the piece ever leaves the building. This guide walks through how to ship artwork safely: what the carriers actually cover, how to pack every common type of piece, when you need a crate, what it costs, and when to hand the work to a specialist.
The carriers do not really cover art
This is the part that surprises people, so it belongs first. The major parcel carriers generally exclude fine art from their standard coverage. FedEx, UPS, and DHL treat original artwork as a restricted category, and where they do accept liability the ceiling is low. FedEx commonly caps its liability on artwork at around $1,000, regardless of the value you declare or the premium you pay. UPS allows higher declared values on most accounts, but still treats unique art as something it can decline to fully cover.
So a $40,000 canvas shipped on a standard parcel account is, in practical terms, traveling almost uninsured. Designers tend to learn this at the worst possible moment, after a piece arrives cracked and the claim comes back for a fraction of what the work was worth. Knowing the limit before you ship is what lets you plan around it, either with proper third party insurance or with a handler who carries real coverage on fine art.
Start with the right materials
Before you wrap anything, gather the right supplies. Using the wrong materials, or skipping a layer to save time, is where most avoidable damage starts. For most framed and flat work, you want:
Acid free glassine or archival tissue for the layer that touches the art
Molded corner protectors, or extra glassine folded into corner pockets
Low tack painter's tape, so it lifts cleanly without pulling finish or paper
Bubble wrap
Half inch foam board or foam sheeting
A rigid box sized to the piece, or a custom wooden crate for larger and higher value works
Packing tape and a marker for labeling
Keep regular newspaper and loose packing peanuts away from the artwork itself. Newsprint can transfer ink onto a surface, and peanuts shift around in transit, which leaves the piece loose and unprotected by the time it arrives.
How to pack a framed painting, step by step
If you are preparing a framed work yourself, the order of operations matters more than the amount of material you use. Work from the surface outward.
Photograph it first. Shoot the front, back, and a close up of every corner and any existing flaw before you wrap. This is your condition record if a claim comes up later.
Cover the surface. Wrap the piece in acid free glassine or archival tissue. Nothing that touches the face of the work should be plain plastic or newsprint.
Tape the glass. If the piece is framed under glass, run painter's tape across it in an X pattern. If the glass breaks, the tape holds the shards in place instead of letting them slide and scratch the artwork.
Protect the corners. Corners take the majority of impact damage in transit, so they get guards before anything else. Add a molded protector or a folded glassine pocket to all four.
Cushion it. Wrap the whole piece in bubble wrap, bubbles facing out, with enough layers for a couple of inches of give on every side.
Add rigidity. Sandwich the wrapped piece between two sheets of half inch foam board and tape the sandwich closed so the frame cannot flex.
Box or crate it. Use a sturdy carton sized so the piece cannot move, and fill the gaps so nothing shifts when you shake it. For framed work larger than about 18 by 24 inches, or any valuable piece, build a crate instead of using a box.
Label the package "Fragile" and "This side up" on more than one side before it goes out.
Packing other kinds of art
Framed paintings are only part of the picture. Each type of piece has its own failure point, so the packing changes with the work.
Unframed stretched canvas. The face and the corners are the vulnerable points. Wrap the canvas in glassine, add corner protectors, and box it with foam so nothing presses against the painted surface. Never let bubble wrap sit directly on the front of a canvas, and never stack anything on top of it.
Works on paper and prints. Ship paper flat whenever you can. Slip the piece into a glassine sleeve, then sandwich it between two rigid boards that extend two to three inches past every edge and tape the boards closed. Rolling is only for very large works, and only when the paper and medium can take it, since some media crack when rolled. If you must roll, roll the piece around the outside of a wide tube, at least four inches in diameter, with a barrier layer of glassine under and over it, then slide that into a larger tube.
Mirrors and pieces under glass. Tape the glass in a star or X pattern first to absorb vibration and contain a break. Add foam corner protectors, wrap in two layers of bubble wrap, and use a box two to three inches larger than the piece on every side. The most important rule with mirrors and glass is orientation: glass is strongest on its edge, so it ships and stores standing upright, never lying flat. A mirror laid flat with anything stacked on it will crack.
Sculpture and three-dimensional pieces. Wrap the form in bubble wrap, bubbles out, paying attention to any protruding or delicate parts, which often need their own padding. Use a box two to three inches larger than the piece on all sides, cushion the bottom, and seat the work so it cannot touch the walls. Small sculptures can be double boxed for a second layer of protection. Large or heavy pieces belong in a custom wooden crate built to the work. A heavy sculpture in a cardboard box is a broken sculpture waiting to happen.
When a piece needs a crate
Wrapping and boxing is fine for smaller, lower value works. Past a certain point you need a wooden crate, and the threshold is lower than most people assume. As a general rule, a framed piece larger than about 18 by 24 inches, anything heavy, or any work of real value should travel in a custom crate rather than a cardboard box.
A proper art crate is built to the dimensions of the piece, lined with foam, and sealed so the work is suspended away from the walls. High value or unusually fragile pieces get foam mounts inside the crate so the work floats and absorbs shock instead of resting against a hard surface. A crate costs more and weighs more, and it usually needs to be built ahead of time, so it is not a last minute decision. For a piece that cannot be replaced, it is the difference between a scare and a claim.
Climate and condition both travel with the piece
Two things people forget are temperature and documentation.
Art does not like swings in heat or humidity. Canvases expand and contract, panels warp, and paper cockles. For sensitive works the target during transport is roughly 40 to 55 percent relative humidity and 65 to 75 degrees, which is why valuable pieces move in climate controlled vehicles rather than the back of a hot box truck. Desiccant packs and an insulated liner help on shorter runs.
Document the piece before it ships. A condition report is simply a set of date stamped photos plus written notes describing the work as it looked the moment it left your hands. Shoot the front, the back, and a close up of every corner, edge, and any existing flaw. If a piece later arrives damaged, that report is what supports a claim and settles any question about whether the damage was already there. Without it, a dispute usually comes down to one party's word against another's.
It is the same reason we photograph and log the condition of every piece that arrives at our warehouse before it moves another inch. A date stamped record taken the moment a piece is received is the strongest protection a designer has when a vendor or carrier pushes back on a claim.
What insurance actually covers
Declared value and insured value are not the same thing. Declaring a value with a carrier tells them what the piece is worth. It does not obligate them to pay that amount, and for fine art they often will not. If you want coverage that matches the real value of a work, you generally need one of two things: a third party fine art insurance policy, or a shipper whose own policy covers the full value of what they carry.
This is worth confirming in writing before anything ships. Ask what the coverage limit is for your specific piece, what is excluded, and what documentation a claim requires. A handler who works with art every day will have a clear answer. A standard parcel account usually will not.
What drives the cost of shipping art
Designers often expect distance to set the price, but it is usually the least of it. The cost of shipping a piece of art comes down to a handful of factors:
Size and weight. Bigger and heavier pieces need more material, more hands, and more truck space.
Whether it needs a crate. A custom crate is frequently the single largest line on the invoice, and large or valuable pieces require one.
Transit mode. Ground costs less than air, and a dedicated truck costs more than a spot on a shared route. Consolidating a piece onto a regular run, like our monthly East Coast shuttle, is one of the easiest ways to bring the number down.
Insurance. Coverage written for the real value of fine art is an added cost, and a necessary one for valuable work.
White glove service. Inside delivery, unpacking, debris removal, and installation add to the price and remove the work from your plate.
A small print in a flat mailer is inexpensive. A large, crated, high value piece moving in a climate controlled vehicle with full coverage is not. Knowing which factors apply to your piece is what lets you get an accurate quote instead of a surprise.
Common mistakes designers make
Most damaged art arrives that way for one of the same few reasons:
Treating art like a parcel. Dropping a valuable piece into a standard carrier account assumes a level of coverage and care that is not there.
Skipping the condition report. With no date stamped record from before the shipment, a damage claim becomes a guessing game.
Assuming declared value equals coverage. It does not. Confirm the real insured amount in writing.
Rolling something that should ship flat. A stretched canvas or a fragile medium can crack or crease when forced into a tube.
Shipping glass and mirrors lying flat. Glass survives on its edge and fails under flat pressure.
Letting cheap material touch the surface. Newsprint and bare bubble wrap can mark or stick to a finish.
Booking at the last minute. Crating and climate controlled transport take lead time to arrange properly.
When to hand it to a white glove art handler
For lower value, well packed pieces, a careful crate and a reputable carrier are often enough. For valuable, large, or one of a kind works, the safer choice is a specialist. White glove art handlers build custom crates, move pieces in climate controlled vehicles, employ trained handlers rather than general parcel staff, and carry insurance written for the value of fine art. Many also unpack and place the work at the destination, so the piece is hung or set rather than left in a box by the door.
For designers, that last part matters as much as the transit. A piece that arrives safely but sits crated for three weeks until someone can install it is still a risk, and still a job left on your plate. This is the work Hercules White Glove Delivery handles for designers across South Florida and along the East Coast: receiving and inspecting art and FF&E, holding it in secure storage, and delivering and installing it on the day the residence is ready. If you have art moving on an upcoming project, you can request a quote and talk it through before anything ships.
A quick pre-ship checklist
Before any piece of art goes on a truck, run through this:
Condition photos taken and dated
Surface protected with archival glassine or tissue
Corners guarded and any glass taped
Crate built for large, heavy, or high value pieces
Climate controlled transport arranged for sensitive work
Insurance confirmed in writing for the real value of the piece
Box or crate labeled fragile and oriented upright
The person receiving it knows it is coming and how to inspect it
On arrival: inspect before you sign
The last point is the one most often skipped. When the piece arrives, do not sign for it clean and then open the box later. Inspect the packaging for crushed corners or punctures, photograph anything that looks wrong, and note visible damage on the delivery ticket before the driver leaves. Most carriers and handlers require damage to be recorded at the time of delivery for a claim to hold. Then unpack and check the piece itself within any inspection window you were given. A few minutes at the door protects everything you did to pack the piece right.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to ship artwork?
Pack from the surface outward. Wrap the piece in acid free glassine, guard the corners, tape any glass in an X pattern, cushion it in bubble wrap and foam board, and box it so it cannot shift. For framed work larger than about 18 by 24 inches or any valuable piece, use a custom wooden crate instead of a box, and ship it with a handler who insures fine art at full value.
How much does it cost to ship artwork?
It depends on size, value, whether the piece needs a crate, the transit mode, and the level of service and insurance. A small, low value print shipped flat is inexpensive. A large or high value work that needs a custom crate, climate controlled transport, and full coverage costs considerably more. The crate, the coverage, and the handling move the price far more than distance does.
How do you ship framed art with glass?
Tape the glass in an X pattern with painter's tape before you wrap anything, so a break cannot slide and scratch the art. Then wrap in glassine, add corner protectors, cushion with bubble wrap and foam board, and box or crate the piece depending on its size and value. For valuable framed work, many handlers will swap the glass for acrylic before shipping.
How do you ship a large painting?
Large pieces should travel in a custom crate built to their dimensions and lined with foam. Boxes flex and offer almost no protection at scale. High value or oversized works are usually moved by a specialist art handler in a climate controlled vehicle, often with two people to handle and place the piece.
Should works on paper ship flat or rolled?
Flat whenever possible, in a glassine sleeve between two rigid boards. Roll only for very large works, and only when the paper and medium allow it, since some media crack when rolled. If you roll, use a wide tube at least four inches across with barrier layers, and place it inside a larger tube.
How do you ship a sculpture?
Wrap the form in bubble wrap with the bubbles out, pad any delicate or protruding parts separately, and use a box two to three inches larger than the piece on all sides with cushioning so it cannot touch the walls. Small sculptures can be double boxed. Large or heavy pieces should travel in a custom wooden crate.
How do you ship a mirror safely?
Tape the glass in a star or X pattern, protect the corners, wrap in two layers of bubble wrap, and use a box a few inches larger on every side. Most important, ship and store the mirror upright, never flat, because glass cracks under flat pressure.
Can you ship artwork with UPS or FedEx?
You can send lower value pieces through the major carriers, but they generally exclude fine art from full coverage and cap liability low. For anything valuable or irreplaceable, use a fine art shipper or a white glove handler whose insurance is written for the real value of the work.
How do you ship artwork internationally?
International shipments add customs paperwork, longer transit times, and more handling, all of which raise the risk. Valuable pieces should travel crated, climate controlled, and fully insured, with a handler experienced in art logistics who can manage the documentation.
How far ahead should I book art shipping?
Sooner than you think, especially for anything that needs a crate. A custom crate has to be built to the piece, and climate controlled or white glove transport books up, so last minute requests cost more and leave less room to do it right.
